For the last six years, Benny’s been working as a security cast member, keeping Disneyland safe for guests and visitors. But now, as he creeps into his older years, it’s time to hang up his harness and enjoy life after work.
Benny Retires
“He’s a great dog,” Benny’s K9 handler, Kevin, explained to Disney while beaming at his golden retriever buddy. “Very friendly, never gets aggressive, never barks at other dogs. Could be a biased opinion, but he’s one of the best dogs.”
Currently, Disneyland has 28 security dogs on the roster, and like other cast members, they get a name tag, an ID badge, and, in Benny’s case, a retirement party when it’s time to bid work adieu.
Not just any dog can be a security dog at Disneyland, and the pups chosen to work the shifts go through rigorous training at an off-site facility before receiving certification and moving to The Happiest Place on Earth.
As for Kevin, he started at Disneyland as a regular security officer before moving over to a kennel tech role, which involves caring for the dogs when they’re not working security. When a K9 handler spot opened up, Kevin decided to apply. Benny, who has been at Disneyland since 2019 , was available as a partner, since his previous handler had recently left the company.
Kevin and Benny spent some time together to see if the two “clicked” as a duo. “You work all the dogs, and you get [paired],” he explains. “The trainer will see which one works best with what person, and that’s how [Benny] and I matched. At some point, my trainer asked, ‘We already know who’s gonna get who, but if you guys had to pick, what dog would you want?’ And I was like, Benny — this is the one I want.”
The two have been working together ever since in various positions around the resort. This includes the security areas at the entrance to the Disneyland Resort. The dogs and their handlers work in shifts, with some time on-stage and some time backstage to rest and recover. Kevin notes that since Benny can’t communicate, that he needs a solid break, he’s always monitoring the dog to make sure he’s okay and doing his job.
Even though he’s got a very serious job to do, Benny’s “Excited all the time.”
“We were taking him around, and he’s just happy running around, even though he’s about to be nine years old,” Kevin continues. “I feel like he made my job as a handler easy. Didn’t have to worry about him reacting to other dogs. I didn’t have to worry about him trying to go for squirrels. He was always on point. He sees horses, other animals, and he doesn’t really care. He’s like, ‘Just do his job.’”
“He lives in his world, and we all exist in it,” Kevin jokes.
Benny’s retirement party is certainly the place to be, with dozens of security cast members stopping by to say goodbye. Everyone is clamoring around for selfies with him, and Benny enjoy his first hot dog. Considering the security dogs are on very strict diets, Benny has never even had a whiff of a hot dog before.
There’s a small ceremony to officially send Benny off to retirement, where he does one last car check to ID a substance. It’s a fake one, and upon locating it, Benny is showered with tennis balls and cheers as he tries to figure out where they all came from. And even in the melee, he goes for his beloved red chew toy before any of the tennis balls, because Benny knows where his priorities lie.
As for what’s next, Kevin will soon begin training with another security dog, and she’ll be added to the K9 roster at Disneyland.
And for Benny, he simply goes home with Kevin at the end of his last shift to start his new life as a retired good boy. Kevin has another dog at home, and she and Benny will become fast friends. Kevin knows that Benny’s been so used to his current routine, worrying that, “I think he’s going to wake up at five in the morning and expect me to feed him. He’s going to make sure I wake up, and he’s gonna be ready to eat.”
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