dog who competed in half-marathon dies of heart attack

dog half-marathon dies (FACEBOOK)

Dog Winning Indiana Half-Marathon Dies Suddenly

A 100-pound chocolate lab who was celebrated for successfully completing a 13.2 mile half-marathon in Evansville, Indiana earlier this month has died unexpectedly, according to family members.

Boogie Butts, who managed to complete the course in two and a quarter hours, faster than more than 1,000 of the marathon’s human participants, was eight years old. He was even awarded a marathon medal in ceremonies outside the Evansville YMCA for completing the course.

The dog’s owner, Jerry Butts, say that they didn’t intend to enroll Boogie Butts as a race participant. But the lab broke away while walking on his leash the night before and wound up running alongside Marathon participants before he was successfully retrieved from Animal Control officers.

Butts admits that Boogie Butts was always a puppy at heart and was not surprised to discover that the animal was able to finish the 13.5 mile runner’s course.

The Butts family revealed on Facebook the cause of death was likely a heart attack:

It is with great sadness that we inform you that Boogie passed away due to a heart attack on Tuesday, Oct. 15. He was 10 when he wiggled free of his owner Jerry Butts’ leash on Oct. 4 and, two days later, ran 13 of 13.1 miles in the Evansville Half Marathon. Boogie received a medal for completing the race and became an international media sensation. He loved every minute of the attention. You know him as the first dog thought to have completed a half marathon unassisted, but to me and my sons, he was our companion, our watchdog, and a member of our family. Boogie was a rascal and he went out the way he wanted, by being a little mischievous and not being too shy to soak up the glory.

The family of Boogie is welcoming donations to the Vanderburgh Humane Society, Inc. in his memor

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dog half-marathon dies
http://www.courierpress.com/news/2013/oct/16/boogie-butts-dog-ran-evansville-half-marathon-has/