10/29/2025
Update: 11/1/25: Yesterday we received the devastating news that Bentley's collar and remains were found. To say we're heartbroken is an understatement.
We want to thank everyone who shared, called, our volunteers who hung flyers.
Our heart goes out to his family. We had hoped and prayed for a much different outcome 💔
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It's been 92 days since Bentley went missing. Bentley is not your waggy tail, come up to you kind of guy. He came from a backyard breeding situation and was essentially feral. It took months in foster care before his foster Mom could even get near him. While he enjoyed being around other dogs, he did not follow them. Every day we worked on touch. We would make progress, then a noise, a weather change, an object that wasn't there the day before, would spook him and we would be back to square one. It took over 6 months before he would approach his foster, take food from her hand, sit on the sofa with her. And it was never without periodic setbacks. Like the time we all went out and Bentley wouldn't come in....the same door he'd come in freely for months. We had another entrance from the yard and got him to come in a different door, but he was smart. You could 'trick' him once...but never again. Bentley was adopted about a year after we took him in. While he had made great strides, and his progress continued, he still had those shrinking moments, when something was different or spooked him and he maintained his stand when meeting new people, untrusting, unapproachable.
Everything that could be done since the day he went missing... every single lost dog recovery protocol was implemented. Camera's were dropped any time there was a potential sighting. Traps ready, and dropped when needed. Flyers were put up....everywhere....with areas being expanded daily. Police stations, shelters, apartment/condo/townhome complexes, fire stations, post offices, you name it were contacted and continue to get notifications and calls. Social media in communities for miles and miles, and every lost dog site imaginable were posted to, every single week. Community news sources were notified. Drones were utilized. NO STONE WAS UNTURNED.
While efforts continue and we will not give up until we find him, without sightings what we can do is limited. Within a 3-4 week period we were notified of a dog matching his description in the Manalapan area. Posters were plastered all over, businesses contacted, we went door to door with flyers asking folks to check their cameras if they had them. We were able to rule out most other potential sightings by photos, microchips, going to see the dog, etc. but this one we were not able to as there were no photos and no sightings after that.
Given the amount of time that's passed, Bentley could be anywhere. We've had dogs travel the same 5-10 mile route for great lengths of time and others who continued on their journey and ended up hundreds of miles away.
On the off chance Bentley got tired enough to end up in someone's yard, or allow handling, please...we're asking for his return...no questions asked. A $1,000 reward is being offered FOR HIS SAFE RETURN. If he's still on the run, we are begging everyone, please...if you have a RING or similar camera, check them daily. This is a dog that unless he is desperate will travel discreetly. He could have traveled miles at night, through woods and not been noticed.
Bentley has reached the hearts of many who have followed his story. We can't tell you how much we appreciate all the calls, forwards of dogs found, emails, messages. Please continue to keep your eyes out. Again, if seen do not approach or call out to him. Simply call 973-332-2401 immediately.
