Around 5:30 p.m., after Wesley Swainston finishes his work with the Marine Corps, he heads to Adoption First Animal Rescue, a shelter in Jacksonville, North Carolina.
After spending the majority of his day managing aircrafts in the sky as an air traffic control officer, Swainston volunteers as a trainer helping rescue dogs improve their chances of getting adopted.
With a leash in hand, Swainston heads to the kennels and picks out a dog to run with. Some dogs are full of energy while others are more timid and need encouragement to get out the door. Some can run for the entire 1-mile loop around the shelter, and others will only make it halfway. But no matter the distance, the dogs always finish the run happier.
For the past year, Swainston has shared these miles on social media in hopes of getting more dogs adopted, and the effort is paying off. Since the second video went viral in March—a point-of-view reel that shows Swainston running with rescue dogs Cindy, Rooster, and Hondooo while sharing training tips and the personality traits of each animal—most of the dogs he’s featured on Instagram have found new homes.
“There’s a lot of good that comes out of [running with shelter dogs],” Swainston tells Runner’s World. “Being able to connect with a dog is just a lot easier when you prioritize their physical exercise before coming in there and asking them to sit and stay and all of the commands that owners are looking for when adopting a dog.”
Five years ago, Swainston started running to get himself in shape for training in the Marine Corps, which requires recruits to pass an initial strength test that includes running 1.5 miles in 13:30 or less (9:00-mile pace).
Now an active duty Marine for the last four years, Swainston kept running because he appreciates how the sport makes him “stronger mentally.” So far, he’s competed in five marathons and ultramarathons.
About a year ago, the Jacksonville resident, who also works as a part-time dog trainer, decided to combine his passion for running with his love for canines. He quickly learned the animals were calmer and happier if they exercised prior to training. “The benefits to running with your dog are immense—the bond, getting their exercise out so they’re more able to work with you, especially in the chaotic shelter environment,” he says.
In November 2023, Swainston posted a video on Instagram of him running with shelter dogs that were being overlooked at the rescue center. By describing each animal and the techniques he uses to connect with them individually—exercise, quality time, and treats, for example—Swainston hopes to “show people what the dog could be,” he says.
Late last year, Swainston was deployed to Norway and wasn’t able to continue working at the shelter while overseas, but he picked it up again once he returned home in the spring.
After the video in March gained a lot of attention online, Swainston created a separate Instagram account dedicated to his runs called @runningwithshelterdogs. Through the platform, Swainston has connected with people around the country who are interested in adoption, often pairing them with dogs that have a tougher time finding homes. Earlier this month, he partnered with wheelchair athlete Jesi Stacham to help raise awareness for Crispy, a dog who came to the shelter with her two back legs paralyzed. Crispy was later adopted after the video was posted.
Swainston has also encouraged other runners to start volunteering at their own local shelters. Along with getting more dogs adopted, his ultimate goal is to create an in-person and virtual community of people giving their time to animals in need.
And he’s not slowing down any time soon. Later this month, Swainston plans to run a full marathon with 26 dogs (one mile with each dog) at Adoption First.
“There’s no cooler feeling than posting a video and because of that video, a dog gets its forever home,” Swainston said.
Taylor Dutch is a writer and editor living in Austin, Texas, and a former NCAA track athlete who specializes in fitness, wellness, and endurance sports coverage. Her work has appeared in Runner’s World, SELF, Bicycling, Outside, and Podium Runner.
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