‘He gets recognized wherever we go’: Family talks about life with Seven after adoption
It’s been about a year since a local family fell in love with a badly-beaten, one-eyed puppy, who they would soon adopt.
Seven, who found his forever home with the Apsey family, has turned into a bit of a local four-legged celebrity, as his story captured the hearts of many a year ago and continues to do so.
Seven and the Apseys were featured in the Jan. 9, 2025, edition of the Boulder City Review, just weeks after his adoption became official.
Shane and Alli Apsey, along with their children Maryjane, Elizabeth and Colt, welcomed the newest member of their family on Dec. 20 of last year.
“He’s almost 60 pounds now,” Shane said last week, adding that he was 36 pounds when they got him. “Everyone is so surprised with how big he’s gotten. They thought he’d just stay this little puppy but he’s definitely grown up.”
Both Shane and Alli said Seven is probably still the most famous dog in Boulder City.
“He gets recognized wherever we go,” she said. “It’s people of all ages who come up to us. Sometimes I even hear them whispering, ‘Is that Seven?’”
“Every time I walk him downtown, which is probably five nights a week, at least three to 10 people will recognize him,” he said. “People just love him. Even if he’s not with me, people ask how he’s doing.”
The difference between now and a year ago has even surprised the family in terms of Seven’s progress.
“He still had stitches in his mouth when we got him,” Shane said. “We were told he’d have all sorts of problems. They weren’t even sure if he was totally blind at first. He does run into everything on the side of the missing eye. But other than that, he’s been a normal dog.”
It’s not just Shane and Alli who have enjoyed the newest addition to their family.
“I love having Seven. He’s just a cuddle bug. All he wants to do is cuddle,” Maryjane said.
Elizabeth agreed and said, “I like how’s he always hyper. He’s a lot of fun.”
Colt added, “I like it when we wrestle.”
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Looking back
On Aug. 19 of last year, the Boulder City Animal Control responded to a local resident who stated they found an abandoned injured puppy in an alleyway. It was later reported that the abuse occurred in Mohave County, Ariz. At the time, the Review was unable to confirm that a man had been arrested for the abuse.
The puppy was immediately transported to the Boulder City Animal Hospital and treated for a dislocated jaw, eye and facial damage, and missing teeth. Veterinarians determined that the puppy’s injuries were consistent with human animal abuse. Within days, $10,000 had been raised through donations, which covered the costs of the puppy’s surgeries.
“Those people (BCAH) who saved his life are miracle workers,” Shane said last year. “They told us that 99% of the time, the dog wouldn’t have made it. I couldn’t believe what they were able to do.”
Over the course of the next two days after being found, Seven had undergone two surgical procedures. One of his eyes was so damaged, it had to be removed.
“I would love to meet those who donated and let them meet Seven, to thank them and show them how well he’s doing today,” Alli said last week.
