MANHATTAN, N.Y. — Move over, Air Bud. An ice skating dog made his way around Wollman Rink in Central Park on Tuesday, and it was all for a great cause.
Benny, the 8 year-old Labrador, lives in Las Vegas with his owner, Cheryl DelSangro, who rescued him from a shelter as a puppy.
“When I contacted the shelter, I found out it was his last day,” DelSangro said. “He was going to be put down the next day, so I had arrangements made and they pulled him and I had him sent down to Las Vegas and I adopted him.”
DelSangro is a retired professional figure skater and knew she’d be able to teach her four-legged friend how to navigate the ice.
At Wollman Rink, the pair wasn’t only there for a good time. They also came to push Benny’s cause for good eye health in dogs.
“It’s really a shame dogs don’t have as much care for their eyes, so we’ve gotten involved with this. Benny takes a supplement,” DelSangro said.
Benny’s sponsor, Animal Necessity, makes the vision supplement. DelSangro said she hopes others use the product to preserve their dogs sight, especially as they get older.
Young skaters, like 10-year-old Elle, enjoyed having Benny on the ice.
“Benny was adorable and fun to skate with,” she said. “It was fun when I was doing my spin and Benny skated right by me.”
Animal Necessity will match any donations from purchases made here in Benny’s name to the Vision for Animals Foundation.
