He brings it back inside.
Then Benny sits with it and waits.
Sooner or later, another set of footsteps comes down the hallway.
Someone else stops.
Benny gets up.
Back to the bed.
Pick up the toy.
Back to the door.
Push it through the bars.
Wait.
The same sequence begins again.
His Appearance May Be Ending Interactions Before They Begin
Benny has a deformed ear and multiple old scars.
Those features naturally raise questions about his past.
But no explanation for them was provided.
There is no factual basis here to claim Benny was used for dogfighting, attacked, abused, neglected, or deliberately injured.
His scars cannot tell us exactly what happened.
His ear cannot either.
Unless medical or intake records provide that history, the cause should remain unknown.
Unfortunately, visitors can form conclusions much faster.
Someone walking through a shelter may see Benny's face before they see anything else he does.
They may never reach the part where Benny returns carrying a stuffed animal.
The Toy Creates a Very Different First Impression
Watch Benny for longer, and the scene changes.
A visitor stops.
Benny notices.
Instead of remaining at the gate, he suddenly runs away.
For a moment, someone unfamiliar with his routine might even think he has lost interest.
Then Benny reaches his bed.
He grabs the worn stuffed animal.
He turns around.
Now he is coming back.
Benny reaches the kennel door with the toy hanging from his mouth.
He lowers it toward the opening.
Then he gently pushes it onto the other side.