Two Missing Central New York Pets Get Happy Endings

Two Missing Pets. Two Happy Endings.

Sometimes the internet can be a dumpster fire, and then sometimes it gives us exactly what we need — two missing pet stories with happy endings.

After days of worry, searching, sharing posts, and hoping for the best, both Cooper the dog and Bowie the tortoise are finally back where they belong… home.

Cooper Survived Six Days Alone in the Woods After Crash

If you followed Cooper’s story, this one has been an emotional roller coaster.

Cooper went missing after a serious car crash in Newport. His owner was hurt badly enough to be flown to the hospital, and in the chaos after the accident, Cooper disappeared.

For six days, Cooper survived in the woods by himself.

READ MORE: Community Searching for Cooper After Teen’s Horrific Crash

Then over the July 4th holiday weekend, Tayler Nicolee took her kids to swim in the creek and made an incredible discovery — she found Cooper.

Cooper was finally safe, but it was clear he had been through a lot. After being checked out by a vet, they found maggots in one of his paws.

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Cooper was taken home, and his owners later found even more maggots that still needed treatment. Now they’re trying to find a vet who accepts CareCredit to help cover the cost of the care he still needs as he recovers.

It’s heartbreaking to think about what that poor dog went through, but also amazing that after everything — the crash, the woods, the injuries — he made it back.

Julie Polhamus

Bowie the Tortoise Also Pulled Off a Pretty Wild Adventure

And then there’s Bowie, the missing tortoise from Little Falls, who apparently decided to go on his own little summer road trip.

Bowie had gone missing and somehow managed to travel an estimated 3 to 4 miles before finally being found. Which, for a tortoise, honestly feels like the equivalent of crossing several states.

READ MORE: Giant Tortoise on the Loose in Central New York

The good news? Bowie is home safe and already back to enjoying one of his favorite snacks — a bell pepper.

These Are the Updates We Love to See

Between Cooper being found after six long days in the woods and Bowie making it home after his own slow-motion adventure, this is the kind of update that just makes you smile.

Because for every missing pet post that gets shared, there’s a family behind it refreshing Facebook, checking every message, driving back roads, and hoping someone spots their animal. So when one of those stories ends with a pet back home where they belong, it feels like a win for everybody who was rooting for them.

Cooper still has a recovery ahead of him, and Bowie has probably already moved on like none of this was a big deal, but both are safe — and that’s the part that matters most.