With thousands of homeless animals coming through the Aiken County Animal Shelter each year, it is hard to remember them all. But the special ones stand out. Ones like Boo Boo.
is making sure his golden years are good ones.
Boo Boo is only 7 years old, but he looks ancient — probably due to how hard some of his years have been and the health issues he’s experienced. He first arrived at the County Shelter as a 3-year-old stray in the spring of 2020. He had scars on his face and his head tilted a little to the left. His ears were infected and he tested positive for heartworms. But despite his difficult past, this blond, white and black mixed breed had a sweet, goofy grin and was a charmer.
“Boo Boo was the first dog I got attached to here,” said County Shelter Lead Kennel Tech Brandi Dobbins. “He looks like a cartoon character, has the sweetest personality and I love the way he talks…everyone here just fell in love with him.”
In late July, Boo Boo was adopted. Everything was going wonderfully for him in his new home until three months later, when his adopter had to move and couldn’t take Boo Boo with her.
Boo Boo was disappointed when he returned to the shelter, but he kept smiling and talking like always. His grunts, short barks, mumbles and whines echoed through the kennels, letting us all know he was back. While it was good to see our old friend, we knew we had to find him a loving home as soon as possible.
In November, the shelter was over capacity and Boo Boo still had no prospects. While Boo Boo’s strong personality and charm are great qualities, he didn’t get along with most dogs and was competing with younger, prettier pups. Plus, he was now our longest resident. Not a good spot to be in. We went into overdrive on social media to put the word out that Boo Boo was in desperate need of a home, and an older gentleman, Curtis Boseman of North Augusta, came to his rescue.
“Getting Boo Boo was one of the best things I have done in this life of mine,” he said. “I love him so much and he loves me right back. All my family members and friends are constantly coming by to see him. Every move I make in my house he goes right with me. I think he rescued me more than I rescued him.”
For four years, Boo Boo had the best life with Curtis. They went on walks, drove to the store, went on errands together and spent quality time at home. They were inseparable.
But two months ago, Curtis passed away. His son brought Boo Boo back to the shelter.
Boo Boo was devastated. He was no longer talking but crying out in agony for Curtis. His goofy grin was gone and he didn’t want to do much of anything. Now a senior dog, Boo Boo had arthritis in his back legs and could only go on short walks.
Poor Boo Boo was depressed and going downhill fast. Again, our team went into action, posting about his dire situation. He needed a small miracle.
On Aug. 9, he got one. Georgia resident Shannon Overton came to Boo Boo’s rescue and adopted him. She sent us a picture of Boo Boo in his new forever home, looking cozy and content in a big dog bed surrounded by blankets. If you look closely, you can see a hint of his goofy grin returning.
Their lives are in our hands.
By Bob Gordon, FOTAS Communications Director
