Welcome to the Club’s Rescue and Rehoming page where we give some information about the club’s Rescue activities to help Bernese in need of new homes and how to contact us.
Parade of Rescued dogs with their new owners at the Spring Garden Party in 2023 (Fiona Hallam on the right)
The Bernese Mountain Dog Club of Great Britain’s Rescue and Rehoming service is primarily in existence to help any Bernese Mountain Dog in the UK 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 should always 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. When this cannot be then Rescue can step in.
If you are thinking of taking a Rescue dog or can offer help in other ways or you are feeling you might need to give up your own Bernese, then please read the information on this page and then use the contact details below to get in touch to discuss more details or how to take the next step.
The Only Purpose
For us the overriding, dominating and only important factor is the dog’s health and welfare needs and the reasons for these needs are of much less consequence to us but, as they might affect the dog’s reactions in a new home, we ask people to be really honest with us about the dog and the situation he or she is coming from. This is purely to best assess the dog’s future needs and increase the chances of a successful rehome.
There are many very valid reasons for having to give up a dog, people’s health and domestic or employment circumstances can change through absolutely no fault of their own. Sometimes people take action for family members who may not be coping any more, it is purely about the best thing for the dog and this is the focus of all our activity. It is not our place to judge or criticise the owner or make decisions any more difficult than they need to be.
So even if you are not sure about things and would simply like to discuss your dog’s situation, please feel free to call us for a friendly, exploratory chat.
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Contact Details
As you may be visiting this page to initiate a response to an urgent need, we start with our contact details.
The BMDC of GB RESCUE & REHOMING is open for contact 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. Ideally some notice is preferable for dogs to be evaluated and matched up to a home to reduce disruption but sometimes dogs have to be taken with virtually no notice.
IF YOU ARE IN URGENT NEED OF REHOMING YOUR BERNESE, IN THE FIRST INSTANCE PLEASE CALL
Rescue CoOrdinator
Fiona Hallam 07916 306156
or email
rescue@bernese.co.uk
If the phone is not answered directly you should not have to wait too long for a reply but feel free to retry and email will normally be checked several times a day. However, to help any urgent message stand out please use “URGENT” at the start of the title if appropriate.
You may be contacted back by Fiona herself or the Assistant Rescue Co-Ordinator Jeanette Green
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Services
Often circumstances dictate that rehoming is the only solution but Rescue can also help with advice and behaviour/training suggestions to perhaps address problems and remove the need to rehome or give lifestyle advice to help you with your dog but the priority always has to be the dogs in need of rehoming. For some people talking through the issues they are having can help to resolve them and the resources of the whole club membership can be utilised to help. Sometimes putting people in touch with an experienced person to talk to, local to them, can help to resolve their problems with their Bernese. Whatever the problem you and your dog are having it will not, well 99.999% not, be a new problem and someone will have dealt with it before and someone will be able to offer help.
Just to clear up a regular misunderstanding Fiona and Jeanette are not full time volunteers, although it seems that way at times, they undertake Rescue from home and have normal lives to live with their own dogs and Fiona has a full time job as well. We do not have an office or Rescue kennels and do not have a permanent stock of dogs in need of homes that people can visit. Some rehomed dogs go to temporary foster homes for a short period of time, a few go straight from old home to new depending on their assessments. Some people putting dogs into Rescue for rehoming give several months notice others make first contact with a ‘get this dog out of here today’ message. Every case is different and what is best for the short and long term welfare of the dog is the action taken.
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Funding
Even with all the volunteer help, sometimes money can help with travel expenses, trainer fees, vet fees both immediate and sometimes long term treatment has to be accepted. Thanks to enthusiastic fund raising and generous donations over many years the Rescue fund is very healthy but could rapidly drop in the event of some serious costs, for example in the modern world one dog could easily run up tens of thousands of pounds in veterinary costs. Sometimes older dogs may come with long term veterinary issues with ongoing expenses the club will help to cover. This is why donations are always welcome and fund raising is held at our events, many people make small or large donations with their annual membership renewal and all sums are gratefully received. Some people have made donations from their estates by including a Rescue donation in their wills.
All manner of sources of income are at play and all are very welcome as they mean we can make long term decisions and short term arrangements based entirely on the best thing for the dog and not have to compromise due to funding considerations.
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Volunteers
Rescue is often extremely busy and Fiona and Jeanette, as volunteers themselves, cannot be everywhere, all the time, so at times the club has to rely heavily on help from volunteers within our club. This is not just the obvious providing of a new home for a Rescued dog but volunteers are needed in all areas of the country to help with other things such as ….
- assessing of dogs prior to the rehoming,
- assessing of homes prior to them being considered as a suitable home,
- assist with collecting dogs, sometimes at short notice,
- help with transporting dogs, for example occasionally a dog has to be moved across country in a relay operation,
- fostering dogs for a short period, this can be for days, weeks or months depending on the circumstances which could simply be whilst a rehome is properly processed or the owner goes through a difficult patch such as a hospital stay or other temporary change in circumstances.
- help and advise for a new Bernese owner from a local experienced person who may be able to offer reassurance and guidance
So, you might not be able to take on a permanent Bernese Rescue dog yourself but you could still perhaps occasionally give some important help with Bernese Rescue.
Depending on your exact role you may be asked to complete a simple form and sign a confidentiality statement. You will never be asked to do anything you are not comfortable with and volunteers are given guidance and support, where needed, and most people find this a fulfilling activity to help with. Expenses can be paid as we know not everyone is able to fund their own costs but are still able to give really useful help when their expenses can be met.
Rescue and Rehoming is a vital part of the club and over the last few years has rehomed an average of over 30 dogs per year which requires a massive effort to keep finding homes and helpers. Whether volunteering to help or in need of help to rehome a Bernese, the process starts with your first contact by phone or email and whatever help you give it will be really really appreciated and gratefully received..
If you are interested in finding out more about how you might be able to help a Bernese in need or want to volunteer to help in your area, please get in touch with Fiona or Jeanette for a chat.
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To Provide a home for a Dog
If you feel you can provide a home for a dog then please apply initially by downloading and completing the form below. Once received this will start off the assessment process which will involve a telephone or video chat with Fiona and/or Jeanette and a home check visit, usually by one of our volunteers. All this is undertaken in confidence. We obviously have a responsibility to our rehomed dogs to check out homes and the people who will be caring for them for the rest of their lives. By doing this we can maximise the chances of matching dogs to owners, homes and lifestyles so we give every fostering and adoption the best chance of long term success.
The form and the process have to ask some questions about you, your home and the life any dog can expect with you because all our dogs have different backgrounds and not every dog is suitable for every home. As well as being in complete confidence, the whole assessment is done with respect and friendliness because we are grateful for everyone who offers a home for a Bernese in need.
Application Form to Adopt or Foster a Bernese
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Whatever your reason for visiting the page thank you very much for your interest in Rescue and Rehoming which is totally dependent on all our volunteer helpers, whatever help they provide.