It was a sweltering June day in Texas when Desiree Reyes’ brisk walk with her dogs, Knox and Coal, suddenly became concerning. As she passed a townhome in her neighborhood, Reyes spotted a cocker spaniel she’d never seen before standing in the fenced yard with downtrodden eyes. Her heart instantly sank.
While it was her first time encountering this cocker spaniel, he wasn’t the first dog she’d seen in the home.
“I’d seen another dog kept outside [that house] a couple of years ago,” Reyes told The Dodo. “That dog was always outside, even on hot and rainy days.”
When Reyes tried asking the homeowners to bring the first dog inside, they initially refused. But within a few weeks, the dog stopped going outside, and Reyes never saw him again. She hoped it was a sign that he was finally spending more time inside, but seeing the cocker spaniel suddenly made her feel otherwise.
“When I saw another dog in the garden again, I knew … the plans were for this dog to remain outside,” Reyes said. “We had been experiencing 90-degree [Fahrenheit] days in Houston, and it wasn’t even the peak of summer.”
Reyes was worried, but she felt helpless in the moment. So, she greeted the pup and promised to stop by every day to check on him. Sure enough, every time she walked by the house, the dog was standing on the other side of the fence, staring longingly at the world around him.
“We started bringing him treats each morning, and soon, he’d run to the fence to greet us, tail wagging,” Reyes said. “It became the highlight of his day and ours.”
As the days passed and the summer weather intensified, Reyes grew more concerned about the pup’s perpetual outdoor time. She left a note on the front door explaining the state laws regarding dogs needing proper shelter, to no avail.
Then one day, when a massive storm loomed over the neighborhood, Reyes finally knocked on the door.
“I saw [him] clearly distressed,” Reyes said. “I knocked again, and this time, the owner answered.”
After a brief conversation, Reyes’ fears were confirmed: The dog was not allowed inside. When Reyes asked if they would relinquish the pup so he could find a better home, they handed her his leash without asking any questions.
Reyes was relieved, but the pup, whom she later discovered was named Benny, was even happier.
“Benny ran straight to my house in excitement, where he was greeted by a big yard to run and two giant Labs!” Reyes said.
Reyes soon contacted Rescue Texas, and founder Tracey Cline immediately jumped into action. She scanned Benny for a microchip and, through contacting his original owners, learned about his heartbreaking past.
“He was originally an indoor pup, bought as a puppy but re-homed around the age of two because he had ‘too much energy,’” Reyes said.
Benny’s first two owners didn’t understand him, and sadly couldn’t give him the life he deserved. But thankfully, Reyes loved him instantly, and she agreed to foster him until his perfect family came along.
While Reyes combed through the logistics of finding his forever home, like partnering with Cocker Spaniel Rescue of East Texas (CockerKids), Benny worked on reconnecting with his puppy-like spirit in his new home.
“Now, he’s a completely different dog,” Reyes said. “His spirit lit up almost overnight. He loves to zoom around with his little stuffies, and honestly, he retrieves better than my retrievers.”
Benny’s currently thriving in foster care with Reyes, Knox and Coal. He’s still searching for his dream home, but Reyes is confident the right family will come along soon.
“He is incredibly sweet, playful outside but calm indoors,” Reyes said. “His perfect family will be one that wants him by their side — that’s where he’s happiest.”
