Inspiring
Stray Dog Finishes Extreme Race with Newly Found Pack after Receiving a Meatball.
This poor, starving, stray dog was surviving alone in the Amazon jungle until he met Mikael Lindnord and his team.
We know how loyal dogs are and how they express their gratitude towards human beings who have shown them kindness. Remember the story of the woman who spent her life feeding stray dogs? Well, this is a heart-warming story about a man who gave little to a dog but got so much in return.
Peak Performance is an extreme racing team that set out to compete in the Adventure Racing World Championship- a 430-mile-race held in Ecuador last November 2014, when they met a dirty, malnourished, stray dog they named Arthur.
Arthur was dirty, alone and starving in the harsh rainforest before he meet the team. He was malnourished and weak from his months surviving alone.
It had been an arduous morning already for the team, so they decided to take a break to eat their lunch before they start their 20-mile trek to finish the final two stages of the race. The team was amidst the Amazon rainforest so they were on guard for wild animals that might approach, but the only creature who did was Arthur. The dog looked at them with hungry eyes as they unwrapped their food. The athletes only have enough food to help them last the grueling race and they needed all the energy they could get from it. Mikael Lindnord, Peak Performance’s team captain, took pity on the malnourished dog but could only give him a meatball.
A single act of kindness bonded Arthur with his new pal. Lonely Arthur finally found “his pack.”
The team then set off with the other racers after they finished lunch, completely unaware that Arthur had been following them already. The only time they noticed him again was when the group separated from the other teams. Lindnord and his team faced rough conditions during their trek, but all the while Arthur ran along behind them.
“At one stage, we had to take a break and the dog was totally wrecked. ” Lindnord said.
” We opened two cans of food and let him eat because he could find no food at all in the jungle.” Lindnord added.
Arthur decided to join the team and was willing to show his perseverance and unwavering determination.
He followed the team through over 400 miles of brutal elements.
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The team was advised to leave the poor dog, but Arthur kept on following the team through more than 400 miles of rough and unfriendly terrain.
When the team approached a river, the organizers again advised them to leave Arthur ashore. They believed that the dog simply wasn’t in a good condition and the team needed to kayak across the river.
The organizers feared for Arthur and the team’s safety.
When the team left Arthur ashore, the pup dove into the water and paddled in the freezing water.
Due to the water’s temperature, Lindnord had to pull Arthur up to the kayak and improvise a technique that would enable them to keep paddling just so that they wouldn’t have to let the dog back in the water.
Arthur jumped back in the water a few times but kept crawling back into the kayak. Lindnord had to wrap the dog with their jackets.
When the team came close to the shore, Arthur jumped and swam ahead of them. Lindnord thought that it would be the last time they’ll see Arthur. Much to their surprise, the pup ran to the road for a while but swam back to them.
The scraggly dog remained by their side even when the team, who were all more fit and healthy than he was, were losing energy due to the extreme race.
Arthur is now an official member of the Peak Performance team. They raised money to have him flown to Sweden for medical attention.
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The Peak Performance team were not able to win first place in the race, but they were regarded as heroes.
Lindnord stated, “I came to Ecuador to win the World Championship. Instead, I got a new friend.”
As soon as they had the opportunity, the entire team brought Arthur to a vet in Quito, Ecuador.
They found a 6-month old wound on his neck
Arthur is now an official member of Peak Performance. The team raised funds to have Arthur flown to Sweden for medical attention.
When they got back home, Arthur was greeted with a hero’s welcome at the Arlanda Airport in Stockholm.
I’m so glad this lovely dog found his forever family. He fought hard enough for it…
