This is the story of a little girl and her service dog. His name is George, and he went above and beyond when it comes to providing care. Bella, the little girl, is only 11-years-old and she suffers from a progressive disorder that affects her mobility. It is known as Morquio Syndrome and the symptoms get worse as the child gets older. Her mother wisely saw that she needed a service animal and Bella fell in love with George.
«I was getting around on crutches or in a wheelchair. And then I realized I didn’t want to do that anymore,» Bella recalls.
Bella got a service dog after volunteering with the nonprofit Service Dog Project for a year.
«The first time I walked with George, it was amazing. It was like I hadn’t walked in so long. And now I can do it again.»
When Bella and her mom Rachel Burton heard about BarkPost’s «Best Dog Day» series, they knew they had to nominate George.
«George deserves a better day for the dog because he changed my daughter’s life,» Rachel said.
Bella says George has allowed her to be more independent than she would have been without him.
So it was pretty obvious to BarkPost that George is the nicest boy who deserves a day off to be fully pampered.
The first stop on George’s momentous day in Boston was the Copley Plaza Hotel, where the doorman greeted him directly, opening the door wide in front of him. He then met with the hotel’s regional vice president, who personally welcomed George and Bella to the hotel.
«On behalf of our K-9 ambassadors, I wish you the best of day! George, you’re off duty. Go and enjoy Boston!»
Our next stop was at Walhburger for a tasty treat. Since George is a service dog, he is not allowed to eat human food.
But today was «Top Dog Day,» so George was brought about 10 burgers on a platter, which he immediately ate.
Afterwards, George and Bella went for a fun walk. George loves the snow, and he and Bella love sledding together.
«George loves the Dino bone,» said Bella. «He makes a big mess on the floor. I think we finally found a bone the size of George’s.»
When they got back to the hotel, George walked into a room filled with balloons with toys in every corner of the room. George even got a big brand new doggy bed to sleep on.
George ended up having the best day ever, and Bella was so happy that Geroge was able to get a thank you for all the love and devotion he had given her over the years.
«George is joyful, he’s always happy and always ready to cheer you up,» Bella said. «He’s my best friend.»
It’s been a few years since George’s best day, and he and Bella are still as close as anyone can be.
