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CASSIDY HENDERSON
BENJI: THE
POODLE
LEFT TO DIE
Written by Cassidy Henderson

During a Wednesday afternoon in a dead end-street

in the village of Eye, near Cambridge, England, an
animal that barely resembled a dog was found
quivering in fear in the gutters of a street. The poor
poodle mix had thick locks of weather-beaten and
matted fur that resembled more of a clump of dry
dirt than a living animal. “Apart from the matting, he
smelt extremely bad and his fur was coated in
faeces, urine and fleas.” The dog was left for dead in
the streets of Cambridge, and was said to have been
stranded there for at least a year. If it were not for a
group of selfless teenagers who had found the dog
and called the RSPCA on June 13, 2018, the dog
(later named Benji) would have died within a short
time after. The teenagers even went out of their way
to provide the suffering hound some soft and
calming music in attempt to calm him down as well
as wrapping him up in some of their own clothing. “I
fear he may not have been found had it not been for
them, and he could have died a slow and painful
death.” Although the dog potentially could have
been dangerous and sickly, these kids went out of
their way to save him. There are many things to be
said about teenagers these days, but this was a very
selfless and noble deed they acted upon. The world
needs more people like this; people who will go out
of their way to help others, no matter how big or
how small they may be.
Due to how badly Benji’s fur Such an amputation must The community is hoping strictly responsible for the
was matted, he had to get have been extremely painful karma will come after abuse and neglect caused.
nearly two pounds of fetid fur for Benji and he had to suffer whoever did this, but in the Benji is doing a lot better
cut off of his small body. He through it all alone. If it were meantime, people are sharing now, he is one of the
was so petrified of everything not for his tangle of fur, the this story and urging everyone sweetest and friendliest
due to how long he was out leg would have never been to stand up for Benji and to dogs the RSPCA has seen.
on the streets that he had to choked off and removed. It put this case to a close. The most neglected dogs
be sedated so he could calm seems as if the paw was not Facebook posts asking for know deep inside what the
down and act more normal. recently removed from his help are going viral as well as worst may be, making them
Otherwise, he would be body due to the fact that skin one that shows a picture of a the best dogs. This is what
violently shaking and feeling had already grown over the woman’s own healthy poodle happened to Benji, since he
every bit of pain he stub.  It can only be compared to the abused dog. had been in such a terrible
experienced on the streets. imaginable the amount of The obviously well-cared-for state before, he decided to
Benji’s case was shattering to suffering he went through and loved poodle looks fluffy never let that happen
many people, especially to when his blood supply had and clean. “This is how poor again. The poodle mix now
those who witnessed the poor been restricted and the foot Benji the poodle should look,” resembles a dog rather
poodle at his worst. Once he fell off. Officials are looking for they wrote in the caption. The than a mess of tangled fur,
was brought back to the out- the person who did this to U.K. Animal Welfare Act, 2006, this is because he finally
of-hours emergency surgery Benji and they are gives the RSPCA power to lives in a safe environment.
at Cromwell Veterinary Group, determined to find whoever legally prosecute and give Thanks to those teenagers
they replaced most of the was in charge of the dog so warnings to people who don’t who found the frightened
dehydrated dog’s fluids and they can bring justice to the take good care of their dog, he will live a longer
put him on painkillers hoping situation. “It is possible that animals. The owner of the and happy life.
to bring his body back to the pup was in their charge pets
normal. After he was sedated, for a long time, as the injuries
they began the process of he endured are doubtless the
shaving off his horrendous result of chronic neglect over
coat. As they started the months or even years.” He
process of removing the two wasn’t just thrown onto the
pounds of ratty fur, streets, he was abused in his
something horrifying was own home. Everywhere this
discovered. “The RSPCA said dog has been he experienced
the long fur cut off circulation pain and suffering. Benji was
to one of the poodle cross’s injured while in the care of
feet and the paw ‘effectively this owner, possibly due to
died’.” Benji’s right paw was their abusive actions. “The
non-existent. His own fur person who let him get [into]
strangled the foot off and it a condition like this is truly the
was left to die.  lowest of the low, there is just
no excuse for it.”