Bear & Friends | Meet Bear & Friends

Meet Bear

Bear is the 'original' therapy dog of Bear & Friends. Bear was adopted as a puppy from the local Humane Society, and he has grown into a wonderful, wonderful human-like dog. Yes, his mannerisms make it look as though he actually thinks he's a human sometimes. Because of his gentle demeanor, his 'whatever' attitude, and his willingness to please humans, it was decided to rescue more animals that came from the same uncertain beginnings like Bear's. The rescuing began, and we have not looked back.... Thanks, Bear!!!

Meet Lewis

Lewis was a very sad dog at the local pound... He was placed in a small kennel, he was dirty and afraid, and he was oftentimes overlooked when it was time for walks. You see, Lewis has a brain lesion that affects his nervous system. Lewis' head shakes most of the time, but it shakes even worse when he gets nervous or overly excited. As he watched visitors approach his kennel, the shaking would get worse, as he simply wanted to go on a walk. The uncontrolled shaking scared away volunteers and potential 'forever' families, so he remained overlooked and sad....well, until he came to Bear & Friends!! Now he plays with his brothers and sisters, his shaking subsides when a hand is placed on his back, and he loves his life!! He has finally found his 'forever' home!

Meet Johnny

When Bear & Friends was contacted by the Humane Society about Johnny, we knew he had to be rescued. Johnny had been left at the pound for almost two years without a 'forever' family wanting him. What was so scary about him? Was it his breed? Was it his playfulness? At Bear & Friends it didn't matter, because he was a sweet and happy boy, and we soon learned that he was loyal and loving. After he was adopted, he gave and received much-needed love, he received the care and attention he needed and deserved, and his true light shone through....he was definitely a diamond in the rough!!

Meet Patti

Patti is an old beagle-mix gal who thinks she is still a puppy. Her energy level is high, but she calms down significantly when someone wants to snuggle with her. Patti's downfall is that she believes the world revolves around her. This is why she is known as 'Princess Patti.' She is now decked out in pink and gets doted on like the royalty she is.

UPDATE: Patti's health has improved GREATLY! She takes Children's Benadryl daily, and her breathing has stabilized. Additionally, she has dropped a few pounds (which was needed), and her energy level has increased drastically.... We are so happy for our little Patti!

Meet Helen

If ever there has been a more docile dog in the world, we have yet to find it. Miss Helen, better known as 'Big H,' came to us from another rescue group. Miss Helen was an oldie, and she struggled with joint issues, likely due to her weight! She was at the pound for a while, but she wasn't herself (according to the pound volunteers)...she was missing the attention she needed and deserved, and she became very lethargic!! Fast forward....Miss Helen came to Bear & Friends, and everyone absolutely loved and adored her! She moved rather slowly, which made it easy for the boys and girls to catch and hug her all over...

UPDATE: Sadly, sadly, sadly, Miss Helen PASSED AWAY on Monday, July 25, 2016....she was buried in the Bear & Friends' romp yard where she will always be remembered and forever loved!!

Meet Jordan

Jordan is one of two dogs that came to Bear & Friends in January 2016 (his buddy was Tiny, a very thin and cold chihuahua). They were at the local pound at the same time in the cold winter weather - Tiny was inside on a cold concrete floor, while Jordan was stuck in an outside pen. When we visited the pound one Saturday, we were struck by what we saw. Jordan had a ring around his neck devoid of fur, which looked like a collar had been left on too tight...possibly neglect?? Well, whatever it was, his past is now behind him, and he has a safe, warm, soft bed indoors with lots of food and treats; and, he has a large, refurbished dog house outside when he wants to be alone...and NO MORE CHAINS!!! He is quite a loving little boy, and he recently finished his Canine Good Citizen training.....we are so proud of our Jordan!!

Meet Tiny

Tiny came to Bear & Friends with Jordan (see above), and we are so pleased to have taken him into our shelter family. Tiny weighed 10.6 lbs. and was placed in an inside kennel on concrete floors with little else to keep him warm. It was a no-brainer that he needed warmth and food, so Bear & Friends became his new family. He has learned some basic commands, and he loves to snuggle (or maybe hide) under covers, so beware where you sit!! Tiny's size may still be small, but his heart is huge, and he loves his brothers and sisters.

Meet Fido

On June 25, 2016, one-year-old Fido entered Bear & Friends and quickly began training, as he already had some training under his belt. Sadly, Fido had been abandoned at a veterinarian's office in Richmond, Indiana, and his only socialization was with the vet techs (they were amazing) and some cats. When the vet techs delivered Fido to Bear & Friends, many tears were shed as they watched their little guy running and playing with his new family in big open spaces. He was free! He was able to run, and jump, and stretch. What a beautiful sight!! And what a beautiful boy!! Fido is a special little boy that finally has a girlfriend (her name is Lizzie) and a best buddy. Words cannot describe how sweet Fido is, but he loves belly rubs and will do anything for a piece of string cheese or Grandpa's Choice turkey treats. Just a thought, but perhaps the treats are why he looks like he does...Drew says he is just big-boned "like mama used to say."

