Help Us Fund the Journey of Berners in Rescue

 

When you see a picture of a beautiful, happy, rescued Bernese Mountain Dog up for adoption, you are looking at the finish line. You don’t see the grueling journey it took to get there.

 

Before that dog became "adoptable," rescue volunteers, in all probability, came face to face with a severely neglected Berner. They took in a dog that was emaciated, flea-ridden, and mange-infested, with infected eyes, open sores, and feces-matted coat that had to be completely shaved just to treat their raw skin. Often, the dog arrives terrified of helping hands or completely shut down.

 

And that is just day one.

 

Next comes extensive medical and emotional rehabilitation:

 

• Medical Overhauls: Treating bellies full of worms, crucial dental work, spay/neuter surgeries, and correcting orthopedic issues long ignored by puppy mills or backyard breeders.

 

• Emotional Healing: The patient, gentle job of teaching a dog how to live in a house and trust humans for the very first time.

 

The Dogs Keep Coming, The Costs Keep Rising

 

Underlying all of this work is an indisputable fact: Rescues cannot operate without money. And a lot of it.

 

With veterinary costs tripling over the last decade, the average cost to rehabilitate a rescued dog now surpasses $1,000—with extreme cases costing thousands more. Adoption fees almost never cover these expenses. Fosters routinely empty their own pockets just to ensure a dog survives.

 

The numbers speak for themselves. For just two of our major Bernese Mountain Dog Rescues combined, 2026 brought 366 dogs with a price tag of approximately $440,000 to get them healed and into forever homes. Of this, over $354,000 was for veterinary care. And the dogs just keep coming.

 

Rescues have no magic funding source. They rely entirely on you.

 

How You Can Help Change a Life Today

 

Please don't just "like" the pretty pictures. Help fund the rescue journeys that make those pictures possible.

 

• Donate to a Berner Rescue: Support your regional club rescue or an independent Berner rescue of your choice.

 

• Donate, here and now, to the BMDCF: The Bernese Mountain Dog Charitable Foundation (501(c)(3)) grants emergency funds to Berner rescues for their most extreme medical cases. A single donation to us ripples out to help multiple organizations. So far in 2026, the BMDCF has granted $50,000 to rescue organizations—all made possible by donors like you.

 

We thank the people who work tirelessly to rescue and rehabilitate these dogs. It requires a truly special person to take on this work.

 

Support Our Mission: Visit www.bmdcf.org to make your life-saving donation today. You may donate by PayPal or credit card through our Donate Now portal.

​

 

 

Please indicate that this donation is for Rescue in the "Use this donation for" drop-down box.

If you would prefer to write a check, please make it payable to the Bernese Mountain Dog Charitable Foundation and mail it to the address below.

 

       BMDCF

       3553 West Chester Pike #102

       Newtown Square, PA 19073-3701

​

If you are sending a check from outside of the US, please email Joye Neff (joye.neff@gmail.com) for instructions.

 

All donations are tax-deductible under our non-profit 501(c)(3) charity status, subject to IRS regulations.

​

Thank you for helping.

 

While you are considering your donation, we invite you to look through all of the free gifts you can win in our Berner Giveaway Fête!