Millions of dogs sit in shelters every day, and many of them never get adopted. Their fates are the same if they aren’t lucky enough to be in a no-kill shelter. For Benny, his time was running out. He’d been in a shelter for what seemed like an eternity. Then one day, something happened that Benny could hardly believe.

Benny the black and white dog had been in the Carson Animal Care Center, a high kill shelter, for a long time. He’d watched stranger after stranger pass him by and choose other pets to take home with them. Benny craved the love and attention from those people, but never got it.

Then when his day finally came, and a family did choose him, he didn’t know what to think. The shelter worker came into his little kennel and instead of jumping with joy, he cowered in the back afraid of what was coming. Was today his last day on earth? With enough coaxing, Benny finally accepted the leash the worker offered and began his transition to the outside world.

As soon as he stepped out of the kennel, he became a whole different dog. He happily ran around the people there to adopt him and the shelter worker. He zigged and zagged back and forth between the other kennels seemingly to announce his going away. He was one excited dog once he knew what was really happening.

When Benny got outside the shelter, he smelled the bushes and the grass, probably the first time in weeks. His family excitedly loaded him up in the back seat of their car and away Benny went on his journey to his new home.

Watching Benny’s reaction makes the case for shelter dogs. They appreciate love and attention more than any pet store animal could ever understand.