Following the race, she took the puppy home and made efforts to locate the owner, yet no one stepped forward to claim him. Fortunately, Khemjira decided to give the little dog a permanent home and named him Chombueng, inspired by the race where she found him.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, Khemjira expressed her belief that the puppy was lost. “It seemed to me that this little guy was lost. There were no houses, no other dogs, or no people around. So, I picked up the puppy, if only to take him out of the unsafe environment,” she explained.
Although she normally wouldn’t run with a dog, Khemjira couldn’t resist the charm of the adorable pup. “Running almost 20 miles carrying a dog was truly a challenge. It was two times more tiring than a normal marathon, but I did it anyway just because he is adorable,” she admitted.
Khemjira acknowledged that Chombueng might need some time to adjust, but she emphasized his intelligence and expressed confidence that he would be happy living with them. Prior to bringing Chombueng into their home, Khemjira already had two dogs. She mentioned the time and effort invested in getting the new addition checked up, vaccinated, and treated, expressing satisfaction in saving him and integrating him into their family of dogs.
As the family settled him into his new home, they anticipated a period of adjustment for Chombueng in his new life