One scorching day in Texas, Desiree Reyes was out walking her dogs, Knox and Coal, when she stumbled upon a sight that broke her heart.
From behind the fence of a nearby yard, a dog she had never seen before was staring at her intently, his eyes full of sorrow.
It seemed as though the Cocker Spaniel was begging her to notice him. What worried Reyes most was the possibility that he lived outdoors permanently, exposed to extreme weather.
Trying To Help The Neglected Pup
Reyes remembered seeing another dog confined to the same yard a few years earlier. That dog also remained outside in every type of weather.
Back then, she had asked the couple who lived there to bring the dog inside, but they refused. A few weeks later, that pup was no longer outdoors, and Reyes hoped they had changed their minds.
Seeing the sad Cocker Spaniel reignited her fears.
“When I saw another dog in the garden again, I knew … the plans were for this dog to remain outside. We had been experiencing 90-degree [Fahrenheit] days in Houston, and it wasn’t even the peak of summer,” Desiree Reyes told The Dodo.
She longed to help him but felt helpless. For the time being, she spoke softly to him and promised she would check on him every day.
She kept her word. Each morning, as she passed the yard, the pup was there, watching the world with longing eyes.
Reyes began bringing him treats. He quickly recognized her as a friend and eagerly wagged his tail when she arrived.
As the temperatures rose even higher, her concern for the dog deepened. Hoping to make a difference, she taped a note on the family’s door, urging them to follow Texas laws requiring dogs to have shelter. Still, nothing changed.
Benny Finds Freedom At Last
When a severe storm loomed, Reyes noticed how terrified the Cocker Spaniel was. She went to the family’s door again, and this time the owner admitted the dog was never allowed indoors.
Reyes asked if they would surrender him so she could find him a home where he would be safe. To her relief, they agreed.
The dog, now known as Benny, radiated joy when Reyes took him with her. His tail wagged nonstop, and he seemed overjoyed by his sudden freedom.
Reyes contacted Tracey Cline, founder of Rescue Texas, who offered her support.
Benny was scanned for a microchip, which revealed his original family. They had purchased him as a puppy but rehomed him at two years old because of his “excess energy.”
They could not take him back, leaving Benny’s future uncertain.
Reyes, however, had already fallen for him and chose to foster him herself.
She teamed up with Cocker Spaniel Rescue of East Texas (CockerKids) to help Benny eventually find his forever home.
Meanwhile, Benny flourished in his foster environment. He thrived alongside Knox and Coal, bursting with energy and rediscovering his playful spirit.
“Now, he’s a completely different dog. His spirit lit up almost overnight. He loves to zoom around with his little stuffies, and honestly, he retrieves better than my retrievers,” Reyes added.
Benny had finally found happiness, and it was only a matter of time before the right family came along to give him the lasting love he deserved.