Who are we, you ask?
We are a 501c3 organization who has been working within another organization previously, in the best interest of the purbred Bernese Mountain Dog. Collectively, this group of founding members has gained expertise and wisdom over the years in all areas of raising, fostering, caregiving, rescuing, training and loving this breed. Not to mention the fact that there are many of the members who have a background in veterinary medicine, organizational work as business owners, managers and board members in previous organizations.

In the summer of 2023, this group of women connected with concerns about the safety, movement and general care and decided to create a rescue that reflected their own values and addressed these concerns. The National Bernese Mountain Dog Rescue Network was formed and we have hit the ground running with numerous requests for surrender and help with this lovely breed.

Why us instead of another organization?
We are committed to working in an outreach as far as there is a need and welcome other clubs to join us in committing to saving this breed. Our commitment to purebred BMD’s is highlighted below:

•  Our mission is to educate the public as much as possible on the breed being treated as livestock and overbred in the market for profit without regard to their health, safety and welfare. To educate the public, when taking them into foster care from these situations, in decompression, training, care and selection of a proper forever home.

• Our goal is to work collectively to try to dismantle as many breeding facilities as possible who do not have the best interest of the breed at heart. This means that we will work to seek out sources of “backyard breeders”, “mills”, and those who mistreat or abuse the privilege of owning one of these amazing animals.

• We will diligently work with foster placement to ensure we understand the personality of each of our animals.  This allows us to find the perfect adoptive placement for them when they are ready for that part of their journey.  

• We will do everything in our power that is humanly possible to reduce further traumatic experiences to these surrenders by securing them as quickly as we are able and moving them directly to their foster home.  They will remain with their foster for their stage in learning to be a dog and that they are safe.  Our fosters are committed and understand this process is different for each animal and that it may take days or weeks.  During this transition, we require that vacations and extended weeks be put on hold for fosters, so as to not further stress their placement with sitters, boarding or kennel stays.

• Placement in foster care of each animal that comes into our custody is crucial. We are extremely selective in the foster process as it is difficult to understand the incoming dog until we have had it in our care for some time. This is done with the help of the foster and it is extremely important to assure there is a bond within that home and a trust is built. A quiet environment is preferred and our foster selection process is one of the most important pieces of our rescue.

• We assure a great fit is made prior to allowing the final adoption to take place. Trial periods are not part of permanent placement. We assure a great fit is made prior to allowing the final adoption to take place. This happens with proper interviewing, selection and education with the adopter, along with meet and greets with the new family and its own furry friends.
  

  We do our very best to take in every single purebred dog that is brought to our attention, as long as we have proper foster placement, funding and clinical care in that area. We realize that at times, we will have to make the hardest decisions to say no or to make another choice in the area of aggression or injury, but that will be a last resort and on an individual basis. We welcome the opportunity to collaborate with other BMD rescues and clubs and will work with integrity to maintain the values that we have established in the National Bernese Mountain Dog Rescue Network.