BEDFORD COUNTY, Va. – What was supposed to be a relaxing vacation turned into a distressing ordeal for one local family when their beloved dog, Bo, went missing. For a month, the search for Bo—a cherished member of their family—has been ongoing.
On July 27th, Bo’s owners received the unsettling news that their un-neutered, brindle Cane Corso had escaped from the local boarding facility, Camp Happy Tails, where he was staying. The facility reported that Bo managed to break through the fence surrounding their exercise yard and disappeared into the surrounding woods.
A month has passed since Bo was last seen, with his scent last detected at the intersection of Route 122 and Route 24. Efforts to locate Bo have included extensive searches on foot and the use of a thermal drone to cover more ground.
The reward is now up to $5,000.
Bo’s mother, Savannah Wilber, expressed the depth of her family’s distress: “People can say it’s just a dog, but he’s part of our family. We are all in. Anything to get him back, we are willing to do.”
As time passes, the urgency to find Bo only grows stronger. Sergeant Key of the Bedford County Sheriff’s Office, who has been deeply involved in the search, expressed his compassion for the situation: “As an animal lover, I see Bo as more than just a dog—he’s a missing family member. The kids are crying at night, and his mother is in tears daily. It’s an emotional process for everyone involved.”
As time goes on, the urgency to find Bo grows.
Sergeant Key of the Bedford County Sheriff’s Office emphasized the importance of the search: “Bo could have been picked up by someone with good intentions or, unfortunately, by someone with ill intentions. We just want to see Bo reunited with his family. You are not in any trouble; we simply want Bo back where he belongs.”
Sergeant Key and Bo’s owner think that Bo may have been picked up by someone. If so, they simply want him returned to his family. “The hardest part is just not knowing. We have dogs buried on our land, and I’ve had dogs all my life. That’s where Bo belongs if something has happened to him,” said Bo’s owner.
Sergeant Key, visibly emotional, added, “His family misses him deeply. The hardest part is not knowing what happened to him. We urge the public to remain vigilant and contact us with any information that might lead to Bo’s return.”
The Bedford County Sheriff’s Office continues to urge the public to stay vigilant and report any sightings or information that might help bring Bo home.
The boarding facility did not want to go on camera but gave a statement:
“Camp Happy Tails is a small family-owned business that has served the greater Moneta community for over 21 years. As pet parents ourselves, we pride ourselves in providing personalized boarding and grooming services, treating our customers’ pets like our own. Working with animals can be unpredictable at times. Bo an unneutered, brindle Caine Corso and a first-time boarder at our kennel, broke through the fence surrounding our exercise yard and took off. We immediately tried to go after him. Our property is surrounded by woods and Bo quickly disappeared into those woods. We notified Bo’s family and spent hours walking through woods and driving local streets to no avail. When Bo’s family returned home and also could not locate him, they requested that a drone be engaged to search for him. We hired, at our expense, the drone operator the family selected. After that yielded no results, we offered a $2,000 reward for Bo’s return. That reward is still being offered and was then increased to $2,500. With Bo still missing, we hired, at our expense, a dog tracker selected by the family. The tracker suggested that they found a scent that led to a parking lot. They believe Bo was picked-up by someone at that location. As dog parents ourselves, we recognize that dogs are family and can imagine the pain Bo’s family is experiencing. We are doing everything we can possibly do to facilitate his return to his family – hours searching and contacting vets and shelters, the use of drones, professional trackers, and a substantial reward. We have cooperated fully with everything the family has asked of us and with a police investigation. We do believe someone found Bo and has taken him. The reward has now increased to $5,000. If you have Bo, or any information that leads to his recovery, $5,000 is more than enough for you to legally purchase your own dog. We implore you to return Bo to the family he loves and that loves him. This reward is offered no questions asked and is intended solely to return Bo to his family. You may contact us at: (540) 297-9169 or Bo’s family.”