Dear all friends on Lightning-Strike,

I just found out that a little puppy, who was dumped over the gate at The Gentle Barn in California last weekend, has passed away. He was infected with Parvo, which was successfully treated, but also had Distemper which caused all sorts of brain damage, seizures and everytually took his life. He was so young and innocent. He was also beautiful. (They have posted a picture)

Trevor, now you go right up to that little boy and take darn good care of him from now on. He's your responsiblity because you know what it is like to have brain damage and brain pain and you will know exactly how to love and care for him in Heaven.

I'll never forget you, Benjamin, even though we didn't get to meet on this earth.

Au revoir!

XOXOxoxo
Bobbie

PS: the eyes are really leaky right now

Benjamin

You brought love and joy into the lives of so many people on this earth. God told you where to go for comfort when you were about to go home. Look for Trevor and also for Gretta - a kind chocolate lab. They'll take good care of you.

And to the Gentle Barn and all the work they do - they're ALREADY in the perfect World.

Gretta's mom

Dear Sweet little Benjamin,

You are always in my thoughts, in my heart and in my prayers. I thank God that you were able to be at The Gentle Barn for the end of your short, short life. I am so sorry for the pain you experienced, espeically at the end. I'm sure that mr. Trevor has found you by now. Stick near him and you'll be in the best of hands (paws) because, although he didn't have Distemper, he had many brain problems that hurt a lot, too. So if anyone up there knows how to relate, it's Trevor.

Now, all of us LSers, please say or think of Benjamin's name once a day, OK? That way, Benjamin "wins" and whoever dumped him doesn't.

Thanks so much!

Love you, Ben!
Ms. Bobbie

Benjamin, benjamin, Benjamin, Benjamin ...... forever Benjamin.

And there was even a very popular movie named for sweet little Benjamin .... what do you think Benji's "real" name was?

Gretta's mom

This is little Benjamin's song:

Will You Remember Me?

Will you remember me
Like the circled stones
Where you walk alone?
On the ancient hills

Where the wind can speak
My secret name
Like the air you breathe
Will you remember me?

Will you remember me
As your airplane flies?
Over foreign seas
An' breaking skies

Like a perfect child
You can't bear to leave
In your last long days
Will you remember me?

Will you remember me
On the edge of life
Where time runs slow
Where song can fly

In these shuttered rooms
Where we say goodbye
When the soul is free
Will you remember?

When there's no need to breathe
Will you remember me?

Little Benjamin, the answer is "YES. YES, YES! We will always remember you!

Yes, yes, yes......LoveMyMickey! THAT WAS BENJAMIN'S PICTURE!

THANK YOU and God bless you for your loving tribute poem to a beautiful little boy that never had a chance until his very end. And then he was held, loved, sung to, told how much he was loved and died in the arms of someone who really DID love him.

Why is this world so cruel to the most innocent?

You know, LoveMyMickey, if it is just you and Jeanne and me that say his name every day, he WILL live on forever, just like one of our own. So here it goes:

I love you BENJAMIN! I miss you BENJAMIN! You are wonderful BENJAMIN! Trevor and Mickey and Gretta are all with you BENJAMIN!
I love you BENJAMIN!
I love you BENJAMIN!
I love you BENJAMIN!

And every little soul that comes after you.

XOBobbieXO

Hi Bobbie,

I heard that song on American Idol the other night and I thought of all the animals that are and will be abused and forgotten. Then I thought it would be a good tribute to little Benjamin.

I LOVE YOU BENJAMIN! Mickey, Trevor, Gretta, Bobbie, and Gretta'a Mom all love you too. And I know there are many others who love you too!

God Bless all the animals!

LoveMyMickey

Hi Benjamin

We love you. Are you having fun and making a lot of friends up there in the Perfect World? You're loved in heaven and on earth - forever.

Gretta and Rufus's mom

Good Morning Sweet Benjamin!

Did you see that beautiful poem for you by LoveMyMickey? Isn't she something else?

