Rescue
on YouTubeBERNESE MOUNTAIN DOG CLUB OF GREAT BRITAIN
RESCUE ORGANISATION
The Bernese Club's Rescue organization is in existence to help any Bernese who
is in need of a new home. We will take in Bernese of any age and we try to get a
full picture of the temperament and needs of the dogs who come into our care.
Reputable breeders will be willing to help with any Bernese of their breeding
who is in need of rehoming and sometimes a phone call to the breeder is all that
is needed to put this in place. Unfortunately, not all breeders are responsible
and where breeding is done as a commercial venture, breeders are not in the
slightest bit interested in helping the dog that they so willingly sold years,
or even just months, earlier. It is also a fact that some dogs have been
purchased from places where the new owner would not want them to go back as
conditions were bad. That is where the BMDC of GB Rescue comes into being.
GIVING UP A DOG
For most people, giving up the dog that they have had for years is a
heart-rending decision but the dog's welfare has to be considered and if the dog
is being left for hours because of a change of circumstances or the owner is
having to move somewhere unsuitable for a dog, giving him/her up may be the
kindest option. Having said that, an older dog would be better staying with the
people that (s)he loves and moving into somewhere tiny rather than losing all
that (s)he knows but we do appreciate that sometimes the owners consider this
not to be an option and we are there to help in any way that we can. If the
owner has died, it seems a better decision for the dog to get him/her placed
straight away through the BMDC of GB rescue (or the rescue organization of one of
the other Kennel Club registered Bernese Clubs) than to have a well-meaning
family member or friend take him/her, even though the person does not really
want him/her, because we find that eventually (s)he comes into rescue and then (s)he
has endured two changes of home rather than just one. Death, marriage break up,
loss of job or moving abroad are the most common reasons given for giving up a
dog. The dogs settle amazingly well into a new home and we receive very positive
reports on the rehomed dogs and photos showing how well they are doing. We also
encourage new owners to bring them along to our Swiss Party, Garden Party or
Working Day where parades are held for these special dogs to be proudly showing
how happy they are.
People decide for a variety of reasons that they are unable to keep their
Bernese but sometimes just talking things through with Glynis or me may allay
fears and even prevent the dog having to be rehomed. We are always happy to give
advice.
When we are contacted to help with a Bernese, we put things in place as quickly
as possible. I will ask a lot of questions which will be the first step towards
establishing what type of home will be ideal for that particular dog. The next
step is for me to contact one of our assessors who will be prepared to go to the
home and meet the dog and make some assessments of his/her character. This
assessment is done before we agree to take the dog as we all have to be honest
and agree that not every dog will be suitable for rehoming. A dog who has bitten
will not be suitable to be placed in a family home. A dog's future is never
decided by one person alone and occasionally, but rarely, we may decide that a
dog is not suitable to be rehomed. A dog with a history of aggression must be an
unhappy dog and we cannot take chances with people's safety. In these rare cases
we try to persuade the owner to do the kindest and most responsible thing and
have the courage to take him/her to be put to sleep. It is cruel to be less than
honest about your dog's temperament, to pass him/her into Rescue and possibly
let him spend the end of his/her life in kennels before being taken by a
stranger for that final visit to the vets. WE OWE IT TO OUR DOGS TO DO WHAT IS
RIGHT FOR THEM, HOWEVER HARD IT IS FOR US.
The assessor will also have the "Form of Release" for the relinquishing owner to
sign. We trust our assessors to respect complete confidentiality as they will
probably be given the dog's papers at this meeting and these remain the property
of the club. Nothing which identifies the breeding of the dog is passed to the
new owner. It is the policy of the BMDCGB Rescue to leave the dog in his/her
existing home if at all possible until a new owner has been home-checked and a
suitable date for a hand-over has been agreed with all parties. We find that
this is far less stressful for the dog than being put in a temporary foster home
and then having to be moved again. Obviously, if the relinquishing owner needs
the dog to be removed immediately, we can do this. Sometimes it may be necessary
to put a dog with a carer or in a kennel as a temporary measure, either to
assess his/her character more fully or because the dog has special requirements
and an ideal home is not ready, waiting and home-checked, but this is not our
preferred course of action. After a successful home-check, the potential new
owner will travel to meet the dog and bring him/her home.
TAKING ON A DOG
Most Bernese come into Rescue through no fault of their own but it will often be
advisable for the new owner to gently train the dog to enable him/her to fit in
well and behave in an appropriate way. Some who come in may have been allowed to
steal from the worktop or chase cats, for example. These behaviours will need
modifying and will take patience on the part of the new owners. With time and
perseverance you should end up with a dog to be very proud of but that also
applies if you buy a puppy: they take an equal period of training to become your
ideal companion. Having said that, many of the rescues, especially the older
ones, are almost faultless in their behaviour and it is very rewarding to give a
home to a slightly older dog.
When you contact us to express your interest in adopting a Bernese, a lot of
questions are asked which will enable us to match the right home to the dog who
needs one. Our Bernese are not placed on a "first come, first served" basis.
Everything has to be as well matched as possible so that the dog stays in
his/her new home and is not returned because we have got it wrong. We need to
know the ages of children at your home (resident or visiting); whether there are
elderly or frail people living there or visiting; whether you have other dogs,
cats, chickens (you would be surprised how many chicken/duck killers we take
in!) We ask your work schedule; your garden fencing; the walks you want a dog to
be able to do, etc. We note your preference for dog or bitch and what age of dog
you would consider. Would you take one with health problems? There is no "right
answer" to any of these questions: it just enables us to get a picture of what
type of Bernese you are looking for and to match you with a suitable dog.
