A family from Georgia is grappling with grief after their neighbors purportedly shot and butchered their 12-year-old son’s therapy pig, the guiding light of his struggle with autism and a springboard to his emerging confidence.
Garrett Cox’s everyday routine involved taking care of Bootsy, a 400-pound pig, providing her with food and company, and enjoying runs alongside her. This relationship went beyond the usual pet-human bonding; Bootsy played a significant role in shaping Garrett’s confidence as he battled ADHD and autism, as per his family’s accounts.
Bootsy celebrated her first birthday in March and was somewhat of a family member since the Cox’s engagement with Future Farmers of America (FFA), a program that reshaped Garrett’s life.
The family watched in admiration as Garrett devoured the task of raising the pig on their Georgia property, training her for FFA competitions, and winning accolades together at livestock exhibitions. Concurrently, they bore witness to Garrett’s evolution from a quiet boy to a social and confident young man, thanks to his relationship with Bootsy.
“As Bootsy grew, so did love,” Garrett’s mother, Kerrie Cox, revealed in an interview with Fox 5 Atlanta, emphasizing the soaring confidence of her son post his bonding with Bootsy.
Tragic Death of Bootsy
The peace was shattered on April 30th when Bootsy slipped out of her pen and strayed away from the family’s property. Garrett’s father, Matt Cox, found her missing when he went to put her away for the night. He was alerted by a gunshot originating from a nearby house and rushed towards the noise, only to discover a heart-wrenching sight.
Bootsy, Garrett’s closest companion, was shot and slain at close quarters. As per Matt’s statement, three individuals stood near Bootsy’s body, clad in aprons and gloves, alongside a pot of hot water suggesting an intent to butcher the pig.
“Bloodied strings were found near her body, indicating that she was kept in check before being shot,” Matt recalled the gruesome scene, while Kerrie added that the accused giggled at her distressed protests.
Meticulous Killing of Bootsy
In the aftermath, the family sought justice, leading to the arrest of three people connected to the crime. Local authorities confirmed the booking of suspects Mai Kia Vang-Moua (54), Maysy Moua (59), and Kee Moua (33) under aggravated animal cruelty charges after investigating Bootsy’s tragic demise.
Despite the suspects’ justification that they mistook Bootsy for a wild pig, the family pointed out her bright orange livestock ear tag, making it evident that this was a pet and not a wild creature.
“They worked with a clear intent,” confirmed Kerrie, refuting the claims of the suspects.
A Nightmare Turned Reality
Despite the arrests, the Cox family faces an uphill battle to come to terms with Bootsy’s brutal killing. Garrett is especially struggling with the shocking bereavement of his therapeutic pet.
“Bootsy’s loss has left us dismantled. While losing a pet is always saddening, the manner in which we lost Bootsy is hard to fathom,” expressed Kerrie in a Facebook post dated May 8. “Garrett expects to wake up from this terrible dream to find Bootsy waiting for him. She was much more than a pet to our family,” she stressed.
Garrett is heartbroken, missing Bootsy immensely. “She made me extremely happy,” he expressed.
The family has laid Bootsy to rest near the barn where she used to spend most of her time with Garrett, a poignant acknowledgement of their cherished memories.
As the Cox family’s saga of grief unfolds, their story raises an important question: should stricter laws be enacted to penalize animal cruelty? What are your thoughts on this tragic incident? Share this story to spread some love for Bootsy and show solidarity with the Cox family.
