Incredible Video Shows Homeless Man Reunite With Lost Dog He Saved As a Puppy, and It Goes Viral

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In a heartwarming testament to the belief that dogs are man’s best friend, Memphis Animal Services (MAS) had the privilege to reunite a member of the homeless community with a dog he thought he might never see again. The footage has since gone viral.

On the morning of Aug. 31, 2019, homeless artist Anthony Rogers woke up to find that his beloved dog Bobo was missing from his usual sleeping spot beside him. Rogers, who became homeless after “devastating life events,” had rescued Bobo as a puppy from an unsafe home, and the pair quickly became best friends.

“[Rogers] doesn’t have a place to live and he doesn’t always have food to eat,” MAS explained on Facebook, “[but] he always makes sure Bobo has enough to eat.”

The midtown Memphis homeless duo had found comfort in one another and a way to bear the harsh conditions of life on the streets. So, when the Staffordshire terrier mix disappeared without warning, Rogers was distraught. He immediately contacted friends who helped him print and distribute missing posters around the city.

When a dog matching Bobo’s description showed up at MAS two weeks later, however, he caught the attention of one of the center’s employees; Emily knew Rogers and she recognized Bobo.

She called the number on the poster. Within minutes, one of Rogers’s friends found him and gave him a ride to the shelter.

Neither man nor pup could contain their unbridled joy at being reunited. In footage of the emotional reunion shared on Facebook, Bobo, convulsing with happiness, leaps into his human companion’s arms, licking and wagging his tail uncontrollably. Rogers throws his arms around his excitable dog; Bobo, in his joy, almost tips Rogers over as staff giggle in the background.

“It was a very cool moment to see such unfiltered, unrestrained joy,” Katie Pemberton of MAS told The Dodo. "I think we all felt really lucky to be able to witness it.

“Working in animal sheltering can be very difficult emotionally,” she added, “so seeing something so happy is like gas in the tank for us.”

Rogers referred to Bobo as his lifesaver. “It means a lot to me,” the struggling artist said of the reunion, speaking to WMC 5 through tears. “He’s a good guy, and I thank everybody for their time and for watching out for us.”

Before Rogers and Bobo left the shelter, MAS staff informed Rogers of the work that their affiliate clinic, the Utopia Animal Hospital in Memphis, had done to help.

“Bobo got neutered, microchipped, and vaccinated,” Pemberton explained, “and we found out he was heartworm negative. We sent him back to Anthony with a year’s supply of heartworm prevention, a bag of dog food, and a harness, leash, collar and ID tag.

“Bobo is healthy and happy.”

As Rogers and Bobo’s reunion prompted emotional reactions from netizens around the globe, a GoFundMe account was set up to collect donations toward helping the pair get back on their feet.

After the fund reached $15,000, with a $20,000 goal, the fund’s organizers, personal friends of Rogers and Bobo, posted an update. “Anthony wanted to reiterate how much he appreciates each and every one of you for believing in him and investing in his progress,” they wrote. “Thank you for you continued prayers and kind thoughts!”

The organizers clarified that all donations received will go directly toward Rogers and Bobo’s living expenses.

For Rogers and his canine comrade, the generous fund could mean swapping life on the streets for possibly permanent housing. In the meantime, their beautiful friendship, strong as ever, continues to provide life-saving sustenance that no amount of money can buy.