Disabled Dog Is “Running” Marathons With His Owner

Janet Turner had no plans of joining the marathon, but she realized that this was a better coping mechanism than taking medications for her anxiety. As an animal advocate herself, she tried to keep things interesting by bringing her dog with her.

“I used to hate running. But bringing my dog with me made it more enjoyable,” Janet mentioned. “Moose used to have emotional issues too, so it just made sense that I brought him with me every time. It helped us both,” she continued.

Sadly after seven long years, Janet’s dog, Moose, passed away. The emotional burden was even stronger, but it pushed her to help another dog in need. She then started looking for a special needs dog and found Gordon.

Gordon is a Miniature Pinscher who damaged his two hind legs due to a gunshot. He would walk with his front legs while raising his whole torso as if hovering on the floor. “Gordon was so cute and goofy, given his condition. I knew he was the dog for me,” Janet said.

It took Janet a few months before earning Gordon’s trust. She would bring the pup with her during practices, and while Gordon can walk, he sometimes gets left behind. Then came the idea of putting him in a backpack where he can relax while Janet runs.

Janet and Gordon’s casual runs turned into something else. She would use #RunningForRescues on her posts, which went big on social media. The movement raises awareness for disabled dogs, and people backed it up. They were able to raise funds for several groups and shelters and has run a total of six races together.

The pair continues to work hard in helping other organizations, especially the smaller groups who don’t get that much attention. Their goal is to raise awareness to have more people support local shelters and rescues, which are turning out quite well.

Special needs dogs may be different, but they deserve the same kind of love everyone does. Check out the short clip below featuring Gordon!

Video credit: Facebook G-Dog Gordon