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It’s almost two years ago now since Ross brought Boomer home from the parking lot at McDonald’s.
Ross was a senior in high school then, engaged in his pre-Navy fast food career, and Boomer had been hanging around the McDonald’s parking lot for days. They’d been feeding him French fries. Eventually, Ross brought him home and said, “Happy Mother’s Day.”
We named him Spot. Because, of course, he was staying. Or, we wanted him to stay, but he had other ideas. He promptly ran off. We were lucky enough to get him back a few days later.
He was renamed Boomerang, aka Boomer, aka Boom Boom, the Boom, and assorted other endearments. Most often, he was simply known as The Supervisor. He was on-site for every farm task, large or small. He wouldn’t miss a milking for the world.
He thought he was as big as anyone, and would frequently harass the sheep and the donkeys and even Beulah Petunia. He’d eat a cookie right out of Clover’s mouth.
Some more favorite Boomer photos:
He was a travelin’ man, which caused all kinds of trouble. He would follow us down the road for two miles until we’d have to pick him up. He always threw up in the car.
He was a little terrier-type tyke and could get out of anything you tried to put him in.
Because he was such a travelin’ man, I was hoping some happier ending to this story might come about, but Boomer has been missing for weeks now. We have looked and talked to friends and neighbors and called the pound and everything we can think of, but there’s no Boomer. At the time he disappeared, we had high water and flooding conditions. I wondered if he’d gone across the river ford and couldn’t get back. But the water went down and there was still no Boomer. The same week Boomer disappeared, both of our new lambs disappeared. We wondered if the lambs had been stolen, but a few days ago, Coco brought us one of the lambs out of the woods. Or, what was left of it. The lambs were stolen, but not by something on two legs. We do have foxes here and have seen them on our farm. We’ve never seen a coyote, but they are in the area. Around this same time, a neighbor from a farm a few miles away told us they saw a coyote run out of the woods in broad daylight and steal a chicken right in front of their eyes. It’s not the first time they’ve seen a coyote, and they had the wildlife service come out and set traps on their farm. The coyote population is increasing here, but we’ve never seen or heard a coyote on our farm. We know something came and got the lambs, but we don’t know that the same thing happened to Boomer. We only know that the disappearances were close together. From a farming perspective, the lambs were worth money. We were going to sell them. That is not to say that we don’t care about the lambs, but it is different. We hadn’t gotten to know them. Boomer was our buddy, and his value could never be counted in dollars.
And as much as I’d like to continue in the fantasy that he will boomerang back, Boomer knew his way home, and other than that one time when we first got him, he was never gone even 24 hours. He loved home. He loved his people and his Giant Puppy and his supervision of the farm. If Boomer could come home, he would be home. He has been gone too long.
When Coco and Casper walk down the road with us, there’s no Boomer leaping up and down trying to be as big as the big dogs. There’s no dairy supervisor in the milk stand. And Annabelle has no one to bounce around the hay shed with her anymore.
A few of my favorite Boomer posts:
Boomer’s Magnificent Find
Kindling in the Snow
The Best Kind of Barn
He was a good little dog and we loved him. Wherever he is, I hope he’s eating French fries. Posted by Suzanne McMinn on March 31, 2011
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~~HUGS~~
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I’m sorry for the loss of the lambs of course, but as a pet owner I understand the feeling of not being able to find your furry friend. I wish I could give you guys a hug right now
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So very sorry.
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Coyotes are becoming a major problem here in the east. Out west they were a lot less brave and a lot smaller.
I hope they stay far away in the future.
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Country living can be very challenging for small dogs.
I lost my dear, sweet, Hurricane Katrina Survivor Pomeranian, Juba in October to the unknown.
My heart goes out to your and your family.
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We lost a LOT of chickens last summer, they almost cleaned us out…I saw a coyote come up to within 15 feet of the house and grab one in the middle of the afternoon. They seem to be getting braver too darn things. We basically have to start over on our chickens this year.
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In our case we had a chance to say goodbye. I have had pets leave and never come back before. It is sad because you never really get a chance to say goodbye right? I’ll miss Boomer too.
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Beverly
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Take care.
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Maybe, just maybe, someone else has given him a home. But it’s so sad not to KNOW for sure.
I know how difficult it must have been to write this post.
Sending you a hug!
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May G-d bless you
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I’m sure he is somewhere nibbling on french fries.
Beth
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Keep the faith…perhaps he’ll wander back home ….boomerangs always come back, you see!
