Animal rescue brings renovated bus to warming centers, helping pets escape the cold

During periods of severe cold, many cities offer warming centers: temporary shelters for those in need, often operated out of churches and non-profit facilities. But if animals aren’t allowed inside, this creates a conundrum for pet owners who are homeless. Now Bogey’s Buddies, an animal rescue based out of Bartow County, Georgia, is confronting this challenge in an innovative and admirably selfless way.

When needed, the staff park outside a local warming center in their bus and stay through the night with pets who can’t accompany their owners indoors. In a recent Facebook livestream, you can see a couple pups playing with toys and munching on treats in the spacious vehicle, which is decked out with plenty of crates and blankets.

You can find more information about the Bogey’s—officially known as Bartow Rescue & Resources—at their website. "At Bogey’s Buddies, our mission goes beyond just rescuing pets; we are dedicated to keeping families united," reads their "About Us" section. "This is why we engage in community outreach to support pet owners and prevent unnecessary separations. We provide resources and guidance while organizing educational events to strengthen the bond between humans and their cherished pets."

To help support their ongoing efforts, you can donate to their Givebutter campaign, helping cover the cost of both owner-surrendered pets and those who arrive as strays. In addition, Bogey’s recently announced a three-hour live fundraiser with the national animal advocacy organization Jordan’s Way, set for March 9th.

The timing is critical. "The country is in crisis mode. Healthy dogs and cats are being euthanized. Animals are getting sick and dying from preventable diseases that are being spread from overcrowding," they write on the Givebutter site.

Jo’El Lapp, director and founding member of Bogey’s, spoke to GOOD about the origins of their organization, launched in April 2024 with co-director Becca Gosnell, whom she knew casually through rescue efforts.

"I knew from online she was a cat person, and I reached out because I had a foster dog that needed to be tested with cats," she says. "We got along very well. Samantha [Able] is another co-founder, and her dog passed away the year before. As I went around town with my foster dogs, people would tell me that I needed to meet Sam because her dog Bogey just died and she might be looking for another pet. With these two ladies, the first glimmer of a rescue started."

They named their organization after that dog because of his powerful path to rehabilitation. "[Bogey] was on the euthanasia list, severely emaciated, heartworm-positive, and terrified," Able wrote on their website. "The only reason we were able to adopt him was thanks to an incredible woman who chose to foster him! It’s fitting that Bogey became the namesake of our rescue organization, as his story embodies the spirit of hope and second chances that we strive to provide for other animals in need."

The all-woman crew expanded to include board member/Bogey’s Boutique supervisor Elizabeth "June" Boardman, board member Kelsey Strawn, non-board members Macie Rae and Madie Rose, and a crew of volunteers and fosters. And despite the heavy hours they clock, this has never been a financial endeavor.

"Becca and I are self-employed, and Sam is a manager at a brewery in Cartersville. All but one of the ladies on the board have full-time jobs or are business owners. One is a retired school teacher," Lapp says. "Yes, volunteering the amount we do is a challenge. Our goal is to have a facility and start getting some form of compensation for the 60-plus hours we put in a week. Not to mention that we desperately need a place to put at-risk pets that do not have a foster home waiting, like soon-to-whelp moms and abandoned pets."

Photo courtesy of Jo'El Lapp (Bogey’s Buddies)

The Bogey’s team is clearly putting in an exceptional amount of effort—and that’s before even mentioning their Internet-viral bus, the P.A.W. (Pet Adoption Wagon).

"We were having an adoption event in the summer, and the temps got into the 90’s," Lapp says, detailing that project’s early days. "It was miserable. Even with fans blowing, it felt like we were in a convention oven. So I started thinking about a mobile adoption center. I had the idea of an air-conditioned and heated vehicle that we could use at events. A place for pets and humans to be comfortable.

"Becca also needed a meeting area for cats, so the meet and greets did not need to keep happening at her home," she continues. "We looked at buses and RVs and finally fell on a semi-converted skoolie for a fair price. As we started the planning, we brainstormed on possible uses and something that always bothered me was that people had to choose between warmth in the bitter cold and their pets. It was an easy path to where we are."

The bus was originally was parked on Lapp’s lawn—a temporary measure. ("It resulted in an 85-pound German Shepherd getting tied to my neighbor's porch and two other dogs that were found on my street being brought to my house. I like not having a 45-foot sign on my lawn. Not sure where the bus will stay once the weather gets warmer.") But for now it will be parked at the Compassion Center, a nonprofit in Cartersville, Georgia, through the winter. And, crucially, they have a plan in place, helping them prepare for those bus sleepovers.

"Once we receive a call from the Compassion Center with the expected dates that the warming shelter will be open, we let them know if we can staff the bus," she says. "They then spread the word that we will be there. We get there about an hour before sunset, and then we start taking in the dogs. We had a cat this past week. The pet's human is asked to walk the pet before 11 p.m. when lights are out and to get the pet by 8 a.m. The shelter allows pets during the day use."

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Given the success they’ve already seen, I wondered if Lapp has any advice for places like warming centers—suggestions that could help them welcome pets into facilities in the future.

"The bus is dual-purpose and not necessary if this is what they are trying to achieve," she says. "The community is very supportive of helping the pets of the unsheltered. My suggestion is to get with the local humane society or a rescue group and fundraise for a heated shed with kennels. Just the type that are in Home Depot or Lowe’s parking lot. They may even be able to get one donated if the company can get some bragging rights. Maybe a local builder? Does not need to be fancy, only functional.

"People need to think out of the box. We are not in a normal situation with the current pet crises, so the usual solutions are not going to work. Be creative and make the big asks. People want to help if you give them the opportunity."

Despite the noble efforts of the Bogey’s crew, there are still "many" people going unserved in similar situations. "It is a trust issue that we are still working through," Lapp notes. "Municipalities are not kind to the unsheltered. I understand that there are challenges, but a little humanity goes a long way."

A key theme, she adds, is that "we sometimes overlook those who cannot help themselves."

"We are trying to bridge that gap," Lapp says. "We have taken two of the pups to get fixed after our last cold spell. Another got all of his shots. We try to educate on how dangerous it can be for a dog to have puppies and how easy it is for the puppies to die in those conditions. We are hoping to be able to track and manage these dogs so that they live healthy, happy, and safe lives and continue to be the support that their human needs."