“It’s miles from the closest civilization.”
A few months ago, while cycling through the forest near Mount Baldy, California, Scott Bishop spotted a black streak on the side of the road. It was a frightened puppy, pacing back and forth, clearly lost and alone. The area was miles away from the nearest town, and with Scott on a bike, he couldn’t do much to help the dog in that moment. The road was closed to cars that day, so he hoped the puppy would stay put until he could return.
The following morning, Scott and his wife Hailey woke up at 5 a.m. to drive back to the spot. Initially, they couldn’t find the puppy, but then Hailey caught a glimpse of his eyes peering out from a bush. The couple suspected the pup had been abandoned, as the area had a history of people dumping puppies.
After coaxing the puppy into their car, they took him home. At first, he was scared, but as his fear wore off, his true loving personality began to shine through. “I feel like the biggest change in his personality when we got him was how quickly he jumped into puppy mode,” Hailey said.
The puppy quickly bonded with the Bishops’ dog and fell into a routine of playing, relaxing, and going for walks. They took him to the vet, where they found that he was healthy but didn’t have a microchip.
When they shared the news with Scott’s parents, they immediately fell in love with the puppy. After a few Zoom calls, they knew he would be a perfect fit for their family. “They were like, ‘OK. He’s ours. He’s our dog,’” Hailey recalled.
The Bishops made the long journey from California to Colorado, a 15-hour road trip, with the puppy in tow. Along the way, they had a hotel sleepover together before saying their goodbyes. When Scott’s parents met the puppy, they were certain they had made the right choice and named him Bonez.
Bonez quickly settled into his new home, grateful for his second chance. “It seems like it was fate that … we found him a home and it’s in the family, so we’ll be seeing him the rest of his life,” Hailey said.