Almost 3 years ago Tom and I decided it was time to add a puppy to our lives. Wed wanted a berner for so long and decided that was the puppy we were going to get. We started to research breeders and talked to a few. We then went to visit a wonderful breeder that wasnt too far from where we lived. We fell in love with her instantly and Tom was head over heels for her boy. The visit was suppose to be a short one - 1/2 to 1 hour but we wound up talking with the breeder for over 3 hours! At one point one of her sons came in looking for dinner! LOL At the time our breeder wasnt planning on a litter for at least two years. Her girl was only 4 months old at the time. Tom and I decided to wait. We found the breeder we really liked and felt comfortable with and knew a puppy would be worth the wait. In the meantime we decided to rescue. A month or so later we came across an ad on Kijiji. It was an ad from a backyard breeder who wanted to re-home one of their girls as she had health issues. We called them and went to meet them and meet the girl they were re-homing. Health issues? Possible grade II elbow displaysia. Nothing else....just that. We give that breeder a little credit for not trying to breed this girl. It was something positive. Well...it took a few minutes but finally they brought this very scared, very shy and VERY nervous little girl. She was absolutely terrified to be in the house as she had never been allowed to do this before. Our hearts went out to this shaking and quivering little girl and we said Well take her. I handed the woman the cash she wanted, signed all the paperwork to have the registration changed and then we took this little girl and tried to put her in our car. She was absolutely petrified to get in any vehicle! We had to force her into our car! When we got home we took her out of the car and she immediately collapsed in fear against the side of the house. It broke my heart but I now knew that what we were doing was definitely the right thing to do. We brought this little girl inside and over the course of several months we got her used to riding in the car, living inside the house, detoxed her and got her on good food (later switching to raw which was the next best thing we ever did) and began socializing her. Today, almost 3 years later, she has turned into a very beautiful, overly affectionate (if thats possible), and happy berner! This is our Mia. She is my heart dog and has taught Tom and I so much about the breed and so much about unconditional love. Then early in 2013 I saw a post on the BMDCC website for another rescue. I read this girls story and cried myself to sleep that night. I saw her picture and knew then that she was going to come home. Shed been a mill dog used only to pump out puppies. She lived in a building with many other dogs and rarely saw the light of day. Human contact was virtually non existent and it was very likely that food was something she had to fight for. She had been bought by a family who had her spayed but after a while they couldnt deal with all her fears and anxieties and she was taken to the SPCA. The SPCA knew she wouldnt survive in a shelter environment so they called the BMDCC. Tom and I already had our application on file and pre-approved for adoption and we decided we had to bring this girl home. Over the course of many months we were finally able to bring our girl home. I drove to Kelowna (4 hr drive from my place) with one of my best friends Kelley Hill and we brought Mia along to keep this girl company. We arranged to meet with the transport at a friends place in Kelowna. We spent the day with our friends, eating, chatting, and running out to the road every time we heard a car on the street. Finally around dinner time the transport arrived. When they brought our girl out both Kelley and I nearly broke down in tears. There stood this tiny little girl, skinny and fragile and absolutely terrified! Her tail was tucked so tight under her belly that it almost looked as if she didnt even have a tail! Her eyes were huge and wide and the fear they showed was nothing that I could have ever imagined! I immediately knelt down and went to her. I held her tiny head in my hands and looked into those deep dark eyes and told her that her nightmare was over. She was coming home and she would never have to be afraid or have to leave again! I led her to the car and she jumped in without any encouragement. Kelley and I started for home and started on a journey that would be the adventure of a lifetime! It was well after midnight by the time I got home and I brought this tiny waif of a berner into the house. It was Toms birthday and all I could say without breaking down was Happy birthday baby! Our little girl is HOME! This little girls name was Heidi and it was a name that was perfect for her. Not a minute after saying happy birthday, Heidi stepped into the kitchen and promptly pooped on the floor!! In a mix of tears and laughter as I cleaned it up, all I could say then was honey...weve been blessed. Heidi IS home!! Over time she has learned to trust a little and has learned that not all humans are bad. She has become one with me she is my soul. Shes not just a part of it, she IS my soul! Heidi has an incredibly long journey ahead of her but its a journey filled with love, trust and complete undying love. Six months after Heidi came home Clapton was finally born. We brought him home in February of this year and hes been a shining light that we all didnt realize we needed. He adores his sisters and they adore him as well. Heidi is very attached to Clapton and Mia loves her goofy little brother who she can play with anytime. Mia and Heidi may not have come to us through BFW Rescue but they were rescues nonetheless. But I dont like to think of it as THEY were the rescues; rather, Id like to say they rescued US! They have taught us so much and no matter what happens or whats going on, they have nothing but unconditional love to give. They are snuggle bugs, mischief makers, and lights that shine when darkness is knocking at the door. Some people ask me why I do this and others just think Im crazy. Well...I do this because I can and I do this because I know in my heart of hearts that we all need rescuing at times and what better way to be rescued than to rescue the love of a dog
Posted on: Sun, 26 Oct 2014 16:35:29 +0000
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