After retiring from the Marine Corps, Wesley Swainston has been training dogs at a shelter, combining his two passions: dog training and running.
But the impact of what this 28-year-old Marine Corps veteran is doing goes beyond just pursuing his hobbies. Training these dogs also helps the shelter find them forever homes.
So how did Swainston go from being an air traffic controller to volunteering at an animal shelter?
“I initially started running to become a Marine Corps officer, but along the way, I fell in love with running and started enjoying races,” Swainston told The Epoch Times.
For the past 8 years, he has been dedicated to running, participating in marathons and even a 60-mile ultramarathon race.
“I’m also passionate about dog training,” he added.
As he tried to balance personal life and military duties, he found a way to connect his two passions – a way that also inspired him to do good.
“I decided to volunteer at a local shelter, help train the dogs, and showcase their personalities online to aid in their adoption,” he said. “Training dogs that have long been confined in small spaces can be challenging – they are usually energetic and need an outlet to release their energy.”
In November 2023, he started reaching out to local shelters, proposing the idea of running with the dogs and posting videos online to help them get adopted. The first two shelters turned him down, but the third one, the “Adoption First Animal Rescue” in Jacksonville, North Carolina, said yes.
“Adoption First gave me an opportunity, and I began managing the shelter dogs and training them,” Swainston said. “This approach not only provides them with physical exercise but also helps more fearful dogs open up. I often volunteer with fellow Marines, letting them play and run with the dogs, which is a beneficial experience for everyone involved.”
As a dog trainer, Swainston also convinced other trainers to include shelter dogs in their programs, increasing the chances of these dogs getting adopted.
With the success at the local shelter, he decided to post a video on his personal Instagram account to showcase the benefits for the dogs. The video “unexpectedly went viral” and inspired many people to visit local shelters and volunteer.
“Other content creators also joined in, sharing their experiences of running shelters for dogs. The videos garnered millions of views, leading many dogs to find forever homes,” Swainston said.
Now, Swainston regularly posts videos of him running with shelter dogs on his Instagram pages @RunningWithShelterDogs and @ForTheDogs.
He said, “Taking these dogs out, seeing them open up, is very rewarding, especially watching a fearful dog open up while running. Additionally, by sharing videos of these dogs on my social media, they gain more visibility, which helps increase adoption rates.”
Reflecting on some precious moments, Swainston mentioned two dogs named Bruno and Byle who are now enjoying their new lives in their forever homes.
“I worked with Bruno’s adopter for six weeks, and now, his adopter sent me pictures of him playing fetch with a leash,” he said. “Byle was a special case – he was returned to the shelter, and we trained together for 200 days before finally finding his forever home.”
He encourages others who want to help shelter dogs in their area to establish trust with the shelter before proposing to run with them.
“Don’t just ask to walk the dogs – volunteer to help with tasks like laundry or other needs the shelter might have,” he said. “Build trust with the staff, and soon you’ll be running with the dogs that need help the most, truly increasing their chances of finding a home.”