Underdog to Wonderdog

When we got a phone call from a producer from Sharp Entertainment asking if she could come out and meet some of our dogs for a new show they would be filming for Animal Planet, little did we know what an adventure we would be embarking on! Many of our dogs were profiled, but none met the criteria for any of the families that had signed up for the show - until Benlo came into our care!

The Fernandez family in Maybrook, N.Y., had just undergone a traumatic year and a half fighting breast cancer, and now that they had won the battle, they were ready to add a new dog to their family. Their five year old daughter Sophia loved dogs of all shapes and sizes, but her most favorite breed was the Beagle, and Benlo seemed to be the perfect fit. After meeting Benlo, the producers agreed! Not only was he Sophia’s favorite breed, but both he and the Fernandez family both had an amazing tale of survival to tell – Benlo survived being lost in the mountains of Virginia, the Fernandez family survived cancer, and they needed each other!

Victor Fernandez came out to meet Benlo and it was love at first sight. A filming date was set and the cast and crew arrived at Little Shelter with cameras in tow. The entire day was spent filming Benlo’s story – from being lost in the mountains of Virginia, to finding his way to the safety of Little Shelter, to the issues he would need to overcome before being placed with the Fernandez family. Following taping at Little Shelter, Benlo spent several weeks in Manhattan where he was filmed getting the star treatment, including training to teach him the manners he would need in his new home and a doggie makeover. Finally Benlo was welcomed into his new home, and in the short time he has been there, this little guy has made one HUGE impact on the Fernandez family.

Benlo’s tale of going from ‘Underdog to Wonderdog’ aired on Animal Planet on Saturday, January 10, 2009 and it was truly a wonderful and inspiring show to watch. Not only did it make the rest of the country aware of Little Shelter and the wonderful work that we do, but nothing could give us more satisfaction then seeing a little dog survive all that Benlo had survived, and then go on to find a loving family. It’s our passion; it’s what we exist for!

Thank you to Sharp Entertainment, Animal Planet, the Fernandez family and Benlo for giving Little Shelter this wonderful opportunity!