A little dog who resists eating for fear that it is all an evil plan to trick him and mistreat him once again, is something that breaks our hearts.

Benji is a beautiful little dog who spent the first years of his life in the worst possible conditions. His owner used to keep him restrained in a cold, cramped space. He spent a long time without being able to meet anyone who cared about him and as the months went by, they simply stopped giving him the food he so desperately needed.

Benji was rescued in South Africa.

To make matters worse, Benji suffered much more than hunger. People passing by him would inflict severe injuries on him using stones or whatever objects they found nearby.

Fortunately, a charitable soul understood the grave danger this little dog was in and decided to call a rescue group to take action.

Benji’s owners said they simply “forgot” to feed him.

The animal rescue organization Sidewalk Specials came to the scene and once they met him, they were heartbroken.

In all their years of experience they had never seen a creature as stricken and frightened as Benji. The first thing they had to do was to gain his trust, but the nervous little dog seemed to believe that everyone who approached him would only hurt him more.

Benji refused to eat thinking it was nothing more than a trick to hurt him.

The rescuers offered him some food to get his attention. He was still very wary, but he had gone so long without food that he couldn’t refuse and started walking towards them.

The little dog was walking with great difficulty and kept shaking. Everyone had to go to great lengths to get him to the vet and try to calm him down. Thanks to these loving rescuers, Benji began to get the help he was long overdue.

Benji had spent his entire life restrained in a small concrete room.

The hardest part of the recovery process, however, would be for the beautiful little dog to realize that he was now safe and could trust humans again.

He was given a temporary home where they made sure he received the treatment to the letter. After a week, his mood was getting better and better and he even made his first friend: another rescued puppy.

The wound on his tail will take much longer to heal because he can’t stop wagging it anymore out of pure joy.

After a couple of months he was ready to look for a permanent home.

Thanks to his heartwarming story, it didn’t take long to find the right person and now he can count on the security of having a loving mother who will never let him go hungry or cold again.

Benji’s story has already been seen by more than a million people around the world:

He still has a long road ahead of him, but he is extremely happy and has already regained trust in people. Despite his tough past, he is an energetic little dog who lights up the hearts of everyone who meets him.

We are overjoyed that Benji is finally safe and surrounded by the love he deserves. But it’s not fair that such an adorable creature has to deal with the panic of being hurt again. Abusers have no idea of the damage they inflict on these innocent little souls who only know how to give love.

May this shocking rescue story motivate us to raise our voices against people as inhumane as Benji’s first owner.