LAND O’ LAKES, Fla. (WFLA) — When Heath Bodden learned a 15-year old Black Lab named Affirmed had been taken to Pasco Animal Services with an uncertain future, he immediately sprung into action.
Affirmed had belonged to Robert Walker, an 81-year old man who died after he was violently beaten during a robbery at his home last week.
Bodden wanted to make sure the dog didn’t suffer the same fate as its owner. He took to social media, posting a video of the dog on Facebook, asking for someone to step forward. “This is a sad, sad, sad story,” said Bodden, kneeling down and petting Affirmed. “But often times, sad stories have happy endings.”
Workers at animal services also went online, seeking out someone to adopt the lab. Traditionally older dogs don’t adopt out quickly. Some never leave the shelter. “It’s hard to adopt out an older dog and it’s hard to adopt out a black dog,” said Andrea Ciesluk, who is the shelter’s education coordinator. “Black dogs, people typically walk past.”
But, Affirmed captured the hearts of many at the shelter. “What we did is we sent out an e-mail blast to all of the rescues, asking them to pull the dog,” said Ciesluk. “We felt he would be better off with a rescue. There was a huge networking with him. It was wonderful.”
A rescue from Levy County, just north of Citrus County, answered the call. Bodden picked up Affirmed on Wednesday morning and loaded him up in his car, bound for Rapscallion to the Rescue. The nonprofit organization will care for the dog until someone steps forward and adopts him. “We want this dog to go to a home, and help the guy or the kid watch TV,” said Bodden. “We want to turn this dog into a couch dog, living out the rest of his life with a family that’s going to love him, care for him and be there with him.”
For information on adopting Affirmed, you can check out the rescue organization’s website.
Robert Walker’s neighbors who also live in the Pasco County community of Beacon Square mourned his death with a vigil. Two Pasco County Sheriff’s Office deputies dropped off a candle at the vigil.
14-year-old Alexander Perez was arrested in connection with the attack. The teen is currently charged with one count of battery on a person over the age of 65 and one count of home invasion. Detectives are working with the medical examiner’s office to determine if the attack caused or accelerated the elderly man’s death.