I'm sure, by now, that you have made friends with other puppies and kitties that were in your shoes and ended up in this Heavenly place. I wish that they were all able to transition with the love that you had. If not, they are getting everything they can possibly need or want now. Including a few of us that will never forget them!
I wish more viewers would take this seriously and say/write your name down. God had/has a mission for you and through The Gentle Barn you will fufill it.

Dreamer, Kelley and I all love you, Bejamin. And did you know that I will be saying your name over and over again? That's because Benjamin is the name of my grandson! Isn't that great?

Have a fun, fun day my little one!

Love,
XO ms. bobbieXO

Hey, Benjamin! Over 66 people have viewed this site and that means maybe THEY are saying your name, too!

Wouldn't that be wonderful?

Soon, our mission will expand, little Ben, and all because of you!

Love you, Benjamin!

XOms bobbieXO

Dear Little Benjamin,

I'm sending lots more LOVE to you!


LoveMyMickey

Hi Benji

Here's some more love coming your way. Someday I'll write a little book about you - I'm going to write a little book about Aloo, a dog I met last year in India, too.

Benjamin, Benjamin, Benjamin ....... your name lives forever in the sky and in our hearts.

Gretta and Rufus's mom

BEN-JA-MIN, BEN-JA-MIN,BEN-JA-MIN - hooray for our Mr BEN-JA-MIN!

Gretta's mom

GOOD afternoon, Benji! (may I call you that?)


It is HOT, HOT, HOT here in Baltimore, but I'll get it's just right in Heaven. Have a HAPPY Sunday playing with all your friends and learning all sorts of new tricks.


I love you, Benjamin!


XOBobbieXO

Benji, Benji, I love you.
Benji, Benji, yes I do.

Benji, please bless Gentle Barn
They rescued you from hurt and harm.

Gretta and Rufie's mom

Benji, Benji, Benji,

Gentle Barn, your rescue place.
I know they loved your sweet, loving face.

I came by to say, "I LOVE YOU!"
'Cause that is what I want to do.

Benji, Benji, Benji.

Oh Benji,

I am the one who cannot rhyme one word with another.
But I do know the most important word of all..........LOVE!

I LOVE YOU, BENJAMIN!!!!!!!
I LOVE YOU, BENJAMIN!!!!!!!
I LOVE YOU, BENJAMIN!!!!!!!

Benji, everybody's boy
Filled our hearts with love and joy.

Thank you Benjamin - I love you.

Gretta's mom

Benji, Benji velvet ears
Calms our hearts and eases fears.

I love you Benji.

Gretta and Rufus's mom

Benji, Benji, Benji,
Sweet little pup,
I hope to see you later
When my time is up.

I LOVE YOU, BENJI!


LoveMyMickey

Benji, Benji, Benji,
I wish that I could rhyme.
Cause then I'd tell you,
"I LOVE YOU" alll the time!

I love you, Benjamin!
XObobbieXO

Benji Benji velvet ears
Calmed our hearts and eased our fears.

Benji - You changed the world.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Gretta's mom

Good Morning, Benjamin!

I don't know if puppies continue to grow up in Heaven or not. I'm assuming not, but what do I know?

I hope you have having the time of your life, playing, rolling, nipping, yapping, chasing and all that fun stuff that baby dogs do. And don't worry, it won't annoy Trevor or anyone else.

We love you Benjamin! We are sorry for what you had to suffer here on earth, but are so grateful that, in the end, you were held with the most loving and compassionate arms in the entire world.

I LOVE YOU, BENJAMIN!
XObobbieXO

Benji, Benji, Benji,

See, Bobbie is a poet
And she just didn't know it.

Benji, I LOVE YOU!
And Angel Mickey does too!


LoveMyMickey

Benji, Benji
Your sweet smile
Made our lives
A bit (more) worthwhile.

Thank you, Benji. You're changing the world.

Gretta's mom

Benji, Benji, taking naps
In their soft an caring naps.

xoxo
Gretta's mom

Oops

Benji, Benji taking naps
In their soft and loving LAPS!

You got it, though, yes?

XOXo
GM

Dear, sweet Benjamin,

Good Morning to you! Good morning to you! We're all in our place(s), smailing at your face(s)! Good Morning to you!