Mrs. Turkey
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The coyote population has been increasing these past few years even here in the suburbs of Chicago (and even in the city itself). But maybe, if there was flooding when Boomer disappeared, that traveling man got carried down the river to a new McDonalds where he’s bringing joy to some child who just needed a Boomer in her life. And he’s telling her stories of this wonderful farm he once lived on where there were not only french fries but cookies…and she’s smiling and she needs him, so…how could he leave even if he really wants to go home? (Okay, that’s probably just me being naive, but…)
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When I was about 15 my cat, whom I had had since I was 2, was laboring for days it seemed to breathe. Then one day she decided to go outside, I watched her leave, jumped up to catch her, my mom told me she must be feeling better and to let her go.
She never came back, I firmly believe she went out in the woods to die. Maybe she felt it would be easier on me then finding her dead somewhere, I don’t know. But she isn’t the first pet that Ive heard of, that has done that.Maybe it was his time to go.
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We once had a red-healer that someone did steal, she was gone for over a month! We had given up hope on seeing her again when she came home….she was as happy to see us as we were to see her. She had lots of miles on her, skinny and very tired!
Bommer was lucky to have a family that loved him so much and I know the joy he brought to your lives!
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Wanda
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The video with Annabelle always makes me smile.
Where ever he is I’m sure he’ll be eating those french fries.
Rose H
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So sorry about Boomer and the lambs….hopefully Boomer is somewhere and decides he likes CITR much better and will return…
That said…I would keep watch…you folks had a bad winter…and the cayotes are hungry..they are sly devils…We have had cats and small dogs taken in our area…Thankfully our neighbor is taking them down…checking each one in hopes it is the “Bitch”..it will take a while for them to return…If chickens are secured they will take anything that is loose..There range is at least 10 miles..and they get braver when they have young to feed..My neighbor gets in the barn loft…calls the cayotes in with a call and shoots them…he killed 9 in one span of three days! It is open season on cayotes here no limit..they are getting dangerous! I can’t stand to hear them yip and howl…it’s creepy!
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I have been volunteering with a dog rescue for quite some time, and through helping to track down a few lost foster dogs (not mine!), I found “Pure Gold Pet Trackers”. It is a lady and her two Golden Retrievers, that go out and follow the trail of a lost pet. This may or may not be something you are interested in, but it could, if nothing else, bring you some closure as to what happened to your Boomer. On a positive note, they were able to bring home every one of the pets they tracked for our rescue.
I am keeping my fingers and toes crossed that your little guy will just show up out of the blue one day! But, perhaps he was just meant to be with you for a short time, and has moved on to whomever else needs him now. Life is funny that way sometimes. Hugs to you and yours!
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I am so sorry. I also hope he is eating french fries some where.
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SO sorry for your loss. He was well loved.
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We have a large coyote population here in Co. and yes they do attack dogs.
Boomer looks like he was mostly Rat Terrier, which is the breed of my new puppy ,Buzz .
If Boomer was as feisty as a 8 week old Rat Terrier, you should know he put up a brave and valiant fight.
Or he could have been swept away by the rising river waters.
whatever happened, I feel your pain.
Yup Boomer is in dog heaven, probably playing with some of Anabelle’s relatives and havin him some french fries every day.
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If his body height and weight would’ve just met with his feigned ferocious behavior he would have been one to contend with in a fight with the end of the coyotes.
Boomer loved those sheep you can tell….and maybe he heard the commotion and ran down to the rescue…and got involved…Those are dastarly pack hunters coyotes….can’t stand them…
We watch our Shidtzu when we are outside with him…he is a small one…Our cat tells us when one is near before we hear them..His radar ears and a perked-up head lets us know!
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Sweet little Boomer lived the good life. And my guess is he didn’t go without a fight whether it be the river or a coyote that challenged him. He wouldn’t have it any other way, right?
Much love to you all, Suzanne. And you just never know… maybe he will show up in California and be cast in a McDonald’s commercial. Stranger things have happened.
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Coyotes are getting worse, around the whole country. And they are gettig more brazen also. People also need to be more alert when out doors. Carry a good stick, or cane when out and about, on the farm or just out for a walk. Coyotes do not have to have rabies, to take on people. Years ago, they never hunted in packs. Like they do now. They also don’t seem as afraid of people like they use to be. So for those that live in the country, if need be, pack some heat if you need to. and don’t be afraid to use it. Also if you have small children, keep an eye on them. Coyotes have been known to take after little kids playing. So be safe.
And Boomer is watching over you and the farm, where ever he is.
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TinaH
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Growing up we had many, and mostly, outdoor cats that were allowed to come inside if they so desired. One we called Pieface…after it licked out the center of a Thanksgiving pumpkin pie! That cat would disappear every winter after ‘the holidays’ only to show up again just before Thanksgiving. I swear he did that for at least ten years in a row until he became a no-show.
I hope Boomer is bouncing wherever he may be. McD’s FF (anything) are not good for dogs or humans!
HUGS
Pam
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Here’s hoping he came across some wonderful person who took him in.
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Angela
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