Thank you to all of the generous donors that made Longshots a smashing success this year! Pat Long’s Longshots Portrait Photos started in 1998, and has raised nearly $100,000 for Berner charities through the years. This year Longshots was hard at work at the 2022 BMDCA National Specialty in Hampton VA, and raised a record-breaking $7,000 for Berner rescue activities funded by the BMD Charitable Foundation. With this tremendous support from the Berner community we will be able to help Berners that need to be rescued, healed and placed in loving forever homes. Thank you to Pat and all of her helpers for capturing the true spirits of our dogs in wonderful images that will be treasured forever!
2022 Kickoff Fundraiser for Rescue
Rescue Program
The Bernese Mountain Dog Charitable Foundation Rescue Assistance Committee (BMDCF RAC) is dedicated to providing financial assistance to Bernese Mountain Dogs in need of rescue by BMD Regional Clubs or other Bernese Rescue groups. This assistance mainly focuses on offering financial support for veterinary care, and rescue expenses for purebred Bernese Mountain Dogs. We understand that some of these purebred dogs end up in rescue for legitimate reasons such as divorce, moving, or health of the owner. Others end up in need of assistance due to neglect, abuse, or abandonment. Whatever the reason, our goal is to assess each situation to determine whether help should be provided, and if so, how much.
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The BMDCF RAC does not get involved in the actual rescue or re-homing of dogs but is a charitable foundation that supports the efforts of the BMDCA Rescue Program and Regional Club Rescues when financial assistance is requested. We do this using funds donated by Bernese enthusiasts.
The Rescue Assistance Committee’s Main
Goals and Responsibilities
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To support the regional BMD clubs' rescue programs, BMDCA Rescue Committee, and other Bernese rescue groups to supplement their rescue efforts​
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To help to develop educational materials that can be used to raise awareness on social media to reduce the need for owner surrenders to rescue
The Process
When a situation transpires, an application must be filled out and submitted with the required supporting documentation. While we do not claim that we can finance every situation we will evaluate every request and try very hard to help as many as we can. We are limited to approving the amount of assistance for each request (currently $750) without BMDCF Board approval. We look at what attempts have been made to cover costs in other ways along with the circumstances of the reason for the request.
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Fill out the Application for Rescue Funds. Please include as much detail as possible. By leaving out information, it slows the process and makes it more difficult to review. If an application has been made to the BMDCA Rescue Committee, that will also serve as an application for funds from the BMDCF RAC, if additional funds are requested.
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Once the Application is received, a member of the BMDCF RAC will contact the applicant to acknowledge its receipt. The committee will meet online to discuss the case and decide how it is to be supported. If it is felt that more than $750 is needed, the RAC will contact the BMDCF Board with the cogent details for their review and decision. The applicant will be contacted as quickly as possible to give them the decision. If you have any questions or would like to learn how we might be able to help you with your rescue situation, please contact us at info@bmdcf.org.