Today the sun is shining, the air is cool and there is just a bit of a breeze which reminds me that YOU and Trevor and Gretta and Mickey and Hermy and Tucker and Gino and Peanut and ALL the other boys and girls in your Wonderful World are having a GREAT day! I hope you are having fun running and jumping and rolling around. Is there grass in Heaven? There must be!

Benji, after what some humans put you through by not having you vaccinated was the meanest thing of all, but there must have been a tiny spark of hope for them to choose the Gentle Barn as your final home. There you got the care you deserved and the LOVE you more than deserved. I WILL get a memorial up for you at our Humane Society one day soon. You can count on that. "Cause see, I live across the country from them and cannot go visit them to memorialize you there, so I"ll do it here where Trevor, all his brothers and me are!

Have a wonderful, wonderful, puppy-fun day little Benjamin! I love you!

XObobbieXO

Hi Benjamin

Can't think of a cutsie verse today. Just here to say I love you and so do people all over th world. We all thank God for you and for Gentle Barn for rescuing and caring for you. That picture of you in one of their laps, which your darling smile, is one of the most adorable, meaningful pictures I've ever seen. I'm going to make myself a copy and put it right next to the pictures of Gretta (she's the kind chocolate lab who's been taking care of you up there) and Trevor - the cutest and most loving C-spaniel up there.

You changed the world, little man.

XOXO

Gretta's mom

Dear Sweet Benjamin,

Just stopping by
To say "I LOVE YOU!"
And I saved a copy
Of your sweet picture too.


LoveMyMickey

Dear, dear Benjamin,

I saved one, too! One, two, three wonderful pictures of Benjamin out in the world!

I LOVE YOU, BENJAMIN!

XObobbieXO

Benji, let your spirit spread
Til it touches every heart and head

I love you, Ben.

Gretta's mom

Hi Benjamin!

Oh, there they go again with their rhymes! I DO remember that you are just a puppy and love to have the fun stuff. But this lady just can't rhyme! So, I'm going to have to say all those "play" things, OK?


Come here, Benji! You are such a GOOOOOOOOOOOOD boy!!! I love you so much! Don't you think it's time for a tummy rub? (go find one of those angels and they will do it for you!)

Oh! your ears are sooooooooooo soft! Where did you get them? I love you, Benjamin! You are the cutest puppy there ever was! (giggle, giggle, giggle).

How am I doing? I can think of a lot more, but I'm going to save them for other days so I don't have to go and repeat myself as often. Do you know that I am saying, out loud, the exact words that I'm typing? You should see Dreamer trying to figure this whole thing out. So I guess that means I should pet him, right? I'm sending his pats right up to you, Mr. Benji!

Have a super duper day!

XObobbieXO

Hi Benji!

Now wasn't Bobbie's play stuff more fun than any ole rhyme?......(hmmmmm..I thought so.)...

Here is some baby talk for you. Ji Juv Vu...



LoveMyMickey

HAHAHAHA! That was great, LoveMyMickey!!! Keep it up and we'll all geet reported to the funny farm.

Hi Benji
Today have fun
Basking in the sun.
XOXO
Gretta's mom

Hellooooooooooooooooooo Benjamin!!!!!!!!!

How's my little (little?) pupper wupper doing today? I hope you had a good night's sleep with the other doggies and that their snoring didn't keep you awake. But then you sleep like a rock when you're a baby, so you probably didn't hear anything. Did you my little guy?

Wanna catch a ball? Goooooooooooooo, run and get that ball before it gets away! Good boy! Now, let's see if you can bring it back? Nope. Well, here I come to get you. Stand still, Benji! You're running the other way and I can't keep up! Help! Benji is running away! Go Benji go! Run with the wind until you get tired or are stopped by a fence. I'll be waiting for you back here. Run, Benji, run! See those ear flopping in the breeze?? Betcha you could fly!

Did you find another friend to play with? Good boy! Now you two run off and let me rest. I'll catch up later.

I LOVE YOU, BENJAMIN!
XObobbieXO

Hi Little Benji!

I bet you are taking a nap. That was quite a workout Bobbie gave you. She will have you spoiled rotten in no time.....

Little Benji, you sleep tight
And don't let the fleas bite.

