People are amazed and happy when they see Benny, the world’s first ice-skating dog.
Before Benny became well-known, he spent a considerable time in a kill shelter in Utah. Someone adopted him but returned him to the shelter the next day. He was then put on the euthanasia list, but, luckily, a local shelter in Las Vegas saved him in time.
When a retired professional skater, Cheryl Del Sangro, saw Benny’s picture on the shelter’s website, she knew she wanted him. She and her husband Flory were the only ones who applied for his adoption. Cheryl could not understand why nobody wanted him.
Cheryl and Flory noticed right away that Benny was smart and energetic, so they got him to start training. The trainer was impressed at how fast he learned words and tricks.
Rick Vierkandt, Cheryl’s friend and dog photographer, pitched the idea to take Benny to the skating rink to cheer on the Vegas Golden Knight NHL team. Cheryl skated, and they let Benny carry a hockey stick as he ran around. Rick took a video and posted it online. It quickly had many viewers.
Cheryl got the idea to teach Benny how to ice skate. She put doggie boots and small blades together to make skates for him. She imagined he would stand and take a few tentative steps because it was his first time on the skates. However, Benny took off right away in his skates, and Cheryl was pleasantly surprised.
Benny instantly loved ice skating. He got stronger and faster as he spent more time on the rink. He learned to do skating tricks by himself, like crossovers and jumping hurdles.
Soon, he got invited to attend sports, figure skating, and ice dancing events. He got to pose with famous people for photographs. He also attended events for a cause arranged by nonprofit organizations.
When the lockdown started, Benny could not go skating. For six months, he had to stay at home. He was so bored, so Cheryl had to think of ways to keep him in shape. She engaged him in physical exercise, balancing, and swimming.
Benny was so excited when the skating rinks reopened. He took out his skating bag and ran to the car. When they arrived at the rink, he was raring to go. He was in his happy place with his favorite person and nothing could be more perfect.
Source: The Dodo via YouTube