A Georgia family is heartbroken after neighbors allegedly shot and killed a 12-year-old boy’s beloved therapy pig and reportedly tried to butcher her for food, taking away the animal that had helped him manage autism and build confidence.
Almost every day, Garrett Cox would feed, wash, and run alongside Bootsy, the 400-pound pig who became a huge part of his life. According to his family, the animal helped the shy 12-year-old grow more confident after years of struggling with ADHD and autism.
Bootsy, who had celebrated her first birthday in March, became part of the family after they joined the Future Farmers of America (FFA), a program that played a major role in changing Garrett’s life.
His family said Garrett dedicated himself to raising Bootsy, caring for her daily on their Georgia property and preparing her for FFA competitions, where the two even won ribbons together at livestock shows.
As time passed, they watched their once-quiet son become more outgoing and self-assured through the bond he built with Bootsy.
“As Bootsy grew, love grew,” Garrett’s mother, Kerrie Cox, told Fox 5 Atlanta, adding that her son’s confidence went “through the roof” after forming such a strong connection with the pig.
Bootsy shot and killed
On April 30, tragedy struck after Bootsy got out of her pen and wandered away from the family’s property.
Garrett’s father, Matt Cox, said he went outside to bring the pig in for the night and quickly realized she was missing. Not long after, he heard a gunshot and followed the alarming sound to a nearby house.
What the family found there was devastating.
Garrett’s best friend had been shot at close range and killed.
According to Matt, three people were standing near Bootsy’s body wearing aprons and gloves, with a pot of boiling water nearby. The family believes they were preparing to butcher the pig for food.
“There was a rope with blood on it beside her body,” Matt told WSB-TV, saying he believed Bootsy had been “restrained” before being shot.
Kerrie said she confronted the people moments later.
“And I told her, ‘Why would you do this? You knew she was our pig,’” Kerrie said. “And she laughed at me.”
Intentional killing of innocent Bootsy
After the incident, the family pushed for criminal charges, and authorities have now arrested three people in connection with the case.
Officials confirmed that 54-year-old Mai Kia Vang-Moua, 59-year-old Maysy Moua, and 33-year-old Kee Moua are facing aggravated animal cruelty charges following the investigation into Bootsy’s death.
Although the suspects claimed they believed the animal was a wild pig, the Cox family pointed out that Bootsy was clearly wearing a bright orange livestock ear tag when she was killed.
“This is someone who had purpose in what they were doing,” Kerrie told WSB-TV.
‘Feels like a bad dream’
Even with arrests made, the Cox family says they are still struggling to accept the violent way Bootsy was taken from them and the deep emotional pain it caused Garrett.
“We were shattered by the loss of our son’s beloved pet pig, Bootsy. Losing a pet is always painful, but the way we lost Bootsy is something we are still trying to understand,” Kerrie wrote in a Facebook post on May 8.
“Garrett keeps saying it feels like a bad dream—that he’s going to wake up and see Bootsy waiting for him, just like she always did. Bootsy was more than a pet to our family.”
For Garrett, losing Bootsy has been heartbreaking.
“I miss her so much,” he told WSB-TV, adding, “She made me very happy.”
The family has since buried Bootsy near the barn where she spent so much of her time with Garrett.
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