Dogs in a shelter need exercise + runners needing companions
=
match made in running heaven
When I've run dogs for friends I've absolutely loved it. Sure, I'm more a cat person than a dog person but running with a dog is great company, especially once you get the dog to run nicely next to you. A doggy companion is great for safety too.
As much as I like this initiative I'm 'relieved' that it is in Cape Town. I'd definitely want to be involved with running a dog once a week but how to stop from getting attached to the dog and wanting to take it home? Or is this the idea?
If you like dogs, don't have one of your own and you like running, go for this. It's especially great it you like dogs but cannot have one of your own for any number of reasons. A fabulous way to score a running companion, spend time with a dog and keep to your running committments. You're more likely to skip a run and let yourself down than to let down a dog that is waiting for you.
We
received the following email from Janette Jordaan, urging runners to take
four-legged friends on runs with them:
Uitsig
Animal Rescue Centre in Fisantekraal just outside of Durbanville. The rescue
centre is a a pro-life organization that rescues all types of animals. We have a
small group of dedicated walkers that exercise the dogs on Saturdays.
Unfortunately,
with over 300 dogs, we don’t get close to giving them each a walk. I’m writing
to tell you about the Huskies that are currently resident at Uitsig Animal
Rescue. The Huskies are the dogs that are probably the worst suited to the
environment of a rescue organization. I am contacting you to see if you may have
any members that might be interested in combining some of their own training
with that of exercising our Huskies. It certainly will be a good workout as our
Huskies are always ready to go – or perhaps you can arrange group
outings/community initiatives and this may be something suitable for you to
consider. As a volunteer walker myself, I can affirm to the fact that time spent
exercising the dogs at Uitsig is very good for both one’s soul and one’s
soles.
It
is extremely good exercise, the dogs are very good company and it is a good way
to get rid of the frustrations of the week.
One
of our newer volunteers via another running club is Sonja. She comes out
regularly to run with the Huskies, has become passionate in her desire to help
them and has also taken on the project of trying to market the Huskies in new
ways in order to try and find them suitable homes as soon as possible. As a
runner herself, Sonja feels the perfect owner of a Husky is someone that is
active and enjoys running. The benefits for both runner and Husky are great: The
runner gets a wonderful running companion (and security guard!) and the Husky
gets all the exercise that it needs. Sonja would also like to encourage
interested runners to join in with the exercising of the Huskies at Uitsig.
Contact
her on sonja.swanevelder@gmail.com and she will tell them about the volunteer
running program and answer any questions that they may have.
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