Andy Cohen Opens Up About Rehoming Dog Wacha: 'Keeping Him Here Could Be Catastrophic' for Son Ben

Ashley Boucher

29 May 2020 at 7:27 pm·4-min read

Andy Cohen is saying goodbye to his longtime furry friend, Wacha.

The Bravo host, 51, shared that he has placed the rescue dog in a new home after Wacha showed "some occasional random signs of aggression," adding that Wacha's presence in his home could prove "catastrophic" for his 1-year-old son, Benjamin Allen.

"I’ve put off sharing this news as long as I could. As you may know, Wacha is my first baby, my beautiful rescue puppy," Cohen wrote on Instagram Friday, calling the pooch his "pride and joy."

"When he came into my life, my world changed. Over the nearly seven years that I’ve been blessed to have Wacha in my life, we have worked to address some occasional random signs of aggression," Cohen continued. "No effort was spared in the attempt to help Wacha feel adjusted."

However, after "an incident a few months ago," Cohen said that "numerous professionals led me to the conclusion that my home is simply not a good place for him."

View this post on Instagram

I’ve put off sharing this news as long as I could. As you may know, Wacha is my first baby, my beautiful rescue puppy. He is my pride and joy. When he came into my life, my world changed. Over the nearly seven years that I’ve been blessed to have Wacha in my life, we have worked to address some occasional random signs of aggression. No effort was spared in the attempt to help Wacha feel adjusted. After an incident a few months ago, numerous professionals led me to the conclusion that my home is simply not a good place for him. Keeping him here could be catastrophic for Ben and worse for Wacha. The good news is that he now has a permanent home with his second family, in the place he lived every single time I went out of town. He is thriving. We still see each other, but a piece of my heart is gone. I miss his weight on top of me first thing in the morning. I miss him waiting for me in front of the shower. And I miss the sound of his paws on the floor when I come home. I am not the same person I was when I got him. My dog changed me. He opened me up to love.. to caring… and ultimately to having a family. When I think of him - let’s be honest, when don’t I think of him - it’s with the clarity that we were meant to come into each other’s lives exactly when we did, and that he’s happy, which gives me peace of mind. We did rescue each other. Thank you, Wacha.
A post shared by Andy Cohen (@bravoandy) on May 29, 2020 at 2:04pm PDT

"Keeping him here could be catastrophic for Ben and worse for Wacha," he said, sharing that Wacha has found a "permanent home" with the family he previously stayed with when Cohen would go out of town.

"He is thriving," Cohen continued of his four-legged companion. "We still see each other, but a piece of my heart is gone."

Cohen went on to credit Wacha with opening him up "to love.. to caring… and ultimately to having a family."

"When I think of him - let’s be honest, when don’t I think of him - it’s with the clarity that we were meant to come into each other’s lives exactly when we did, and that he’s happy, which gives me peace of mind. We did rescue each other. Thank you, Wacha."

Andy Cohen/Instagram Andy Cohen, son Benjamin and dog Wacha

In March of last year, Cohen's dog trainer Brandon McMillan defended the TV personality's choice to have baby Ben around Wacha.

"I know that dog very well. I’ve seen him with your baby. My professional opinion: Wacha is very safe with your kid, so everybody out there who suddenly became a dog trainer on the internet, please shut the hell up!" McMillan said during an episode of Watch What Happens Live.

Cohen told PEOPLE shortly after Ben’s birth that he didn't introduce Wacha to the baby right away because he wanted Ben to get “acclimated to the space and get us acclimated to everything” first.