WEST OLIVE, Mich. — A day after posting about a dog that had been tied up and abandoned outside their building, Harbor Humane Society named the dog and gave an update on his condition.
On Saturday morning, the animal shelter asked for the public’s help in identifying an unknown person that was caught on camera tying up the dog and leaving it outside after hours.
The story brought in enormous support from the community, spurring an update on the dog’s status.
By Saturday evening, Harbor Humane had named the dog and took to social media to introduce him as “Gentle Ben,” saying he is, “resting well after getting a bath, a vet visit, and plenty of TLC from our staff.”
In a Facebook post, Harbor Humane went on to say that they want to emphasize that while, yes, they appreciate the unknown person bringing the animal to the shelter and not just dumping him in the middle of nowhere, they would still like to speak to the individual.
“It is so important for us to get information on the animals put in our care. If they are a stray, there is vital information that a finder can give us which helps us reunite the animal,” the post read. “If it is an animal an owner is no longer able to keep, speaking with the owner gives us the best information to help the animal have a happy and healthy life.”
The post went on to say that while they do charge a fee for owner-surrenders, they are always willing to talk to people and work with them and their situation.
“In fact, the first thing we do when someone wants to surrender their pet is ask, is there any way we can help you keep your pet? We offer many services intended to assist pet owners struggling to care for their pets,” they said. “We are in this together and are so thankful for the outpouring of love for Gentle Ben.”
On Sunday morning, Harbor Humane posted another update about Gentle Ben, saying, “although his eyes look sad, Gentle Ben is feeling okay.”
Harbor Humane said they estimate his age to be between 10 and 12 years old. They also said that they’ve received a lot of interest about Gentle Ben and his adoption.
“We appreciate all the inquiries on Gentle Ben and adopting him,” the post read. “At this time, he is on stray hold for four days and then most likely will be a medical foster with our staff while we make sure he is as healthy as an old boy can be.”
“Many have asked how they can help Gentle Ben and the other animals in our care. Any donation helps go towards the care of Ben and the other 382 animals that are currently in Harbor Humane's care. This includes over 180 kittens in foster and close to 30 dogs and puppies in foster,” the post added.
They went on to say that they are still actively looking to speak to the person who left Gentle Ben in their care on Friday evening because they have some questions.
“As we stated in an earlier post, we work with many people who can no longer keep their animals and although we have a surrender fee, we ALWAYS work with people to make sure their pet has the best possible outcome,” Harbor Humane said in their Facebook post. “We do believe the best place for an animal is in a home and will always work with owners to find the best solution and support them keeping their animal in their home if that is an option.”
“Please remember, there are thousands of animals out there like Gentle Ben, and they all deserve a family and home! Please always consider adoption your first option when seeking a new family member!”
"Gentle Ben"
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