Rachael Ray Just Posted The Cutest Throwback For National Puppy Day

You probably know Rachael Ray for her culinary prowess, or maybe for her long-running TV series, "The Rachael Ray Show," or for her magazine, "Rachael Ray In Season." You may even know she is an animal lover and has her own line of dog food, but it's just how much Ray loves dogs that has caught us by surprise. Ray has a young pit bull named Bella Boo Blue, and the story of how they came into each other's lives is certainly something special.

Ray's journey to becoming Bella Boo Blue's human mom has a bittersweet beginning, as it starts with the death of Triple B's big sis, Isaboo, another pit bull in the family of Ray and husband John Cusimano. Isaboo passed away in May 2020, and while mourning her passing, Ray took to Instagram with a series of photos noting how much the couple would miss their fur baby, but saying they would soon welcome another dog into their home. She partially captioned the post, "We will open our home and our hearts to another animal in need, because that is what Izzy would want." According to I Heart Dogs, Bella Boo Blue was brought home about a month later, named partially in honor of Isaboo and partially for her blue eyes.

Bella Boo Blue won Rachael Ray's heart

Rachael Ray adopted Bella Boo Blue from North Shore Animal League, a no-kill animal rescue organization. Ray, in true chef fashion, threw a special adoption dinner the night she brought the pup home, serving masala spatchook chicken for the human guests and minced chicken with naan bread and yogurt for her new pup (via I Heart Dogs).

Today, in honor of National Puppy Day, the celebrity chef took to Instagram to post a celebratory throwback pic of the sweet dog as a puppy, accompanying it with the caption, "THIS is the photo that made us fall in love with our Bella Boo Blue." Fans flocked to the comments with plenty of heart-eyed and paw print emojis. "She's such a beautiful fur baby and just gets more beautiful," wrote one follower, while another chimed in, "Ommggggg she is the sweetest. You and John are such great puppy parents, there is nothing like a dog's love."