A marathon runner in Thailand is melting the hearts of many netizens after finishing a race while carrying an abandoned puppy she found on the road.
During a 26-mile marathon in Ratchaburi, western Thailand on January 20, 43-year-old Khemjira Klongsanun noticed some runners ignoring a poor dog on the side of the road. The athlete slowed down her pace and gently approached the terrified puppy to coax it.
Eventually, the little bangkaew, or Thai wolf dog, made his way to her. Khemjira then picked up the pooch, cradled him to check if he was safe and okay, then continued to finish the remaining 19 miles of the race, Daily Mail reported.
“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,” she said.
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After finishing the race, Khemjira tried to find the owner of the puppy, but to no avail. She even sent out a notice to claim the puppy, but that also failed.
Khemjira eventually decided to adopt the puppy and name him Chombueng. He is now part of her family along with her two other dogs.
Khemjira said saving the dog and finishing the race was truly challenging for her.
“Running almost 20 miles carrying dog was truly a challenge. It was two times tiring than a normal marathon but I did it anyway just because he is adorable,” the athlete said.
“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,” she continued. “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.”
Images Screenshot via YouTube / Newsflare
