While walking down a street in Tampa, Florida, a woman named Debbie Goldsberry noticed a peculiar sight in the window of a house: a frail, sickly-looking dog. From the street, she noticed that the dog was emaciated and appeared severely malnourished. Deeply concerned, she immediately contacted animal control to report the situation.
Animal control officers responded to their call and entered the home, only to discover not one but three dogs in a terrible state of starvation. Tragically, two of the dogs succumbed to their serious condition shortly after being rescued. The third dog, a nine-year-old poodle who became known as Beni, was barely clinging to life.
Beni, the emaciated poodle, was taken to a local shelter, where the staff did everything they could to care for him. However, his condition was nothing short of horrible. In addition to being severely malnourished, he was diagnosed with diabetes, had a tumor on his foot, suffered from a severe skin infection and had lost most of his fur.
Due to the severity of his health problems, Beni was scheduled for euthanasia at the shelter. Before this could happen, an email was sent about Beni, which eventually landed in Debbie Goldsberry’s inbox.
Goldsberry, founder of 100+ Abandoned Dogs of Everglades Florida (a sanctuary for rescued dogs), knew Beni’s only chance for survival was to have him in her care. Determined to save his life, she gathered volunteers and arranged for his transportation to her sanctuary, which was two hours south of her location.
Beni’s condition was extremely critical and he had difficulty eating or even swallowing food. His body couldn’t process food. But despite these grim circumstances, Beni surprised everyone by showing resilience and determination.
After intensive veterinary care, Beni was welcomed into the Goldsberry sanctuary, joining 26 other rescued dogs. His road to recovery was challenging and his health required close monitoring.
Beni faced numerous obstacles, including difficulties with eating food and an aversion to water, despite the typical thirst of diabetics. However, each day spent at the sanctuary marked a gradual improvement in Beni’s condition.
Under the dedicated care and watchful eye of Debbie Goldsberry, Beni continued her journey to recovery, proving that even in the most extreme circumstances, a dog’s resilience and spirit can triumph.
