NORWICH – For Bo, a two-year-old American Staffordshire Terrier abandoned at the Chenango County SPCA in September of 2011, it’s been a year-long journey, one that ended with the dog’s recent adoption and finding what the SPCA’s staff like to call a “forever home.”

Said SPCA Board of Directors president and acting executive director Courtney Sullivan, “This one is special because Bo was here for so long. It’s important for the community to see and understand how we work ... that we don’t give up. We’re the voice of the animals.”

According to Sullivan, Bo was discovered chained to the local shelter’s outdoor kennel during the course of a 2011 board meeting, completely black due to a serious flea infestation. After a much-needed bath, however, the dog was “absolutely beautiful,” said Sullivan.

“He really became part of the family here,” she added. “A lot of people were interested in Bo but he’s a big dog, you have to know what you’re getting into.”