After being adopted, not every shelter pup receives a formal sendoff. But for Bowie the shepherd mix — who’d spent over a year searching for his forever family — it was the most fitting farewell his friends at Whatcom Humane Society(WHS) might be able to think of.
Bowie quickly became a celebrity among the staff from his first day.
“He was really, really sweet,” Andrea Merrill, Whatcom Humane Society’s development associate, told us.
Bowie was cared for by shelter staff almost a whole year and a quarter. To get Bowie out of the shelter, volunteers often take him on trips to rescue him.
“He’s one of those dogs that just need the whole village to invest in him,” Merrill said. “That’s why [the adoptions] I haven’t been exercising…”
Bowie received several applications for adoption during this time, but none of them were successful.
“He definitely needs someone who is willing to understand that he’s a great dog who is still learning his manners,” Merrill said.
Bowie is always welcome back at the shelter whenever a new adoption fails. His friends at the Humane Society are open to accepting him back, despite his confusion about why no one has adopted him.
About a year into Bowie’s stay at WHS, a local college student found his story on social media and started following along.
“She was utterly in love with him, but it wasn’t the right time,” Merrill said.
Six months later, the woman was able to graduate from college and get her first job. After seeing that Bowie was still available at WHS, the woman immediately submitted an application for adoption.
“It’s very much a ‘the right person found the right dog’ situation,” Merrill said. “And everyone here at Whatcom was so excited for Bowie to start this new chapter.”
While a red-carpet farewell isn’t a typical scene in the humane society, the crew felt it was only for their own four-legged celebrity. There are many people who would like to say goodbye one last time to him.
WHS staff set up a long red carpet from the kennel down to the door for Bowie. To say goodbye to their friend, they made a special sign and lined up around the rug.
“Everyone was in tears, but we were all very excited, just So So happy for him,” Merrill said. “It was a very sweet way for us to be able to say goodbye to Bowie. “
Bowie left the shelter after walking the red carpet.
When he’s not going hiking or concentrating on training sessions, Bowie can be found snuggling with his mom, who loves him more and more every day.
“She just absolutely adored him,” Merrill said. “And Bowie was so, so happy.”