Sometimes it is a long wait, others are offered a dog fairly quickly. Mostly it
depends on how specific you are in your "wish-list".
"A youngster, bitch only, must be good with children" request could take longer
to match than the "any Bernese, any age" ones.
After the initial phone contact, you will be sent a form to complete and return.
When this comes back it will be filed and will be the first thing I refer to
when looking for an adopter so, if the form is not returned, you have a slim
chance of being contacted.
At some stage, a home-check will be carried out and ALL members of the family
need to be at home for this and then it is a wait for the right dog. Not every
dog we get in for rehoming is suitable for every home. It is however, very
frustrating to think that we have loads of good homes waiting only to find, on
phoning, that people have not waited for a rescue Bernese: they have gone and
got a puppy or another breed and have not bothered to let us know. That is why
finding the new home can take HOURS on the phone. Please be prepared to wait.
The right dog is worth waiting for and it would be a good idea to contact the
rescue BEFORE you are desperate for a dog. We are in the enviable position of
usually not having dogs waiting for homes: we always have homes waiting for
dogs. Bernese do not sit in kennels in my home in Dorset waiting for someone to
take a weekend drive to choose one!
When you are offered a dog it is your choice whether to go and see if you like
him/her. The dogs are rarely on your doorstep and sometimes a drive of many
miles is necessary but we would not ask you to do this if we did not consider
you and the dog to be a very good match. If you do decide to give a home to one
of our dogs, please take a dog disc with you and put this on his/her collar
BEFORE you put him/her in your car for the journey to his/her new home.
Families who adopt a dog from us are asked for a voluntary donation to BMDC of GB
Rescue. Amongst other things, this enables us to continue to care for and treat
the sick and elderly dogs that we take in. There is a "Custody and Control"
legal document to be signed when you adopt a dog from us and also an agreement
to keep the dog on a lead for a minimum of a MONTH off your premises and a WEEK
in your garden. The reasons are explained. If the dog is not neutered, you will
sign a contract agreeing to have him/her done at a time we deem suitable or (s)he
will have to be returned to the Rescue. (Obviously this condition is somewhat
age and health dependant.) NO PAPERS ARE GIVEN WITH THE RESCUE DOGS AND YOU WILL
NOT BE ALLOWED TO BREED FROM HIM/HER.
If at any time, there is a change of circumstances and you are unable to keep
your Rescued dog, (s)he MUST be returned to the BMDC of GB Rescue: you may not
rehome him/her yourself.
We are very grateful to the new owners who keep in regular contact to let us
know that all is well. Photos are very gratefully received.
THE DOGS
Although usually bewildered and sometimes unwilling to get in the car which is
taking them away from all that they know, dogs are remarkably adaptable,
especially if food and love are available in the new home. It is VITAL that
these dogs are not put under pressure to do things which are worrying them: do
NOT expect them to go readily to everyone in the house (offering treats with
loads of eye-contact is almost certainly going to frighten the dog.) Let the dog
decide who (s)he is comfortable with and when to approach. Hard as it is, the
dogs who come round quickest are the ones rehomed by sensible people who can
basically IGNORE them until the dog is relaxed and makes the approach. This can
take days or even weeks, depending on the individual. We ask new owners to be
sensible and keep them on a lead for a month so that, if the dog gets frightened
on a walk, (s)he is unable to run away. They all seem to settle amazingly
quickly and are very rewarding in unconditionally giving their love to their new
family. Occasionally we are asked to rehome 2 Bernese together (or a Bernese
with a Newfoundland or even a Bernese with a Yorkie!) So far we have managed to
keep the 2 friends together, but the temperament of the pair is taken into
account and we try to do what is best for them. Homes where they will take two
are a Godsend and we are very grateful for those.
We take old dogs and young dogs, healthy or "creeky" and we never put a dog to
sleep because of age if the dog is well. If you would consider taking an oldie,
please contact me. Actually, the 5 or 6 year olds seem the most difficult to
place as they are not old enough to get the "sympathy vote" and, of course,
almost everybody says, "the younger the better". We are also willing to help
breeders to rehome a dog that they have had returned to them. This is done for a
donation to Rescue.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO CHAT ABOUT TAKING ON A BERNESE OR HAVE TO FIND A NEW HOME
FOR YOUR DOG, PLEASE CALL:
SANDRA GATWARD (Rescue co-ordinator) 01202 872217
or
GLYNIS SAWYERS (Assistant co-ordinator) 01750 32292
The BMDC of GB RESCUE is open 365 days of the year and we are always willing to
talk through any problems and to be asked to help with a dog at any time of day
but if your need is not urgent, please could you be considerate and phone at a
reasonable time (9am to 8pm preferred.)
All messages left on our answer-phones will be returned.
The club was invited to take part in the Kennel Clubs Rescue area at Crufts 2010. During the day we were visited by Royalty and the dreaded TV cameras. Glynis was asked to comment and the result has been posted on You Tube.
Click on this link to view it (don't forget to come back)
Rescue
on YouTube
Gallery of some of the Rescued Dogs helped by the Club
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