80-year-old builds a 'dog train' to take all his rescued dogs on little adventures

Some might say that Eugene Bostick's most memorable job began long after he retired. His golden years saw him take on quite a unique role—that of a train conductor for rescued stray dogs. However, the Fort Worth, Texas, native never expected his life to take such an unorthodox turn. It was the heartlessness of others that forced him to take on the duty of helping needy pets as he couldn't bear to see abandoned dogs being left to starve on the streets.

"We live down on a dead-end street, where me and my brother have a horse barn. People sometimes come by and dump dogs out here, leaving them to starve," Bostick told The Dodo. "So, we started feeding them, letting them in, taking them to the vet to get them spayed and neutered. We made a place for them to live." He has taken in countless abandoned dogs over the years and even gone one step further in caring for them. Apart from feeding them and giving them a safe home, the retiree also thought it would nice to be able to take them on little trips with him and show them the sights.

And that's how the idea for a dog-train was born. "One day I was out and I seen this guy with a tractor who attached these carts to pull rocks. I thought, 'Dang, that would do for a dog train,'" he revealed. "I'm a pretty good welder, so I took these plastic barrels with holes cut in them, and put wheels under them and tied them together." With his special doggy train ready to embark on little adventures, Bostick began taking the nine dogs in his care around town once or twice a week. 

Residents would often spot them go puttering down quiet streets or through the forest near their home or stopping by a local creek for some fresh air in the adorable train. And no one loves it more than Bostick's doggy passengers. "Whenever they hear me hooking the tractor up to it, man, they get so excited," he said. "They all come running and jump in on their own. They're ready to go."

As Eugene Bostick and The Dog Train became somewhat of a local attraction, stopping for photo requests from the locals became a part of their trip routine. Posting a photo of the adorable group on Facebook, Tiffany Johnson wrote: This is the coolest guy he rescues stray dogs and every morning he takes them for a train ride by our building, I finally got the courage up to ask if I could take his pic! Love this and had to share! She also set up a GoFundMe campaign for Bostick to help cover the expenses of caring for the dogs.

This sweet man rescues dogs from the streets, by taking him into his home, feeding them, taking them to the vet, and loving them! He has been giving to these dogs for so many years so let's give back to him by helping him with the expenses it requires to take care of these fabulous furry babies!!! May God Bless this wonderful sweet man, she wrote. With Bostick's story touching the hearts of everyone who came across him and his furry friends, the campaign raised a total of $17,052.

For Bostick, however, nothing beats bringing a bit of joy to a handful of dogs who had been through so much. "I'm getting up in age. I'm 80 now, so I suppose it can't last too much longer, but I'll keep it going as long as I can," he said. "The dogs have a great time. They just really enjoy it."