Shelter dogs spend most of their time locked up and rarely get a chance to stay active, but Wesley Swainston decided to change that. He started volunteering at a local animal shelter in Florida and taking dogs for regular runs, in an attempt to show how adaptable they can be.
Swainston is an active-duty Marine, who enjoys spending his time back home volunteering at the animal shelter Adoption First near Jacksonville, Florida. He decided to try to aid in their adoption by showcasing their personalities online and taking them for daily runs, in an an attempt to give them an outlet for their boundless energy.
Swainston is sharing his journey on Instagram and TikTok page For the Dogs, and he became a viral sensation after posting a series of videos that show him getting ready for a marathon by running 26 miles with different rescue dogs.
Swainston is no stranger to forming a strong bond with the dogs he trains, but he can’t adopt them because he already has two dogs of his own. He’s hoping his videos will inspire other people to give shelter dogs a shot and discover how amazing they can be.
“While I definitely fall in love with the dogs I train and run, it’s more about knowing that they will bring someone immense joy someday, rather than considering adoption myself,” Swainston told People.