Last Thursday, a young Great Dane mix was found by a group of cyclists near a sewage plant in Columbus, Georgia. Realizing one of the pupper's legs was hurt, one of the cyclists put him on his back and gave him a ride into town.
Once they arrived in town, they met Andrea Shaw, a woman who was on a business trip in Columbus. "He ran right up to me and jumped in my arms," Shaw told BuzzFeed. "He picked me."
Shaw realized the dog had bled on her and desperately needed help. Once the cyclists told her he was homeless, she immediately knew what had to be done.
So she adopted him and named him Columbo!
Shaw then brought Columbo to the emergency vet. There, she found out he had broken his toe, fractured his leg in multiple places, and needed orthopedic surgery STAT.
"A surgeon heard Columbo's story and moved around his entire schedule just so he could operate on him," Shaw smiled. "I was so amazed at how much everyone wanted to help this dog!"
Columbo was then discharged from the vet on Friday morning. Shaw had to head home to Maine that same day, so, with the help of some selfless volunteers, she quickly organized some travel plans for her new pupper.
The next day, Columbo arrived in Portland, Maine, safe and sound!!!
He quickly made himself at home on Shaw's farm, instantly bonding with his new friends: two coonhounds and two horses!!!
Not to mention, his new dad and brother!!!
Bo — as Shaw affectionately calls him — "is the sweetest, kindest, happiest dog. You can tell he's in so much pain, but that doesn't stop him from loving life and giving everyone kisses."
Columbo still has to sleep in his special crate until he recovers, but Shaw assures us that he's in good hands: "My 5-year-old son sleeps with Bo in the living room every night. He doesn't want him to be lonely."
Now, Shaw is focusing on doing physical therapy with Columbo and helping him get better. She's also using Bo's new social media attention to raise awareness for the importance of spaying and neutering dogs to reduce overflow in animal shelters.
Shaw says she remains grateful to everyone who helped Columbo along the way: "Bo's story made me realize just how many good people there are in the world, and for them, Bo and I are so, SO thankful!"
