Buddy’s Story

In the summer of 2023, Buddy was found abandoned in an apartment that his people had been evicted from. He lived at CNY SPCA for 9 months before I rescued him and brought him home to Ben’s Place.

Buddy was strong, tough. I used to call him the Ben’s Place Bouncer. He was the first to bark at a stranger, the last to back down in a tussle. At the same time though, he was sweet, gentle, affectionate. Every morning he’d approach me in the most docile, submissive way asking for a cuddle, for a seat on my lap. He’d climb up, settle down and fall fast asleep.

Buddy loved, of all things, blankets. He’d roll around and curl up in one until he was well and truly buried. I called it a Buddy Burrito. He’d sleep that way for hours.

He was protective of the other dogs. If they were in a scrap, he’d be right in there, breaking it up. Walter especially loved him, and many times I’d find them curled up together, tiny little Walter curled up against Buddy’s big strong body.

Buddy and Remy were best buddies. Looking back, it was after Remy passed that Buddy started to decline. At first I thought it was just him being sad, but now I see there was more to it. He ate less and less, became more lethargic. Lately he just looked sad and in pain. When I opened my heart and asked him what he wanted, the message I kept getting back, over and over, was “Help me. Help me.”

He passed on a grey, rainy day. He was at home, on his ottoman. I held him in my arms, told him what a good boy he was. That it was OK to go, that Remy was waiting for him.

He was such a good boy. He was very loved.

He will be missed.