Marine Inspires Trend of Running with Shelter Dogs to Showcase Their Adoptability, Finds 'Immense Joy' Along the Way (Exclusive)

A Marine turned to social media to showcase adoptable shelter dogs while getting his daily exercise

• Wesley Swainston decided to change up his running routines by taking dogs from a local shelter along for his treks

• He started posting some of the moments on social media, garnering not only a big following but a group of people who've followed suit

• Swainston encourages others to visit local shelter dogs and consider fostering

As an active-duty Marine, Wesley Swainston initially took up running as part of the job. Over time, though, he fell in love with it.

In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, 28-year-old Swainston explains how he combined his love of running with another passion — one for dogs — and turned to social media to showcase adoptable shelter dogs while getting his daily exercise.

"While balancing my military duties, I decided to volunteer at my local shelter, helping train dogs and showcasing their personalities online to aid in their adoption," he says. "Training dogs that have been confined for long periods can be challenging; they often have boundless energy and need an outlet."

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Working with a shelter called Adoption First near Jacksonville, Fla., Swainston says he "began running the shelter dogs and then training them afterward" in November 2023.

"This approach not only provided them with physical exercise but also helped more fearful dogs open up," he adds. "I would often bring fellow Marines to volunteer with me, allowing them to play and run with the dogs, which was a rewarding experience for everyone involved."

Related: Devoted Adopter Visits Fearful Shelter Dog Every Day for 2 Months to Win Pet's Trust (Exclusive)

Following a 2024 deployment, Swainston's first stop was back at the shelter, where he had the idea to film one of his runs with the dogs.

Those videos have inspired others, like a series in which Swainston trains for a marathon by running 26 miles, each with a different adoptable dog.

During the runs, he often shares facts about the dogs while they run alongside him — some like to carry something in their mouths while they run, some like to stop periodically and sniff.

As his videos went viral, perhaps unexpectedly for Swainston, they inspired countless other runners to contact their local shelters to follow suit.

"I recently conducted a poll on my Instagram, asking my audience if they volunteered at their local shelters because of me," he tells PEOPLE. "Over 200 people responded positively, saying they took action because of my influence."

That reach, he says, is "incredibly rewarding."

"I know I have had a direct impact on getting dogs adopted, especially those I was able to train, like Bear, who spent over 200 days in the shelter, and Bruno, who was initially judged by his behavior," he says. "I worked closely with Bruno’s foster mom for about six weeks, helping to train him and show his true potential. Now, I receive pictures from their owners of them at the beach, off-leash, living their absolute best lives. It’s incredibly rewarding to see these dogs thrive in their forever homes."

Swainston is now transitioning out of the U.S. Marine Corps, on a mentorship program for dog training in San Antonio, Texas.

And while his military training helped inspire him to become a runner, his volunteerism at the animal shelters helped inspire something else: for Swainston to foster dogs himself.

Related: Dogs in Shelter for Weeks Enjoy Valentine's Day Photo Shoot in Hopes of Finally Finding Homes

Soon, he'll be sharing how he trains his own foster dogs before they find their forever homes.

"I get a lot of comments like, 'That dog loves you! You should adopt it!' " Swainston admits. "Unfortunately for them, I already have two incredible dogs who inspired me to get into training: Asher, my 5-year-old German Shepherd, and my 16-year-old mini Australian Shepherd."

He continues: "While I definitely fall in love with the dogs I train and run, it’s more about knowing that they will bring someone immense joy someday, rather than considering adoption myself."

He adds that the experience of running with the dogs has shown him firsthand "the power of play."

"Ditching daily walks for engaging play sessions can transform your relationship with your dog," he says. "Just think — if you went to a shelter once a week and spent 20 minutes playing fetch with a dog, you’d be amazed at how easily that dog bonds with you."

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