The Villages - August 2017 - 44

{ FoR THe

Love

oF peTs }

A Golden Retriever With a Heart of Gold
Story By rica LewiS

| Photo By roB wiLKerSoN

He's as active as any Villager. His favorite pastimes are
kayaking, fishing and cruising around Lake Sumter Landing
in a golf car. Put him in the passenger seat of a red Corvette
and forget about humility. He's a big shot - long-haired,
laid back and ready for adventure. Meet Ben, a golden
retriever who loves life in The Villages. And by all accounts,
The Villages loves him, too.
His life with Mike and Connie Parker happened
unexpectedly, as neither the Parkers nor Ben were looking to
make a connection. Ben had a human and the Parkers had
a happy home life - sans pets.
"Before Ben, we had a golden that passed away from
brain cancer, so we weren't ready to bring another dog
into our home," Mike said. "We just didn't want another
heartbreak."
But as the Parkers and many other accidental
pet parents know, when a paw reaches up,
sometimes it grabs your heart unwittingly.
Mike was minding his own business the
day Ben sauntered by his home.
"I saw a guy walking this beautiful dog,"
Mike said. "I asked the man if I could pet
him."
Mike learned the dog's handler's
name was Bill, and that he was caring
for Ben because Ben's owners were
ill. But Bill was planning a move and
would be unable to take Ben along.
"One day, Bill asked me two
questions: Could I watch Ben and could
I keep Ben," Mike said.
Mike agreed.
"My wife, Connie, was upset
initially because I didn't bother
to ask her," Mike said. "But
she'd bonded with Ben and I
could tell she didn't want to let
him go, so I made the decision
that was best for all of us, Ben
included."

44

AUGUST 2017

Ben has been a Parker for six years now. He spends
his days floating on pool rafts, fetching tennis balls and
strutting around the town squares. When Connie and Mike
joined the Dynamic Dog Club, they got Ben involved, too.
"They had a program for therapy dogs, so we took Ben
to the class," Mike said. "He was a natural - so docile and
easy to train."
Ben likes to visit nursing homes and health care facilities,
and has become popular with residents. Perhaps it's his
loving demeanor. Or maybe it's the basket of goodies he
carries in his mouth.
"It's his trick," Mike said. "Last Easter, we filled his basket
with chocolate eggs and he delivered them to the elderly
residents."
At 11 years old, Ben is a bit more gray than he used to
be. But his heart will always be pure gold.



Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Villages - August 2017

Contents
The Villages - August 2017 - Cover1
The Villages - August 2017 - Contents
The Villages - August 2017 - 1
The Villages - August 2017 - 2
The Villages - August 2017 - 3
The Villages - August 2017 - 4
The Villages - August 2017 - 5
The Villages - August 2017 - 6
The Villages - August 2017 - 7
The Villages - August 2017 - 8
The Villages - August 2017 - 9
The Villages - August 2017 - 10
The Villages - August 2017 - 11
The Villages - August 2017 - 12
The Villages - August 2017 - 13
The Villages - August 2017 - 14
The Villages - August 2017 - 15
The Villages - August 2017 - 16
The Villages - August 2017 - 17
The Villages - August 2017 - 18
The Villages - August 2017 - 19
The Villages - August 2017 - 20
The Villages - August 2017 - 21
The Villages - August 2017 - 22
The Villages - August 2017 - 23
The Villages - August 2017 - 24
The Villages - August 2017 - 25
The Villages - August 2017 - 26
The Villages - August 2017 - 27
The Villages - August 2017 - 28
The Villages - August 2017 - 29
The Villages - August 2017 - 30
The Villages - August 2017 - 31
The Villages - August 2017 - 32
The Villages - August 2017 - 33
The Villages - August 2017 - 34
The Villages - August 2017 - 35
The Villages - August 2017 - 36
The Villages - August 2017 - 37
The Villages - August 2017 - 38
The Villages - August 2017 - 39
The Villages - August 2017 - 40
The Villages - August 2017 - 41
The Villages - August 2017 - 42
The Villages - August 2017 - 43
The Villages - August 2017 - 44
The Villages - August 2017 - 45
The Villages - August 2017 - 46
The Villages - August 2017 - 47
The Villages - August 2017 - 48
The Villages - August 2017 - 49
The Villages - August 2017 - 50
The Villages - August 2017 - Cover3
The Villages - August 2017 - Cover4
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