SAVE BENJI by supporting Keno’s Animal Sanctuary
Tax deductible
As animal advocates, we are constantly saying that every animal’s life matters because, well, they do. The feral cats on the street, the raccoons that ravage your trash at night, maybe even the spider that made its way into your bathroom… life is life. And if we are going to dedicate ourselves to helping the animal lives that need it most, we can’t turn our backs on the more difficult cases.
In April of this past year, a barking, growling, panicked dog was forced into a kennel by the only family he had ever known. They told us his name was Benji and that he was very aggressive towards strangers, then they left him behind without looking back. Yet months later, Benji still sits inside his little concrete prison, constantly looking for them. It is no wonder that Benji refuses to trust anyone, refuses to even step outside without putting up a fight; because the last time he did, he lost everything.
Both the staff and volunteers at AHS Newark have tried to get through to Benji, but we have had limited success. He still does not let us walk him or even pet him, and as many of you know it is incredibly difficult to work with a dog like this. Hours spent talking to him through a gate while he barks and growls, constantly giving him treats (he loves peanut butter), trying to show him that we will not hurt him… has resulted in only one staff member being able to reach inside his kennel and pet him. This progress, while it might not seem like much, shows us that Benji will eventually be able to trust again. However, the amount of time and structure that needs to go into such a feat is simply not conducive to a large, inner-city animal shelter. And every day Benji sits in his kennel, he deteriorates mentally. How long do we have before Benji finally snaps, and hurts someone or even himself? We don’t want to find out.
We need to rescue Benji from himself, but he cannot be placed in a home in this condition. The only place willing to take Benji, a safe haven for dogs with rough pasts, is Keno’s Animal Sanctuary. There, Benji can just be a dog and free himself from everyone’s expectations. He can learn to trust on his own terms, with a large area to run around and play. A lifetime of care is costly, but this is his only chance at freedom.
Benji doesn’t deserve to be overlooked any longer. We see him and we love him, even with all his flaws. He has been let down by people all his life, but we can change that. Even just $5 goes a long way towards his eventual happiness.
~~~
Keno's Animal Sanctuary is a Brooklyn based 501(c)(3) non-profit no-kill organization that provides animal shelter and adoption services as well as the long-term housing and care for special needs animals who could not otherwise be placed in a forever home.
In April of this past year, a barking, growling, panicked dog was forced into a kennel by the only family he had ever known. They told us his name was Benji and that he was very aggressive towards strangers, then they left him behind without looking back. Yet months later, Benji still sits inside his little concrete prison, constantly looking for them. It is no wonder that Benji refuses to trust anyone, refuses to even step outside without putting up a fight; because the last time he did, he lost everything.
Both the staff and volunteers at AHS Newark have tried to get through to Benji, but we have had limited success. He still does not let us walk him or even pet him, and as many of you know it is incredibly difficult to work with a dog like this. Hours spent talking to him through a gate while he barks and growls, constantly giving him treats (he loves peanut butter), trying to show him that we will not hurt him… has resulted in only one staff member being able to reach inside his kennel and pet him. This progress, while it might not seem like much, shows us that Benji will eventually be able to trust again. However, the amount of time and structure that needs to go into such a feat is simply not conducive to a large, inner-city animal shelter. And every day Benji sits in his kennel, he deteriorates mentally. How long do we have before Benji finally snaps, and hurts someone or even himself? We don’t want to find out.
We need to rescue Benji from himself, but he cannot be placed in a home in this condition. The only place willing to take Benji, a safe haven for dogs with rough pasts, is Keno’s Animal Sanctuary. There, Benji can just be a dog and free himself from everyone’s expectations. He can learn to trust on his own terms, with a large area to run around and play. A lifetime of care is costly, but this is his only chance at freedom.
Benji doesn’t deserve to be overlooked any longer. We see him and we love him, even with all his flaws. He has been let down by people all his life, but we can change that. Even just $5 goes a long way towards his eventual happiness.
~~~
Keno's Animal Sanctuary is a Brooklyn based 501(c)(3) non-profit no-kill organization that provides animal shelter and adoption services as well as the long-term housing and care for special needs animals who could not otherwise be placed in a forever home.
Organizer
Katie DeMottie
Organizer
Parsippany, NJ
Keno's Animal Sanctuary
Beneficiary