During a marathon in Ratchaburi, western Thailand, a runner found a lost puppy 7 miles into the race, then carried the dog 19 miles to the finish line, and later adopted him.
Khemjira Klongsanun, 43, found the pup, believed to be just a couple of months old, on the roadside. With no nearby houses or crowds, she realized he had been abandoned.
“It seemed to me that this little guy was lost. There were no houses, no other dogs, or no people around. So, I picked up the puppy, if only to take him out of the unsafe environment,” Klongsanun said.
In fear that he would struggle to survive in the wilderness, she picked up the little Thai bangkaew breed to check if he was safe and cradled him all the way to the finish line.
Fellow competitors smiled and expressed their shock as she ran along with him, at one point holding him up so onlookers could see.
After finishing the race with the dog, Klongsanun searched for an owner at the site and then later online, but with no luck. She has since adopted the puppy as her own, adding to her canine family composed of her two other adult dogs. She named him Chombueng after the name of the marathon.
Klongsanun claims running almost 20 miles carrying the dog was truly a challenge. It was twice as tiring than a normal marathon, but she says she did it anyway because of how adorable he is.
“It took a lot of time to take the new dog for checkups, vaccinations, and treatments but I'm glad to save him and willing to have him with other dog members in the family. It might take a while for him to adapt himself. But Chombueng is a very smart boy. I'm sure he is going to be happy living with us,” said Klongsanun.
