When a dog was discovered tied up outside a veterinary clinic, staff hoped his microchip would bring about a joyful reunion—but the story held one last heartbreaking turn.
Bodee was left outside a St. Louis veterinary clinic on November 26 last year. “He was found tied to a post,” Sarah Javier, president and CEO of the Animal Protective Association of Missouri (APA), told Newsweek. “While the clinic captured video of the person who left him there, that individual was not his owner, and we do not know who they were.”
Dogs are surrendered to shelters for many different reasons, and it’s important to recognize that this decision is often a last resort for owners. In 2022, a study published in the journal Frontiers in Veterinary Science analyzed the reasons given for dog relinquishments at one shelter over an 11-year period.
The most common factors included housing issues (17 percent), personal issues (15 percent), financial struggles (10 percent), dog behavior (10 percent), and guardian health concerns (8 percent). While Bodee may not have been formally surrendered to a shelter, Javier said situations like his are “often far more complex than they appear.”
“Many people deeply love their pets but are navigating job loss, financial strain, rising veterinary costs, housing instability, or a lack of nearby resources,” he said. “In North St. Louis County, where Bodee was found, there are very few veterinary clinics and limited access to supportive pet services, which means that people have fewer places to turn to when they need help.”
Staff at the veterinary clinic soon learned that Bodee was microchipped, raising hopes that his story might end quickly and happily. But that wasn’t the case. “The veterinary clinic was able to reach his original owner,” Javier said. “That individual shared that they had rehomed him with a neighbor. Unfortunately, despite several attempts to contact the new owner, as well as efforts to again reach the original owner, no calls were returned.”
A video shared on TikTok under the handle @for_the_love_of_dog captures the moment Bodee was first discovered outside the clinic, his time under the care of the staff, and the heartbreak that followed when the microchip failed to lead him back to a permanent home.
The microchip did, however, help connect the clinic staff with the APA. Records showed that Bodee had been surrendered to the Brentwood-based shelter in March 2025 and adopted shortly afterward. Once staff learned what had happened, they stepped in.
Javier said employees immediately remembered Bodee as a “smart, loving dog” who got along well with other dogs and knew basic commands. Still, returning to shelter life proved difficult for him. “Like many animals, he struggled with stress in the shelter environment,” Javier said. “While the APA provides enrichment, multiple daily walks, quality food, soft bedding, and a great deal of care and affection, shelters are inherently stressful places. They are full of unfamiliar sounds, smells, and routines—and they are not a home.”
When the video highlighting Bodee’s situation was first posted on TikTok by @for_the_love_of_dog, there was hope it would spark interest from potential adopters—and it did. “I’m happy to share that Bodee was adopted on December 14, 2025, and, to our knowledge, is doing well in his new home,” Javier said.
While stories like Bodee’s underscore the heartbreaking reality many rescue dogs face, Javier said they also point to a deeper, more complex issue. “For anyone moved by Bodee’s story, the most meaningful response is not judgment, but support and learning about the needs in under-resourced communities and how to help expand access to care so fewer families ever reach a point of crisis in the first place,” she said.
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