Benny’s Adoption Story

Benny on top of the fridge

Pet's name: Benny
Adopted by: Rebecca Sebek
From: PetSmart in Chandler, Arizona, by way of Mixed Up Mutts and Shepherds Too, which partners with selected PetSmart stores

Rebecca, who writes about animal and environmental advocacy at The Savvy Advocator, contributed stories about her cats, Benny and CeCe. CeCe's story will appear in tomorrow's post, and this is Benny's story:

"Benny’s a dapper black-and-white tuxedo cat. His story begins with Salem, a black feral cat who came into my life in June 2008, but was unprepared to care for. I’d been living in Chandler, Arizona, for nine months and was still adjusting to my new home. One day, as I came down the stairs of my apartment, a fellow tenant walked by and said, 'That kitten has been there for weeks.' I had no idea what she was talking about. I looked to where she was pointing, and lo and behold there was a black kitten sitting on the patio of the 'model' apartment that was below mine. I brought Salem into my apartment but had no idea how to care for a kitten, let alone a feral one.

"I ended up taking Salem to Maricopa County Animal Care and Control in Mesa, Arizona. It was the hardest thing I ever did in my life. I was riddled with guilt and called the next day to see if I could get him back. I was told he was euthanized. I was devastated and cried every day. My mom, who was in Ohio, paid for my sister to fly out to Arizona to be with me; she was worried the guilt would consume my being. I did everything I could for Salem. I even hired a pet behavioral specialist, but she said there was no guarantee that Salem would adapt, since he was feral. One month passed, and I decided to adopt a kitten as a way to memorialize Salem, perhaps even redeem myself. I didn’t realize the healing I would receive from adopting Benny.

"In July 2008, I discovered PetSmart on Chandler Blvd. had adoptable cats; I wasn’t going back to Maricopa County Animal Care and Control. By this time, I educated myself about cats and kittens. I drove to PetSmart and saw three-month-old Benny. Normally, kittens are adopted straight away. But Benny had been there for two weeks. The adoptions counselor couldn’t believe he wasn’t adopted. She said to me, 'Maybe, he was waiting for you.' I spent time with Benny and spoke with his foster mom, whom I asked many questions because I was not going to go through what I went through with Salem. And, I haven’t. Benny’s more than a pet; he’s my fur kid. I couldn’t imagine my life without him."