KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A 7-year-old boy who lost his right eye to cancer is undergoing exhausting chemotherapy, but he still found the energy to raise money for a local animal shelter, KMBC's Lara Moritz reported Thursday.

Ben Cote said his best friend, Polly the dog, inspired him to help other animals.

"(Polly is) very compassionate in terms of knowing when he needs to be calm. She's automatically calm when he's feeling playful; she's not afraid to be playful with him," said Megan Cote, Ben's mother.

She said Polly started sleeping by Ben's side before he was first diagnosed with cancer, and she did the same thing when the cancer came back.

"We were worried that she was sleeping with him again instead of nestling into our bed, so we went to the doctors and rescanned him and the tumor was back again. So I know it seems crazy, but I think sometimes animals are very perceptive and are capable of knowing some stuff before we do," Megan Cote said.

Ben said Polly gives him strength when cancer weakens him.

"He always says if he rubs the back the back of her legs where she's got a lot of muscle, it keeps him strong," Megan Cote said.

The Cote family adopted Polly from Wayside Waifs animal shelter in Kansas City. On Saturday, the shelter will hold a big fundraiser in Brookside called Strutt With Your Mutt.

Ben Cote decided to help raise money for the shelter.

"When he saw that the woman who's going to be grand marshal this year raised $700, he immediately wanted to raise more and set a goal for $1,000," Megan Cote said.

Ben exceeded his goal and raised $2,120. To contribute to his efforts, contact Ben Cote at 4907 W. 140th Terrace, Overland Park, KS 66224.

For more information about the dog walk in Brookside on Sept. 30, visit www.waysidewaifs.org.

E-Mail: Contact Lara Moritz