Benny didn’t know his name yet. Benny didn’t know what an amazing dog he was, either. He did know he was hungry. He was always hungry and always itchy. His tummy ached and his skin burned. His nose told him there might be something edible in here. It wouldn’t fill his belly, but hopefully, whatever it was, it wouldn’t break his teeth like those other times. Benny continued to explore the trash.
A vehicle pulled up, and a lady got out. He was scared. Two-leggeds were unpredictable: you never knew what would happen when they raised their hand above your head. Sometimes it held a tasty treat, sometimes the hand hurt. That’s what life had taught him. For Benny, life had brought mostly pain. Pain and loneliness. But he really wanted to love two-leggeds anyway.
Benny had never known true kindness and was on his guard. But the lady’s hand smelled nice. He reached for the treat. It tasted good. Soon Benny was riding in the lady’s truck. He didn’t know it yet, but he would never be hungry or lonely again.
When Cass Odom of Noah’s Ark Animal Haven traveled to Gerber, California, to pick up some neglected puppies, she took a wrong turn down an alley. That’s when she spotted the scrawny, mangey black and white dog digging through the garbage. Cass wasn’t about to leave him there, so she lured him to her truck with string cheese. Soon, they were on their way to the vet.
Benny gets a new lease on life, but an unexpected diagnosis complicates matters
Cass made sure Benny received the care he needed. His mange was advanced and his coat was in bad shape. He was also covered in fleas, had broken canines, and was severely under weight. Benny’s estimated six years in this world had not been kind to him. He would need time to recover, and his fur might never grow back in places.
After about three months, Benny was feeling much better. Chunky, mange-free, and neutered, he was transferred to Rescue Ranch. His friendly demeanor and outgoing nature made him a good candidate for adoption.
Unfortunately, soon after we started promoting him, a biopsy revealed that a growth on his upper inner thigh was an aggressive cancer. We were gutted. The good news is that the malignancy was caught early and the surgeon at Ashland Animal Medical Hospital is very skilled. But, although the entire tumor was removed, odds are the cancer will come back. At least now, Benny has a chance.
We don’t know how long he has. What we do know is that this amazing dog needs a home with a long-term foster or an adopter willing to care for him if his needs change.
Foster Benny
Benny is an active, affectionate dog who loves going for car rides and walks. Although he can be dog selective, he’s done fine with most of his kennel neighbors. To learn more about fostering Benny, please email: info@rrdog.org.
