Arthur gets a new life and inspires a charity after joining an extreme sports team
Stray dog Arthur got a new life in Sweden and even inspired a charity after following an extreme sports team on a 430-mile trek through the Amazon rainforest.
The determined dog began following the athletes as they neared the final stage of the Adventure Racing World Championships - one of the hardest races in the world.
Team captain Mikael Lindnord says it all started with a meat ball, which he fed to the stray before beginning a trek through the Ecuadorian Jungle. Arthur became a friend for life and refused to leave their sides for the rest of the race.
He followed them through challenging conditions including knee-high mud, which the team had to help pull him out of several times.
When the team reached the kayaking stage they were advised by organisers to leave Arthur behind as it would be unsafe to take him onto the water. The advice was taken on board by the team but ignored by Arthur who pursued them into the water and swam after their kayak.
Mikael said: "It was too heartbreaking and we felt we couldn't leave him so we picked him up. We could hear people cheer on the shore as we set off".
For parts of the journey, Arthur got out and swam before coming back to the kayak. Team members had to adjust their paddling technique with Arthur on board and even gave him their jackets to wear to keep him warm.
After six days and six nights, the team finished the race in 12th place - not quite as high as they had hoped, but they did gain an extra team member and best friend.
Arthur landed on Swedish soil on November 20 to start his new life with Mikael, after numerous vet checks and hours spent getting documents signed to ensure he could enter the country.
The former stray has won fans all over the world for his dogged determination and also proved to be the inspiration for a new charity, the Arthur Foundation, which aims to raise money to help stray dogs.
To watch the video, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXWJGhWPuzk&app=desktop
For more information about the race, see http://www.teampeakperformance.se/news_item.php?id=1415, or to find out more about the Arthur Foundation: http://www.teampeakperformance.se/arthur/
Images ©Krister Göransson
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