Bentley Boyers, a toddler born with a cleft lip, recently fell in love with a puppy from the Jackson County Animal Shelter in Michigan who has the exact same condition.
Bentley’s dad, Brandon, went to the shelter looking to adopt two chickens but ended up noticing an adorable puppy who reminded him of his two-year-old son.
“[Brandon] ‘facetimed’ me,” Bentley’s mom, Ashley, told WILX. “He goes, ‘I think this one has a cleft lip,’ and I said, ‘Get her! We need her!'”
Bentley and the puppy bonded immediately when they met, and his parents knew they had to make Bentley’s new best friend a part of their loving forever family.
The little boy has already endured two surgeries to correct his cleft lip and faces a bone-grafting procedure in the future. But Bentley is becoming stronger by the day, and the puppy will also be there to provide him with emotional support throughout his ongoing medical care.
“To see him have something in common with a puppy means a lot [because] he can grow up and understand that he and his puppy both have something that they can share in common,” Ashley said.
The Jackson County Animal Shelter rarely encounters puppies with cleft lips, but does not foresee Bentley’s new companion having any serious health problems.
“Her disability is really not holding her back, and as she grows, they’ll be able to see more if there’s any change that has to do with that. But she’s doing really well,” said Animal Services Director Lydia Sattler. “She might look a little different than a normal dog would, but it’s not slowing her down at all.”

TROP MIGNONS!
SWEET STORY GOD BLESS THIS BEAUTIFUL FAMILY 💕
Two cutie pies meant for each other !!
Two gorgeous souls have found each other!
Precious! Beautiful! A perfect match! God bless them!
The little boy’s life will be way happier with this sweet pup. Already shows it from the boy’s face. ALL THE BEST TO BOTH.
GOD BRINGS PEOPLE AND ANIMALS TOGETHER FOR A REASON AND THIS IS JUST ONE FINE EXAMPLE. EVERYONE AND EVERY ANIMAL SHOULD BE TREATED WITH KINDNESS; NO EXCEPTIONS
I love 💚 reading stories like this. So beautiful 👦🐶🐕🐾💚.
Such a joy! Really happy to see this outcome.
What a great story!. One of those “it was meant to be” moments.
Yep.
Beautiful story!
This is a wonderful story about a sad little boy who makes a best friend of a dog. Beautiful!!
What wonderful parents they are to have recognized what this match would mean, both for the boy and the puppy. Lovely story.
Lovely. Well matched. Great!
Good luck to Bentley and his puppy – they both look great!
Bentley has found his true spirit animal – his new found friend puppy (name?)
This reminds me of Madden from OK. Both he and his cat Moon have cleft lip AND heterochromia iridum.
Madden’s mom Christina feels Fate willed her son and Moon together.
I’m sure Bentley’s mother Ashley feels the same way <3
Animals are the BEST!