Some things just go together. Peanut butter and jelly. The Fourth of July and fireworks. Dogs and tennis balls.
In an effort to promote the adoption of abandoned street dogs, the Brazil Open “hired” four-legged companions to replace ball boys in one exhibition match.
Four shelter mutts, who were once homeless in Sao Paulo, were trained to retrieve balls and bring them to Roberto Carballes Baena of Spain (the world’s 122nd ranked player) and Gastao Elias of Portugal (ranked 140th).
“These are dogs that were mistreated. We have to make them adapt, feel the environment, the court, the noise of the balls and the noise of the people. Some are doing well, others are still a little scared,” the dog’s trainer, Andrea Beckert, said. (Fox News)
The dogs served as ‘ball boys’ for about 30 minutes in one of the cutest tennis matches you will ever see.
“The idea is to show people that a well-fed and well-treated animal can be very happy. We have more than 1,000 dogs in our care,” event organizer, Marli Scaramella, said.
