Entrant's Name
Jennifer Fox

Pet's Age
5

Fun Fact About Pet
He thinks he's a greyhound

Pet's Story
I first saw Benson in one of the offices of the shelter as I was returning foster baby rats. He was wearing a leash because he didn't know what a leash was. He watched us intently as we separated the boys from the girls. 3 days earlier I had lost my love, my bestie Sadie. I didn't think I could go to the shelter that day, but I did. I also considered fostering a dog through the weekend to help me because I missed my Sadie so much. As Benson watched us with his beagle eyes I thought he may need a little extra TLC. I learned he was came in with a sister and he was labeled "the shutdown dog", because during his temperament test he just froze. I also learned very quickly he was a blank slate. Not only did he not know what a leash was, but he had had no or very few experiences in his 3 1/2 years. We introduced him to a cat, he leaned in slowly and ended up with a little scratch on his nose. Our first moment of trust was when he let me clean up the scratch. He had to be carried out to my car, and he melted into the car seat. He was afraid of doors, outside sounds, garage doors, pumpkins, Christmas decor, everything! 3 weeks later we became a permanent team and today he is my confident, VERY cute little man and the best cuddler EVER!