“He fell asleep in my hands, and that’s when I started crying.”
After a day of back-to-school shopping, Evie and Leslie Benson were driving home when they observed vehicles swerving around a little brown object in the distance. They soon noticed him: a terrified puppy in the path of an incoming 18-wheeler vehicle.
“We closed our eyes, terrified that this dog would be hit by a car,” Evie Benson told The Dodo. “Luckily, the dog moved out of the way just in time.”
Benson understood what she had to do after seeing such a near call.
“My fight or flight response kicked in as I jumped out of the moving car,” Benson said.
The thankful puppy was soon secure in their back seat.
Despite being filthy and underweight, the puppy’s tail never stopped wagging.
“I was heartbroken just thinking about what this dog has been through and how scared and alone he felt,” Benson added. “The automobile journey was effortless. When he finally fell asleep in my hands, I burst into tears. I wanted him to know he was secure at last.”
They took the puppy to the Goochland County Animal Shelter and Adoption Center, where he was accepted right away.
Benson returned the following day to check on him. She wasn’t sure whether the pup would recognize her, but he leapt into her arms as soon as she arrived.
“We sat in the room with him, and that’s when the emotions hit,” Benson said. “My mother and I both burst out weeping… I joined him on the floor, and he snuggled up on my lap, happy… he even lay on top of me and embraced me.”
Benson soon came up with the right name for the dog – she began calling him Wags since he was continually wagging his tail.
Benson can’t believe so many vehicles spotted Wags and didn’t stop to assist, but she’s relieved he’s finally receiving the treatment he needs. Though she will be attending college in the autumn and will be unable to adopt him, she is certain that Wags will find a home in no time.
“It breaks my heart that I can’t adopt him,” Benson expressed regret. “The SPCA has received several calls and mails inquiring about Wags… I’m certain he’ll find a good home.”
Benson knows she’ll remember the small dog on the road forever — and Wags, no doubt, will, too.
“We made a lifelong connection, and I love him so much,” Benson added. “I am glad I was able to save him and connect with him.”
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