Boone was just 6 weeks old when he was so badly abused that his hind legs had to be amputated.
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In spite of suffering such terrible cruelty at a young age, the dog has always been a kind, loving companion to the humans in his life. In fact, his foster mom adored him so much that she adopted him just two days after he came to live with her!
“He was calm as calm could be,”said Tanya Diable, who lives with Boone in Butler, Pennsylvania.
The pup is now 4 years old and gets around with help from a special pet wheelchair designed by the nonprofit Joey’s P.A.W. (Prosthetics and Wheels). This organization has provided mobility devices to more than 700 dogs both nationally and internationally. As soon as Boone received his wheels, his life changed for the better.
“The light bulb just clicked,” Tanya recalled. “He was amazing after that.”
Boone is now an ambassador for Joey’s P.A.W. and a therapy dog. He visits children’s hospitals and shares his story of resilience and overcoming the odds, and kids just light up when they see him. After all, he’s living proof that dogs with disabilities are just as capable of changing lives as any other pet!
This year, Boone took home the top prize at the American Humane Hero Dog Awards® gala in Florida! According to their website:
The Hero Dog Awards were created to celebrate the powerful relationship between dogs and people and recognize extraordinary acts of heroism performed by ordinary dogs. The program was aired on nationwide television on Hallmark Drama on October 20 during American Humane’s annual ‘Adopt-a-Dog Month®,’ a 40-year-long effort to help get more of the millions of beautiful animals left in shelters each year into forever homes.
Boone won first prize in his individual category to become the country’s Therapy Hero Dog of the Year. Then, he went on to win the top prize: 2021’s American Hero Dog!
More than a million people voted on the competition, and Boone wound up beating 400 other dogs to take the top canine award! Congratulations, Boone! You are helping so many people and animals with your mission of spreading joy, positivity, and acceptance.
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