BHRR's Reese had her latest play visit rescheduled to Monday. Below are two videos of her at KAH on Monday! 🙂 I meant to get a new weight on her. 🙂

This is an excellent opportunity to also post a bit more about what BHRR is all about and to impart some community awareness plus public education. BHRR is a special needs Rescue. More than that, we are also a Giant Breed Rescue. All r/q's rescues are out there doing the best that they can, most are all Volunteer, and, their mandates, procedures plus policies are put in place in the best interest of the animals' in their care.

To compare one special needs group to another, or one groups' numbers of adoptions or to say that, 'x' group is always posting happy news(some groups ONLY take in highly adoptable, non behavioural or medical dogs and that is the niche they fill in the community) yet,'y' group always has a dog in need is not looking at what makes a group truly r/q. Are they full vetting(many do not), are they pumping them in and out, are they doing proper behaviour assessments/evaluations, are they doing a very thorough adoption process, are they staying within their resources, are they giving all approved temp foster and adoptive homes info. packages and being there for them….so many points that could be made here.

BHRR also, only does four planned fundraisers a year and attends very few community education/awareness events. We are not out there every weekend, hands out asking or demanding money. We are so appreciative be it a $1 or $10 that comes our way. The rest of the monies raised for our dogs comes out of the pockets of Sean/I. We are not 'dabblers' in rescue. We have been around since 1996 and, do this to help one dog at a time and to do it the right way each and every time.

BHRR's focus is to take in the 'next in need' and that entails many highly unadoptable or harder to adopt dogs AND, one must also realise that, it is not 'us' turning down people by the thousands. People need to realise that many people do not want a BIG BLACK dog or, a dog with behavioural issues or one with medical reasons and applications are not flowing in like a rain shower. To cast negativity, on any group, without knowing what their mandates are and, their success rates – we were 100% for 10 years of operating, and, now are 99% as we go through year 18 – and, so much more about them, is shameful. There are so many groups and causes out there and, just as not every Breeder is equal, neither are the rescues. Most groups are happy to explain things, yet, they will not defend their programs. BHRR is the same. Should you not believe or support the processes or 'x' or 'y' group, there is sure to be one out there that does meet 'your' standards or lack of them.

BHRR was never founded to adopt high numbers. That is a bonus reward each and every time we do have an approved adoption. We take the 'next in need', always into BHRR – dogs that others will not or cannot assist. Dogs that would have been otherwise destroyed – the BHRR's Emmett's, the BHRR's Promises', the BHRR's Ava Marie's, the BHRR's Nessies', the BHRR's Maverick's, The BHRR's Cosettes', The BHRR's Emma's, The BHRR's Groves', The BHRR's SuzieQ's and on and on. We do not take in puppies often(we have done 8 over the last year+), record for us. Puppies are so much more highly adoptable, even special needs ones. We also do not place puppies up for adoption until they reach a certain age, as we do specialise on the giant breeds. We are always going to have a dog in need, be it a new dog or one that is already in our programs, such as BHRR's Porridge. In reviewing, the last 6 months of posts on our BHRR FB page, there is almost a 85-90% posting of GREAT and positive news, yet, we also post the 'reality' of rescue and, our group is very much in the trenches or reality of r/q rescue.

We adopted 13 dogs last year, 17 the year before that and the previous three years before that were 6,6, and 6. This year, to date, we have adopted 2 and we have two more under pending. We do not hide our statistics. We are quite proud to say that 362 dogs have been adopted since our inception. We are even prouder to say that we have helped hundreds upon hundreds and hundreds more via our Haven program etc. We are the whole picture, not a piece or part.

Our 2014 Statistics To Date:

2 adoptions – BHRR's Prince Eggo Belfast & BHRR's Torque

2 tragic losses – BHRR's Breen & BHRR's Zara

1 has come into BHRR in 2014 – April with BHRR's Leroy

2 are under pending adoption – BHRR's Reese &, BHRR's Jetta

3 more in our BHRR program, shall be placed up for adoption shortly – BHRR's purse puppies & BHRR's Maverick

AND, in the case of BHRR's Reese, is it not 'me' or the BHRR BOD that is holding back any adoption. Per the home even today, they are 90% sure they wish to proceed with an adoption. Successful adoptions are a two way street. It is relationship building, it is mutual trust and respect and listening and communicating and working together.

At the end of the day, it does not matter if BHRR's Reese is adopted. That is not what is most important based upon the reasons as to why BHRR was founded. What I care about is continuing to make her the best dog she can be. We committed to her, we are here for life for her, be that with her living in our home, in a perma-foster home or in a forever loving adoptive home. She will not do without. She is going to come away from these amazing visits, a better dog.

Every r/q Rescue can improve. I have said that for 26 years now. Yet, to be part of the 'improvement', it is best to talk and converse with the group directly. Words hurt not myself or Sean or any member of the BHRR BOD. What the words of people riddled with the wrong understanding of the workings of any r/q group, do is hurt the animals in said group that these groups are working so hard to help in the first place. This post is being made not because someone has sent me a note re: BHRR's Reese or BHRR. No one has done so. It is being made based upon what is being witnessed out there in the rescue community and, a comment passed along my way while several of us deep in the trenches or r/q rescue had been together. At the end of most people's nights, they go to bed and sleep. To those of us that have dedicated our lives to the animals in need, we sleep little to none. So, get out there and help r/q groups, be it BHRR or not. As posted above, there is bound to be a cause for almost every person out there. Yet, to speak about things, you know naught about, remember, it is the very animals' you think you are trying to help by your words, that you, are in fact, really hurting.

Back to BHRR's Reese, the home and I had a very good talk today – almost an hour! – and, I am so happy to have such homes considering to adopt from BHRR for by working together, it shall be best determined if BHRR's Reese is meant for this home and if, the timing is right. 🙂 BHRR is a very different group than many and to have a BHRR dog means something special.

BHRR's Reese shall be coming back to BHRR on Wednesday April 24th and, we shall go from there.

VIDEO #1 BHRR's Reese April 21st, 2014
VIDEO #2 BHRR's Reese Aprl 21st, 2014