How a Stray Dog Became Part of a Swedish Adventure Racing Team Through Sheer Loyalty
Dogs have evolved from protectors to loyal companions and furry friends who also provide emotional support since the dawn of civilization. One of the reasons why dogs make such great companions lies in their inherent loyalty towards humans. Canines are known to remember kindness and to show unconditional devotion towards their human friends.
One such example was set by a stray dog in 2014 when he became an unlikely participant in an adventure race through the Amazonian rainforest, as per NPR. A Swedish adventure racing team called Peak Performance was participating in the Adventure Racing World Championship where participants had to hike, kayak, and ride their bikes through a 430-mile-long endurance course that cut through the Amazon rainforest.
While trying to cover the remaining miles in the race, one of the team members named Mikael Lindnord struck a friendship with a stray dog by offering him a meatball. The canine, who was later named Arthur by the team, grew so attached to the athletes that he decided to tag along for the adventure. In the course of the race, the dog even ran and swam to keep up with the four members of the Swedish team. Soon, the team accepted Arthur as their fifth member as they updated details on their Facebook page with a series of pictures capturing the dog in action.
Arthur never held them back as he continued to follow his newfound human pals through muddy and rocky landscapes, caked in dirt just like the athletes. "The organization gave the advice not to bring dog Arthur out on the last leg — a dog in the kayak didn't seem like a great idea — and the team was going to follow this advice. Mike, Simon, Staffan and Karen put their kayaks down in the water and set off, but Arthur refused to be left and started swimming. This was too heartbreaking for the team, and Mikael helped Arthur up in the kayak. This led to standing ovations from everyone on the shore, seeing the five teammates set off," the Swedish team revealed in a statement, per the outlet.
It took the team six days to finish the race with a five-member team instead of four as they became the 12th best team in the world. Lindnord managed to find a way to bring Arthur back to Sweden with him by setting up a PayPal account and launching a campaign on X to raise funds. Arthur also had a gaping would on his back that he had sustained months before he met the team in the rainforest.
When Arthur was taken to Sweden he had to spend 120 days in a dog quarantine in Stockholm before heading off to live with the Lindnord family in Örnsköldsvik. The team members of Peak Performance continued to visit their new furry friend as he was given ample room and comfort to settle in his new environment. The team also says it has established the Arthur Foundation, to support stray dogs. In 2024, "Arthur The King," a film starring Mark Wahlberg was released by Lionsgate which was inspired by the true story of Lindnord and Arthur.