All he asks for is cuddles and hugs.

I'd like to share the story of Bentley, a stray red nosed Pit Bull who showed up one evening at our families door step. Bentley has become a beloved member of our family.

One evening in March 2012 our dogs were barking; wanting outside. So I let them out, thinking they must have seen a raccoon, rabbit or a squirrel out of the window. Mind you we live a 1/4 mile outside of Morley, MO and are nearly surrounded by open fields. So this was a common occurrence. After a few minutes I noticed their barking continued, which was unusual. If it were a critter in the yard causing the disturbance by now it would have been long gone, scurried up a tree or hiding quietly under some brush.

Feeling compelled I looked out to see what was causing such a reaction. I could not believe my eyes. Our two tiny mixed up mutts, Chi Chi and Itzy along with their crazy brother lil' Mister, who's Mom was a stray Britney Springer Spaniel that a neighbor no longer wanted and we called Molly, had "car'ed" a stray dog. Yes I said car'ed.....this stray dog was on top of my sons car which sat in front of the shop with the shop's flood light shining down, illuminating this rare occurrence for all to see. While our dogs, on the ground surrounded him wilding barking.

After a while we were able to get each dog calmed down and in the house to learn the car'ed dog was a red-nosed pit-bull who couldn't be more then 7-9 months old. He was scared, shaking and very hungry. We brought him in, separating the others while he ate and got to know his surroundings and our family. During that short time we each feel in love with this hyper stray who only wanted to play and have his belly rubbed.

Sadly, Bentley's story can't continue with a happily ever after; living out his life with a great family, who vowed to love and protect him, sleeping in a queen size bed each night next to his "boy" while chasing squirrels and kitty cats till the end of his natural life. For you see a few weeks before Christmas Bentley was let outside with the rest of our dogs to go potty; which now amounts to five with the addition of Harley, she too was a stray, a pit-bull and was a puppy. When we went to let everyone back in Bentley had disappeared. Our family searched within a 5 mile radius of our home and found not one sign of Bentley. We contacted the Vet and both local humane societies, none had seen him. We feared we would never see him again and worried what advertisement he was enduring.

The morning of his 3rd day missing he re-appeared just as magically as he had disappeared out in the front yard. He was so weak and beaten he could barely walk into the house. He looked as if someone had taken a baseball bat to his entire body, whelps, scratches and small cuts covered him. He had scratches on his face and ears and a large wound on his upper right shoulder. The collar he wore was studded leather, now it was stretched and loose fitting. His Vets tags were cut off and a white plastic strip, like the kind used to seal up dog food bags had one end tied to his collar and the other end appeared to be cut; as if he were tied up and cut free.

The Vet said Bentley's shoulder wound appeared to be human inflicted by either a knife or an arrow. The Vet also felt Bentley may have been stolen from our home to be used for breeding. He felt Bentley must have been kept very close by; we may have even talked to those who had taken him. We will never know for sure. He did feel that if Bentley had been stolen and used in a fight, he would have been in worse shape or never returned; stating "Once a dog looses a fight if the other dog does not kill him the humans will."

My hope in sharing Bentley's story is to bring awareness to dog theft. We were told Bentley's puppies, even without being papered could bring over $1000 a piece once weaned, because he is a rare type of Pit-Bull. These puppies may not come to live with a loving family. They could be raised to fight or as a breed dog themselves. Please join our family in getting your dog's spayed or nurtured. No animal should ever have to endure all Bentley has, not one!!