Leeroy’s mom, Michele had gone through a lot in her life recently, including 7 major facial reconstruction surgeries and was feeling really down on herself, struggling to accept the way she looked after these surgeries and decided that she needed to put some good out there to try to turn herself around. A friend had mentioned that a local rescue was looking for fosters, and she thought it was a perfect opportunity to shift her focus off of her own tragedy, and pour her time, energy, and love into a special needs animal. So, she got all set up and went over to pick up her first foster. That’s when she saw Bentley. Bentley was a tiny shell of a white dog who was huddled up in the corner, shaking with his tail between his legs. Michele said, even though she went into this to foster dogs, she KNEW that she and Bentley were meant for each other as soon as she saw him. Bentley had been surrendered to the shelter and suffered severe neglect. He had infections in both his eyes AND both of his ears and he had to be shaved, his fur was so matted. The rescue said he didn’t interact with any of the dogs, or even any of the volunteers, and mostly just stood in the corner, frozen.He wasn’t adjusting well to the environment at all.
Michele worked with Bentley for about a month when a family came forward who was interested in adopting Bentley. Michele was heartbroken, but reminded herself that this is what she signed up for. But, then, the adoption fell through! Michele signed the papers to adopt him the next day, and he’s been her love ever since…
But… the name Bentley wasn’t working. He wasn’t responding to it, so Michele tried a couple of other names, but they just didn’t stick. One day, she was on the phone with a friend, and shouted “LEEROY JENKINS” which, Ifeel old bc I had to google the reference. Its a sort of internet meme that came out of a video of people playing World of Warcraft? I don’t know. Again, old. Anyway, she shouted LEEROY JENKINS and the pruppet came running!
Leeroy loves his lamby toy, or toys PLURAL because he has FIVE! Every night, he takes them to Michele’s bed one at a time and buries them in the blankets. Then every morning, they great lamby migration happens and he takes them back to the couch for safe keeping. Michele also recently took him to the beach and she said, it was the happiest she’s ever seen another soul.
Michele said that she knows that she rescued Leeroy and taught him how to be a dog again, but like all of our pruppet owners say, Leeroy rescued her right back, and after all that she had been through, showed her how much good there still was in the world.
Leeroy and Lamby: A love story
