Thanksgiving is always a busy time of year. Amidst all the holiday bustle, Benton-Franklin Humane Society has found a way to make their shelter dogs feel special.
Last year, the humane society staff and volunteers took time out of their days to give their dogs a holiday feast. Thanksgiving morning, every dog at the shelter was served a special, dog-friendly meal complete with pumpkin, carrots, plain potatoes, green beans, gravy and whipped cream. One of the staff members even stayed up all night cooking two whole turkeys for the dogs.
“This was definitely a very special treat for all of them,” Julie Saraceno, volunteer dog walker at Benton-Franklin Humane Society, told The Dodo.
With Thanksgiving coming up in less than a week, almost a year has passed since the shelter served the dogs their festive meal. In that year, nearly all of the dogs have gotten adopted.
Heartbreakingly, though, three of the dogs remain at the shelter, which means they’re getting ready to celebrate their second Thanksgiving in a row without families.
Finn and Papa have both been at the shelter for over a year. But since they both have allergies that require special diets and need to be in single-pet households, they’ve been overlooked.
“[Finn] is such a good dog, and he loves people,” Saraceno said. “I think he needs somebody that’s going to be able to handle his strength. But he is such a sweet dog … Papa is also such an amazing dog.”
Kylie has been a shelter dog for almost four years. A few months ago, she got adopted by what she thought was going to be her forever family. Unfortunately, soon after her parents brought her home, she tore her ACL. As the surgery she needed was incredibly expensive and her family lived on a third-floor walkup, she was returned to the shelter.
As much as Kylie, Finn and Papa love eating turkey on Thanksgiving at the shelter, they’d much rather do so at home. For Saraceno, the thought of them having to spend another holiday in a kennel is devastating.
“It’s always emotional to see the same dogs that are there for such a long time when they’re such amazing dogs and couldn’t deserve a home more,” Saraceno said.
If no one is able to adopt them before Thanksgiving, Saraceno said they would also hugely benefit from even just being fostered and getting to stay in a home for a little while.
“I would just love to see them all go home for the holidays,” Saraceno said.
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