Arthur E. Benjamin, inspired by an urgent plea from best-selling Author Dennis Lehane, will assist in the search for beloved furry family member, Tessa

BROOKLINE, MA (January 8, 2013) – Arthur E. Benjamin, Founder of the American Dog Rescue Foundation, inspired by the heartfelt plea from best-selling author Dennis Lehane, will assist in the search for beloved furry family member, “Tessa.” Missing since Christmas Eve, Benjamin is launching an all-out search via social media, a database of thousands by email outreach, local shelters, and fellow animal lovers across the country to help find Tessa Lehane.

The plot kicked off December 24, 2012, when Lehane, a 47-year-old author of books including “Mystic River” and “Gone, Baby, Gone,” discovered rescue Beagle Tessa had escaped from his yard after an outdoor gate latch did not completely lock. Lehane and his wife adopted the 4-year-old beagle not long ago from South East Beagle Rescue in Florida. Before that, Tessa was a stray in Georgia.

With the help of American Dog Rescue Foundation’s bandwidth, including website www.americandogrescue.org, respective Facebook pages and other media outlets, Benjamin hopes to bring resolution to the weeks of mystery and worry brought to Mr. and Mrs. Lehane over their missing pet. The crime novelist is offering a monetary reward, and has agreed to name a character in his next book after whoever finds Tessa.

“I extend my heartfelt thanks to Arthur and the American Dog Rescue Foundation,” said best-selling author Dennis Lehane.

Arthur E. Benjamin is a well-known activist, who is involved with several dog rescue and placement organizations, including Nowzad Dogs, the first and only animal rescue organization serving the dogs and cats of Afghanistan. Named “Operation Homeward Bound,” Benjamin has orchestrated efforts between soldiers from the Michigan Army Reserve, Nowzad, and his American Dog Rescue to relocate dogs from the Middle East to the U.S.

Benjamin’s American Dog Rescue Foundation is also committed to stopping the illegal meat trade in Thailand, which began with a puppy named “Sea Lion.” Benjamin partnered with the Education and Animal Rescue Society (EARS) in Dallas, Texas, and luckily found a foster willing to take Sea Lion for his six months of quarantine. “Sea Lion” has since traveled from Bangkok, Thailand, to his forever home in Melbourne, Australia, via a six-month stay in a foster home in Dallas, U.S.A.

For more information to help find Tessa, please visit www.americandogrescue.org.

American Dog Rescue Foundation (ADRF) is a tax-exempt, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization committed to finding a home for every adoptable dog in the United States. American Dog Rescue is committed to placing healthy dogs in permanent homes that are the right fit for the animal and its family. Donations can be made by calling (801) 944-3023.