It was seven in the morning on the Monday after Thanksgiving when Jennifer, a seasoned nurse, received a frantic call from the room of John Burle, a patient being treated for pneumonia.
John also participates in the Adult Day Healthcare Program, which allows patients who need to be supervised the ability to socialize and receive medical care.
As she picked up the phone, John kept saying, “‘Boomer is in the pound! Boomer is in the pound!”
The little tan pooch is more than just John’s dog; he’s also his best friend. The pair have been together for twelve beautiful years, ever since John adopted Boomer as a puppy.
Jennifer already knew all about Boomer. In fact, it was John and Jennifer’s mutual love for their dogs that fueled their friendship. They both have dogs that they adopted when they were tiny puppies and have now reached “senior” status. Jennifer’s dog is thirteen, and Boomer is twelve.
Not only does Boomer mean so much to John because they have an incredible bond, but John’s late wife also loved Boomer. This is exactly why, after her call with John, Jennifer sprang into action the way she did. She understood exactly how desperate and panic-stricken John was over his beloved best friend being taken to a shelter.
“Boomer is John’s world. John’s had him since he was a puppy, and I couldn’t stand the thought of separating the two,” shared Jennifer. “I just couldn’t.”
Without hesitation, and despite the fact that John didn’t even know where Boomer currently was, Jennifer agreed to find him and care for him.
John never had any interest in re-homing Boomer, but it’s just him and his furry best friend at home. All of his family lives across the country in Arkansas. So when he was in rough shape and needed to be hospitalized for an extended period of time, there wasn’t anyone around to care for the dog.
Jennifer wasn’t going to let John’s health status force him and Boomer apart. She immediately began gathering a list of local animal shelters. Then, once she was satisfied, she started at the top with the Rome Humane Society. As luck would have it, Boomer was at the first shelter she called!
Jennifer arrived the moment they opened, and within minutes, Rome Humane Society confirmed that they had recently taken in a new pup named Boomer. She had found him and promptly made the arrangements to adopt him!
Now Boomer is temporarily living with Jennifer as John has moved to a nearby rehab center for further treatment. Once he fully recovers, John will take Boomer home.
For now, Boomer is in wonderful hands with Jennifer. She even brings Boomer to the center to visit John, where he is welcomed with open arms and has practically achieved celebrity status.
“I’ve only known John for six months, but I know he loves Boomer. And I know part of John’s healing is knowing Boomer is OK.”
H/T: pennlive.com
Featured Photo: Facebook
Toledo, United States.
