BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. – Winning back-to-back Stanley Cup championships this year was just the beginning of many celebrations for Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett — thanks to his charity, Benny’s Buddies, which has made a big impact for homeless cats and dogs.
Benny’s Buddies has been paying adoption fees for animals at the Humane Society of Broward County for every goal Bennett scored during the Panthers’ playoff run.
“When we started I think you asked me actually how many goals do you plan on scoring this year and I said hopefully more than last year which was 20 and we ended up over-doubling that — I guess you could say I was motivated to get some pets sponsored this year!” Bennett told Local 10’s Jacey Birch on Wednesday.
When Local 10 met Bennett last October, no one expected the charity to grow as much as it did.
“So do we have a goal? How many goals are we going for this season? I mean I don’t think there’s a number,” Bennett said at the time.
Cherie Wachter of the Humane Society of Broward County said, “We knew Sam was good, we just didn’t know how good!”
Bennett and his fiancé Zoe, both passionate animal lovers, have helped bring worldwide attention to the Humane Society of Broward County.
“Because of the Panthers and Sam and Benny’s Buddies, them posting the pets that were BB it brought in people that have never been to the HSBC,” Wachter said.
Bennett added, “I have always had a deep connection with animals, my fiancé loves animals, she’s really the one, she’s the heart and soul of this program, she’s the one that really pushed me to start doing this, yeah this program wouldn’t happen without her.”
Click here for more information on Benny’s Buddies and here if you would like to give a loving pet a ‘furever’ home.
