After Thanksgiving, nurse Jennifer Smith got an early morning call from John Burley, one of her favorite patients.
Burley was stressed about his pet, a senior dog named Boomer. The phone at work that Monday rang at 7 am and John was calling from the hospital room, saying that Boomer is in the pound.
Smith has been a nurse for 12 years and was very worried about what could happen to Boomer. This is when Burley asked Smith if she would like to care for Boomer.
Smith immediately said yes and promised Burley to find Boomer and take him out of the shelter.
Loving Nurse Takes Patient’s Dog from the Shelter & Cares for Him
Smith and Burley met at the Grand Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Rome, New York through the adult day health care program.
This program is for patients who need supervision and provides opportunities for socialization with others and medical care. The 60-year-old still had his apartment where he lived with his dog. He adopted the 12-year-old dog in Arkansas when it was still a puppy and then moved to New York.
Most of his family is still in Arkansas so after being hospitalized due to his pneumonia and lung issues, no one was there to care for the dog. Luckily, Smith is a good-hearted woman. She formed a friendly relationship with Burley and he would often talk about his dog and showed photos of him.
Since Burley didn’t know in which shelter Boomer was, Smith had to look up in the nearby shelters. She found him at the Rome Humane Society. Smith herself has a 13-year-old dog herself and she understood how Burley felt.
Smith Finds Boomer & Immediately Adopts Him from the Shelter
She went there the next day and Boomer was in a large cage in the back of the pound. She immediately asked the workers to fill out the adoption papers. Shortly after, Boomer was in Smith’s home, playing with her dog.
Smith was happy that John had one worry less and can focus on healing and caring for himself since Boomer is in good hands.
John is temporarily living in the rehabilitation center. Smith often brings Boomer to his room and this helps him have peace of mind and in the healing process. Other residents also adore Boomer.
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