At a single glance, you can see what a handsome dog Benson is. This Border Collie mix has a beautiful black coat with white eyebrows, muzzle and toes, and a happy doggy smile. Benson isn’t just a pretty face, however. He is, his mom says, a most amazing dog!
Benson came to the APL through our Humane Investigations officers, who investigate allegations of animal abuse and neglect, and take custody of animals who are mistreated or not cared for properly. Their work can be difficult and discouraging, but they can take heart knowing they often are the first step in a journey that leads to a very happily-ever-after – like it did for Benson.
After Benson arrived at the APL, he got a check-up and some treatment from the APL veterinary staff. Then, this smiling 10 year old was ready for a new home! He was sent to the APL’s Everyday Adoption Center at PetSmart®, where he found his mom, Melanie. Melanie and her fiancé had been looking at dogs, but weren’t quite sure they were ready. But Benson was.
Benson trotted up to greet Melanie’s fiancé. As the three of them got to know one another, Melanie wondered out loud what would happen if they stopped petting Benson. He simply wouldn’t have it – he put one paw on her fiancé’s knee, and one on Melanie’s, and looked at them as if to say, “Why would you stop?” At that moment, Melanie says, she knew: Benson had chosen them, as much as they chose him.
Benson’s new life is everything a dog could wish for. You can hear the love in Melanie’s voice as she describes him. “He’s so smart,” she says, “we have to spell things like ‘walk’ and ‘stroll’ to use the words in front of him.” He’s learning new tricks, too, like “bicycle,” where he sits up and makes a cycling motion with his front paws, and a special handshake called “politician.”
The most wonderful thing about Benson, according to his mom, is his concern for the welfare of his human friends and family. If you’re not feeling well, Benson will come and keep you company. If Melanie has a bad day, Benson comes to sit on her feet. A friend of Melanie’s has Parkinson’s disease; Benson loves to sit quietly with him and keep him company. He isn’t ready for bed until all his people are home and settled. Benson’s circle of friends and family will expand further soon, when Melanie and her fiancé get married in July 2016, and the three of them move to Colorado.
“I absolutely love this dog,” Melanie says. “I couldn’t ask for a more dedicated and caring pup.” And Benson couldn’t ask for a more perfect happily-ever-after!
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Information about the
Cleveland APL
To meet the adoptable animals at the Cleveland APL, visit our adoption center in Tremont at 1729 Willey Avenue in Cleveland or our PetSmart Charities® Everyday Adoption Center in the Parma PetSmart® store at 6870 Ridge Road. To view all of the animals who are waiting for loving homes online or on your mobile device, visit
www.ClevelandAPL.org or download our free adoptions app on your iOS or Android device.
Our Facebook page is called
“Cleveland Animal Protective League”.
Our Twitter handle is
@ClevelandAPL
Carmen R.
Cleveland Animal Protective League
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