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, or other assistance, 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 or sometimes other assistance. 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 to get in touch to discuss more details or how to take the next step.
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Contact Details
As you may be visiting this page to initiate a request urgent help, we start with how to get in touch.
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 NEED OF REHOMING YOUR BERNESE, IN THE FIRST INSTANCE PLEASE CALL
Rescue CoOrdinator
Fiona Hallam 07916 306156
or email
This is a dedicated phone and number used only for Rescue so will never be engaged on anything else. If the phone is not answered directly you should not have to wait too long for a reply but feel free to retry.
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 email’s title if appropriate.
If emailing or otherwise messaging and asking for a call back please give some idea how urgent your circumstances are or suggest good times to call or bad times not to call
You may be contacted back by Fiona herself or the
Assistant Rescue Co-Ordinator Jeanette Green
(If you are really desperate and not getting the response you need then contact the Hon Secretary or any committee person as a last resort who may be able to help or find out what the problem is).
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ALL about the Dog
If you re thinking about asking for help with a dog you should know that for us the overriding and only important factor is the dog’s health and welfare needs and the reasons for these needs are of little consequence to us. However, as they might affect the dog’s reactions, and therefore chances of success, 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 future, discussions will be around such things as what sort of life does the dog have now? what are his or her likes and dislikes? what excites them? do they have any fears and phobias? This is especially the case if the dog has some behaviour issues to assess and deal with, it is important to find out as much as possible about how and why these developed and exactly what they are. This is usually done with a friendly conversation where people are encouraged to be as frank and honest as they can be.
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. People themselves can change! Sometimes people feel obliged take action for family members who may not be coping any more, Rescue is purely about the best thing for the dog and this is the focus of all our activity. It is absolutely not our place to judge or criticise the owner or make decisions and conversations any more difficult than they need to be.
Calling Rescue for a chat does not mean you will be pressured to keep your Bernese, nor does it mean you will be pushed to give your dog up into Rescue. You will simply have a supportive discussion about your individual situation with your Bernese and, depending on this, what might be the best way forward for your dog and you.
So even if you are not sure about things and would simply like to discuss your dog’s situation and explore possibilities, please feel free to call us for a friendly, c0nstructive chat.
Added to their own existing Bernese experience talking to so many people about their situations has given Fi and Jeanette lots of knowledge about how people cope with problems and they may quickly be able to understand your problems and suggest help based on similar issues they have previously dealt with.
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Services
Often circumstances will dictate that rehoming is the only solution and this is the case for most people contacting Rescue for help. However 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 available within the club membership can be utilised to help. Sometimes putting people in touch with an experienced Bernese person local to them, to talk with face to face and meet the dog can help to resolve their problems with their Bernese. Whatever the problem you and your dog are having it will not, well maybe a 99.9% chance not, be a new problem and someone will have dealt with it before and someone will be able to offer help.
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Just to be Clear
Just to clear up a few regular misunderstandings …..
Fiona and Jeanette are not full time, or part time, employees although it can seem that way at times. They are both volunteers, who undertake Rescue from their homes and, whilst they are now both retired from full time employment, they have normal lives to live with their own dogs and families. Whilst they are usually able to drop things and prioritise Rescue for hours or days depending on the needs of the situation, just occasionally they may have existing commitments and there may be a short delay in response.
Fi and Jeanette at one of our Garden Parties
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 and select from.
Some rehomed dogs go to temporary foster homes for a short period of time, some go straight from their old home to their new depending on their assessments, every dog is treated as an individual case. Some people putting dogs into Rescue for rehoming give several months notice, others, fortunately not very often, make first contact with a ‘you need to get this dog out of here right NOW‘ type message. Every case is different and decisions and consequent actions are based on what is best for the immediate and then long term welfare of the dog.
Fi and Jeanette currently manage Rescue and Rehoming but Rescue is a section of the club and therefore overall responsibility falls to the main committee of the club. Fi is a member of that committee and provides a Rescue report to each committee meeting and this can be discussed as necessary. Any new circumstances requiring guidance can be raised at committee so responses can be undertaken with the authority of the club and lessons learnt then absorbed into policy. As always the committee is responsible to the AGM where Fi will present an annual Rescue report which can then be discussed by the membership present. As with every other club activity, ultimately the membership have control via the AGM.
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Funding
Even with all the volunteer help, money is unavoidably also essential so we have to mention it. Thanks to enthusiastic fund raising and generous donations over many years the Rescue fund is very healthy but could rapidly need to cover some serious costs.
- For example one dog could easily run up very large veterinary costs or sometimes dogs, both old and young, may come with long term veterinary issues with consequent ongoing expenses the club may need to cover in order to find the right home for the dog.
- Occasionally there is, reluctantly as a last resort, no option other than to put dogs into kennels for a limited period.
- Increasingly dogs coming into Rescue are in need of specialist training before anyone can be expected to take them for rehoming, not many people offering a home want to take on a dog with serious behavioural issues.
Most Rescue activities have an unavoidable financial cost and 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 and sometimes Bernese items are donated by the families of former members and these can be sold in aid Rescue funds. Donations are sometimes made in memory of a departed friend, 2 or 4 legged, and these are always respectfully welcome.
Rescue stall at the Garden Party
We also have a Rescue area at our club’s week-end events where people can come and discuss any aspect of Rescue and/or hopefully buy an item or two to help fundraise or just make a donation. Sometimes a larger item may be auctioned off at this event for Rescue. Overall a variety of sources of income are at play and all are very welcome as they mean we can continue to make long term decisions and short term arrangements based entirely on the best thing for the Bernese in question and not have to compromise due to funding considerations.
Just to be clear, the club does have a dedicated account for Rescue and all Rescue donations go into this account. This is strictly ring fenced for Rescue purposes and anyone donating money for Rescue can rest assured that their money will only ever be used for a Bernese Rescue purpose. Whatever is happening with other club finances Rescue money is protected. As a part of the club’s finances, the Rescue account is independently audited annually and the financial responsibility for the account primarily falls on the club’s Honorary Treasurer who has no direct involvement in Rescue.
Rescue is not a registered charity. This decision was taken many years ago by the club as the subsequent financial accountability required was deemed to be more than the club felt was worthwhile or internally capable of. The possibility has occasionally been raised again but the conversation always supported the original decision. Whilst it sounds nice and might open up some options, becoming a registered charity is not a decision to be taken lightly and choosing not to take this status, with the subsequent accounting expertise we would need to spend money to attain, does not in any way detract from the worthiness of the cause. This does not stop anyone leaving a legacy donation for Rescue in their will and several people have done this over the years.
We cannot end this section without a massive thank you to everyone who has ever donated to Rescue and Rehoming and those who continue to donate annually either by donations with their membership renewals or with cold donations or support at events. Thank you so much because very little can be done without some cost and financial security for Rescue is a massive help.
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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 on essential help from a wide band of much appreciated volunteers within our club scattered across the country. 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 co-ordinated 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 perhaps you could still occasionally give some important help to Bernese Rescue.
Depending on your exact role you may be asked to complete a simple form and sign a confidentiality statement to comply with the club’s responsibilities under the GDPR legislation. You will never be asked to do anything you cannot do or 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 friendly casual 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
Thank you
Whatever your reason for visiting the page, thank you very much for your interest in Rescue and Rehoming which provides a vital service for the breed in the UK and is totally dependent on both our volunteer helpers and the funds we can raise, so if you can help in any way it will always be very much appreciated.