Roy (BonBon)

Oh, how our hearts are so full! Our precious Roy has completely transformed from a burnt crisp to a plush, stuffed toy. He is such a doll—we can hardly believe that this is the same dog we rescued back in January. His recovery journey wasn’t easy. It took many months, and it was costly. But we did it. Roy did it, and we are so proud of him.

Roy’s entire world changed in an instant. He was caught in a raging house fire and narrowly escaped alive. His body, face, nose, and paw pads were covered in agonizing, third-degree burns, and he clung to life. His heartbroken family rushed him to the vet. They cradled him in their trembling arms, sobbing. Initially, they were going to put him down—they didn’t have the funds to get him the care he needed. It was just too much. But Roy wasn’t ready to give up. We stepped in to save him, determined to give him the second chance he desperately deserved.

Right away, Roy was hospitalized for a grueling 24 hours. His wounds were so severe, and he was in so much agony that he had to be fed through a feeding tube. His appetite was nonexistent. His bandages were changed daily, and he underwent painful procedures to clean and debride his wounds. He was given a steady stream of pain relief and antibiotics to support his struggling body. But despite it all, he fought like a champ, proving to be such a resilient boy.

24 hours turned into six days, but the hard work was beginning to pay off. Roy’s burns began healing and looking much better, and we were able to unhook him from his IVs and all the machinery keeping him comfortable. As a result, we took a field trip outside for some much-needed fresh air, which Roy truly adored. He even started eating on his own—a HUGE milestone! Because of this, he was able to transition to oral medications, bringing him one step closer to finally leaving the hospital. We were certain Roy would make a full recovery.

Over the next few months, Roy continued transforming before our eyes! A beautiful coat of fur grew in, and his dazzling personality shone through. His paws healed to the point that they no longer needed to be wrapped in bandages, but his right thigh needed continued care. Twice a week, his tie-on bandages were replaced, and vets worked carefully to remove the dead tissue from the area.

Roy improved slowly but surely. Most of the time, we could hardly believe what we were seeing. This precious boy was coming to life, and before we knew it, his burns had fully healed. Our beloved pup was settling in with his medical foster, officially looking for his new home. It all happened so fast… was this really the same pup!?

After 143 days in our care, Roy was adopted! The story of how this came to be is a real tear-jerker. Our lovable boy caught the eye of someone very special. When his new mom reached out to us via email, she asked if he already had a home lined up. She said that it was alright if he did, as long as Roy was happy and loved. But the one-liner that pulled us to tears was: “In our hearts, we’ve already adopted him.”

She went on to say that her late pup Lili, also a rescued Cocker Spaniel with a tragic past, had been her entire world. She said, “When we look at Roy, it feels like Lili is sending us a little nudge to pay attention to him. So… we’re listening.” We don’t think we need to share more. We knew this was BonBon’s family from one read-through.

Roy, now BonBon, is home.

This was made possible thanks to your unwavering generosity. Your kindness. Your willingness to take a chance on this life in need. We couldn’t be more grateful for every dollar, every donated item, every share, because every single action, however small, made a significant difference. You helped us save Roy’s life, and we couldn’t be more grateful. So thank you, endlessly. From us and Roy.