Boonie Tails

By Grace Keilbach

Hello and welcome back to Boonie Tails where we share stories, information, and behind the scenes fun! We are so happy you are here! Boonie Tails is free to read but, if you like this post, you can support us and this newsletter by pledging a monthly or annual donation. For less than one coffee (just $5 a month) you can become a paid supporter and help save the Boonies! To all of our subscribers, thank you for reading!

The evolution of Nellie Peach’s hair

One of our favorite things (among many) that we love about Boonies is how they come in so many unique sizes, patterns, textures, colors, and more. This diversity is what makes the “naked” Boonies in particular our favorite to rescue as you never know what you’re going to end up with. Plus, who could resist, something so irresistibly cute and pitiful?

Due to the brutal reality of life on the streets, it is extremely common for dogs to not have hair as mange thrives on sick and malnourished animals. Nellie, originally referred to as “Sweet Pea” because she was a complete sweetheart from day one, was brought to Saipan Cares as a small, hairless, puppy who had been found by herself. Lucky for her, this made her just our type so of course, Aria picked her up and brought her home. Looking more like a Skinny Pig (a breed of hairless guinea pigs) than a Boonie, I instantly fell in love with her when I showed up back on Saipan that summer. As Nellie started to grow, so did her hair and it hasn’t stopped since!

As our rescues get healthier day by day in our care, their hair grows back extremely fast. Now on medication for tick disease, de-wormed (you should see how long the worms our that come out of these little dogs), receiving medicated baths, and happily scarfing down two meals a day, Nellie’s peach fuzz quickly became fuzzier and fuzzier.

As Nellie’s hair began to grown, so did my love for her. However, I had no intentions of claiming her as my own and at this point in time, she was still just Sweet Pea, a dog we were tireless trying to get someone else to adopt.

But of course due to her patchy appearance and being a plain, tan female, she continued to receive zero adoption interest.

Before I knew it, Nellie was all grown up, covered in hair, and still not adopted. Despite no relation, her and Lottie and formed a special bond and became inseparable. I began to naturally gravitate towards this odd pair and before I knew it, the three of us were doing everything together. I adored them and was going to find them a home if it was the last thing I did (jokes on me).

In 2023, we had our first and last Saipan Boonie Flight! I knew that this was their best chance at finding the perfect home so I decided to put Nellie and Lottie on the list. At the last minute, there was no room for them on the plane. I was equally heart broken and relieved. I recently graduated college, with no money and no idea what my plans were. But, I knew that they were now mine.

As time went on, Nellie’s hair continued to grow, getting scruffier and scruffier every day. Before we knew it, she became our bearded lady! Aria and I would jokingly tell how beautiful her beard and hairy eyebrows are in case anyone was ever bullying her about her unique traits.

Last year I got Nellie an Embark DNA test and found out that she has the RSPO2 Gene which is responsible for “furnishings”, a.k.a. mustaches, beards, and eyebrows. For obvious reasons, this was not a surprise but we were still elated to learn about the science behind it.

Now with a full beard and eyebrows, Nellie continues to get fuzzier and fuzzier. Her paws have even started to sprout up new hairs, giving her the most adorable Grinch feet. Despite every other inch of her being covered in hair, she still has one hairless spot, a scar left from mange, on the top of her right ear. It is one of my favorite features of her’s, as it reminds me of just how far she’s come. Who would have ever thought this hairless, abandoned Boonie from Saipan would get compliments from strangers about how beautiful she is walking the streets of D.C.?

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Boonie of the Week

Meet Faline! Named after the doe from Bambi, Faline was one of our first rescues and first dogs we were able to fly to the mainland. She now lives with Our Dad in Pueblo, Colorado. Click HERE to watch her video and learn more about this Boonie of the Week!

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Thank you for reading and we’ll see you next week!