Rescue Tail / Bob

Bob was a handsome young American Bulldog mix who briefly resided at our Marathon Campus back in 2017 until he was adopted into a loving home. Or so we thought. So imagine our surprise when in December of 2023 whilst scrolling social media our Director of Operations recognized a very distinct face of her past. There was a photo of Bob, at the WPB Animal Control facility in a public “in need of rescue partner” plea. Bob had come in as a stray, and when they attempted to contact the owner listed in the Keys on his microchip, their efforts were unsuccessful. Without an owner, in a crowded shelter of over 200 dogs, now a senior at 8 years old, the clock was ticking.

Thanks to our friend Karen Thomas of Payton’s Promise, a Rescue Hold was put in place as we worked out the details of how to get Bob back.

Both our Key West and Marathon Campuses have contracts with Monroe County to provide Animal Control. Within those contracts are jurisdictions. For Key West, it’s mm0 – 16.7 and for Marathon it’s mm16.7 – 70. Within our contract it states that we only accept animals from within our individual jurisdictions. This is why we can not, and do not accept animals from the mainland, or even Key Largo. However; it is in our adoption contract that if for any reason someone can not keep their pet, that we always take our animals back. So, within just a few days, we started to coordinate the 200 mile journey to bring Bob home.

Through the power of social media our animal loving community was quick to commit to legs of the trip through South Florida with Bob. Because of those incredible volunteers, on a Wednesday in early December, just two days before “the date” our volunteer was there as they opened ready to secure Bob and start the journey home.

Once Bob was back in our care, he was treated by our compassionate Veterinary team for kennel cough, and placed in foster to help heal his emotional wounds. Day by day he grew stronger both mentally, and physically. He was still the same sweet, goofy, bouncing, playful, handsome dog from all those years ago!

Luckily, his adoption didn’t take long and we think his adoption is just as special as he is. His new family actually wanted to adopt him back in 2017, but at the time they didn’t have the space or availability due to their housing and current pet. Although it was heartbreaking to lose their dog, fate truly had a hand in bringing Bob back to them so many years later. This time, Bob has his true forever home and our hearts couldn’t be more full.