Are there fleas in Heaven? I would think they would be good fleas and wouldn't bite.

Always remember...

Your Friend,
LoveMyMickey

Benji

I'm all out of rhymes but I just want to say how much I love you and love the people who made your last days on earth happy and as comfortable as possible - and then had the love and courage to rrelease you from your earthly suffering and ease you homegoing to the Perfect World. Have fun with you pack up there today.

Gretta and Rufus's mom

Hey Benji-poo!

How are you? See? I can put words together so they rhyme and I know that you and all the other puppies and kitties just care about the neat sounds that we make. Right?

So, how is my little Benji-poo? Did chew have a good night's sleepie time? What' goin on around that place today? Try to find Trevor and remind him that it's his daddy's birthday today. Oh! I forgot! That's waaaaaaaayyyy too much for a little puppy brain to remember, so I'll help you.

HEY, TREVOR!!!!!! It's your daddy's BIRTHDAY today!!!!!!! Don't forget!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OK, Mr. Benjamin, time for you to go and play with all your buddies. Have lots of fun and I'll see ya later!!!!

I LOVE YOU, BENJAMIN!
XObobbieXO

BENJAMIN!!!!!

Look at all the people that are checking up on you! It's over 200 already and in such a short time!

Oh, Benji, your living and your dying are not in vain and I promise you that the three of us (LoveMyMickey, Gretta's mom and me) will keep your name alive and well for a very long time!


Right, guys?????????

I LOVE YOU, BENJAMIN!
XObobbieXO

Hi Benjamin-boy

Sending you some earthly love and cuddles - just like your picture from the Gentle Barn. They are you REAL moms and dads on this earth. You're smile will go with me all day today, sweetheart.

Gretta's mom

Gooooooood Morning, Benjamin!!!!!!!

I hope your night was restful and that you grew some more. Or do you stay the same size in Heaven? See, there are many things us humans don't know about that place until we get there and then we are not allowed to send back messages about the place. hmmmmmmmm

I love Benjamin!
I love Benjamin!
I love Benjamin!

And that is YOU! Have a great day, my little loper dog. (that's what you look like from your piacture) and be sure to find St. Francis and get a hug from him, too!

I LOVE YOU, BENJAMIN!
XObobbieXO

Benji, Benji,
You're such a sweet little boy.
I know you could have brought someone
So much earthly joy!

"I LOVE YOU SWEET LITTLE BENJI!"

God Bless You and All the Animals!

LoveMyMickey

Good morning Benjamin!

You little ball of soft fur - you changed the world. Sleep, eat, get into "trouble" (which really isn't trouble in the Perfect World) - you deserve it all.

Thank you for touching our hearts.

Gretta and Rufus's mom

Hey Benjamin!

How you doin' buddy? You are just about the cutest little one I've seen in a loooooooooooooooooong time. You have touched so many people's lives. I'm just so sorry that you had to suffer like you did.

But all is well in Heaven and you have the time of your life this weekend, OK?

I LOVE YOU, BENJAMIN!
XObobbieXO

Hi Sweet Benjamin,

I'm making a quick stop here just to tell you that I always think of you and "I LOVE YOU!"



LoveMyMickey

Good morning Benji

Just stoppin' by to tell you how much I love you and how much joy you have brought into my heart. Just a look at your sweet face cuddled in loving arms brightens the world for us all. Keep on playin' Benji. Libe your whole like in the Perfect World.

Gretta and Rufus's mom

Hi Benjamin!

Don't try to interpret Gretta's mom's use of the English language. I think she speaks "dog" quite well. heehee

Oh, little Bejamin! How I love you and I didn't even know you on this earth! But that will never stop me from loving you and waiting until we meet for the first time! No coughing, no seizures, no pain, just fun, fun, fun in the sun. I hope you and Trevor and Gretta and Mickey are having a blast every day!

Sleep well tonight, my little one.

I LOVE YOU, BENJAMIN!
XObobbieXO

Hi Benji

I love you today and every day. You were sent here to change the world - and you did - you're still doing it. I'm so happy for you that you are now safe, sound, out of pain, and "rollin' round heaven all day".

Gretta's mom