Adopted
Adoptions take many forms, here are two somewhat unusual ones.
Arthur
Adventure racing is a timed, multidisciplinary, solo or team sport that navigates unmarked terrain. It can include mountain biking, tracking, skiing, abseiling, climbing, horse riding, kayaking, and white water rafting. The teams vary in gender and races can last anywhere between two hours to two weeks.
It was in the Ecuadorian jungle that Mikael Lindnord met a stray dog. Unlike other dogs, this one made no attempt to beg or intrude despite being ravenous and in poor condition. Mikael noted the quiet dignity and the almost regal way the dog carried itself, and he named it Arthur. He gave his newfound friend some of his precious rations and carried on with the race with Arthur in close attendance. Despite his weakened health, the canine doggedly (sorry, no pun intended! )continued to dog (another unintentional pun) Mikael’s footsteps.
The major dramas were to come as one of the race legs involved kayaking 34 miles, which would last around 14 hours, and the race marshals refused to allow the team to take the dog. The team, therefore, set off without Arthur. However, the determined canine refused to be left behind and launched himself into the water and proceeded to swim towards the departing kayaks. This was too heartbreaking for the team, and unable to ignore this extraordinary dog, they hauled him aboard their kayak, which produced spontaneous applause from the shore.
After 6 days and 435 miles, the team crossed the finish line with five members instead of 4. Number 5 was, of course, Arthur.
Not the end
Having finished the race, the team were warned by the Ecuadorian team that if left behind, Arthur would almost certainly be killed, so Mikael, having spoken to his wife (sensible man), decided, despite never having had a pet in his life, to adopt the stray canine. Unfortunately, the Ecuadorian authorities were unwilling to allow Arthur to leave, and the Swedish authorities were not wildly enthusiastic about the sick animal arriving in their country. Tense negotiations took place while a Twitter campaign was started, and Arthur finally travelled a further 6,455 miles to Sweden, where he was able to receive the veterinary care he desperately needed. He had badly infected wounds suffered before he joined the team, probably the result of ill-treatment. It was uncertain if he would even survive the journey. He spent 120 days in quarantine and finally was able to join the Lindnord family in Ornskoldsvik, about 300 miles south of the Arctic Circle. It appears that Arthur adapted without difficulty to the climatic change from the jungles of Ecuador to the cooler Swedish temperatures.
.Mikael would write three books inspired by Arthur, including the 2016 best seller, Arthur the Dog, that crossed the jungle to find a home. This became the inspiration for the movie Arthur the King.
Arthur passed away from a malignant tumour on the 8th December 2020, a few weeks before filming started on the movie.
Arthur RiP
Stuart
Stuart arrived at a shelter when he was around 12 months old, and it was thought that, like so many before him, rehoming would be a fairly simple process. Stuart was found a new home twice but returned for whatever reason as “unsuitable.”
Fourteen years later, Stuart would, without doubt, be classed as a senior. At 19 years old and having spent all those years in an Illinois animal shelter, it is fair to say that life hasn’t exactly been a bowl of cherries for Stuart. To be stuck in a shelter for most of his life without a family to call his own was tough. Ok, he was fed and watered and had a roof over his head, and that at least was a luxury compared to what some dogs endure; however, it didn’t compensate for his personal situation. I guess to some, it was made worse because of his longevity. Let’s face it: nineteen is a pretty good age to reach anyway, but to never have a family is hard to comprehend.
Natalie Snyder learned of Stuart’s plight and travelled for five hours to examine him. However, the problem started. The shelter was reluctant to let Stuart go, and many criticised its decision. While I understand some negative reactions, I would also have been extremely concerned about rehoming a dog that had been there for such a long time.
After all, the shelter was his home, and he knew no different. However, Natalie persevered, and eventually, the shelter relented.
A new life
Stuart is now in his new home being spoilt rotten by his new family. He sleeps a lot but he is enjoying his good fortune and whilst his time is limited he is seeing out his final days in comfort which includes an orthopaedic bed!!
As I have advocated for years, people who take older dogs can very often benefit, as the seniors usually are better behaved, house trained, and don’t destroy the furniture. Yes, you don’t have them for so long, but the result is usually a quieter, peaceful life with a pet that provides the same enjoyment with much less hassle.
Today’s quote is one of several that a heart broken Mikael posted following the demise of Arthur.
“One thing that you took with you was why you chose me. You never told me. I guess it doesn’t matter.”
Michael Lindnord
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