On July 16, 2016, soon after the dust had settled, Bear & Friends was contacted by another family who needed to find a good home for their sweet beagle baby. The family was moving into a non-pet-friendly apartment, thus Lizzie, a sweet 10-year-old beagle baby, needed to find a good home. Fast forward... Lizzie came to Bear & Friends and has shown us her wonderful side. She quickly became Fido's girlfriend and took on the role of lookout to alert her brothers and sisters of stranger danger. Her family has visited several times and cannot believe how her personality has really come out... we love happy endings!!

Meet Lizzie

Meet Ivy

Poor Ivy was taken into the local pound sometime around June 2016, and she was miserable and crotchety... but who wouldn't be, right? You see, Ivy is a 10+-year-old Great Pyranese-mix that should typically weigh between 85-95 pounds...hhhhhmmmm, what happened? On her first visit to the vet, she weighed a mere 45 pounds. Not only was she malnourished, but she had other medical issues that needed immediate attention. On July 30, 2016, Bear & Friends reached out to the community liaison at the pound and requested that Ivy be brought to our rescue site. Ivy was immediately taken to the vet to find out why she was so thin and if there was anything else going on... the results showed she was malnourished (of course!), but also that she was struggling with Heart Worm, Lyme Disease, and arthritis. Ivy was put on a stringent and powerful med plan to attack the Heart Worms, to make her comfortable with the Lyme Disease, and to ease the pain in her joints.

UPDATE: Our hearts were broken on May 4, 2018 when Ivy's body decided it was time to go across the Rainbow Bridge where she could run and play with her long lost brothers and sisters (something she hasn't been able to do for several years). Ivy is now buried in the Sanctuary Cemetery.

Meet Lucy

Beautiful! Beautiful! Beautiful! This is one word that concisely describes Lucy. She is a Mini Pinscher, and her markings are perfect! So, why is she with Bear & Friends? The answer is simple: she was at PAWS of Dearborn County, and she would have been placed for adoption, BUT, because Lucy had a seizure while in their care, they felt that she might not make it to a forever home. Rather than possibly being subjected to the horrible fate of death, Miss Lucy came to Bear & Friends on August 6, 2016. Lucy had several tests done and was put on seizure medication, which stabilized her health greatly. Although the potential exists that she may still have seizures in the future, the meds will help lessen the number of occurrences. Let's hope so, because this wonderful girl is a winner in our book!! True story: A parent at a neighboring early learning program let us know that Lucy has helped make drop-off of her youngest daughter much easier, because her daughter loves to watch Lucy play in the yard....and, because the mother was so thankful that her daughter was happy, she was very appreciative for Lucy's presence! Awwwww.....

To be so young and abused in one home is bad, but to be so young and abused in two homes is unthinkable. Although the second situation was unintentional (the child did not understand what was wrong with what he was doing), little 10-week-old Max had endured more than his fair share of pain. Bear & Friends was contacted about taking him in, and without hesitation, the answer was a resounding yes!! The vet confirmed that no bones were broken or damaged, but he desperately needed a safe, loving home where he could grow up without pain. ...well, he got it! On August 29, 2016, Max joined Bear & Friends' pack.

UPDATE: Our sweet boy was ADOPTED by a loving family in the fall of 2017. He now has 160 acres to roam and a 2-acre pond in which he has already tested. Max is missed, but we are so happy for his new life!

Meet Max

Meet Shadow

Shadow is a famous and wonderful American Bull Dog that has joined the ranks of Bear & Friends' pack. Shadow's owner, the Late Carl Broughton, passed away on November 15, 2016, and Shadow needed a home. Shadow had to look no further than Bear & Friends...it was written in the stars that he would join his future brothers and sisters to live out his life in the home where he was comfortable living with his original papa. On Saturday, February 25, 2017, Shadow was honored with the Noble Dog Award at the First Annual "Hounds & Heroes" Gala, due to the positive impact he had on Carl Broughton in the last years of his owner's life. Shadow has been merged with some of his brothers and sisters, but the kinks are getting worked out. We are hopeful that Shadow will love his home and his new family as much as they love him.

Meet Opey

Opey is a beautiful, sweet dog that is just as goofy as his name suggests. Sadly, Opey's owner had to surrender him when he moved to a new location (that's right, it was not a dog-friendly location), but Bear & Friends was there to pick up the pieces. Opey was welcomed to the pack on May 14, 2017, made to feel right at home, and was loved like all his brothers and sisters.

UPDATE: Opey was REUNITED with his original owner. We are so thankful that Opey will be living his life to the fullest with his first (and hopefully ONLY) family!!

Meet Ziggy

On June 5, 2017, PAWS of Dearborn County reached out to Bear & Friends about another sweet, baby girl...Miss Ziggy. Of course, Miss Ziggy is not a baby, she's actually around 10-11 years old, but she's spoiled like a baby. Miss Ziggy is a quiet, low-key girl that likes to be where her humans are...right at their feet. We are thrilled to have her as part of our pack, and we are pleased that she has blended well with her brothers and sisters.

Meet Angel

What can be said about Angel? She is big! She is powerful! She is beautiful! She is playful! And, she is smart! Angel was originally rescued from a Cincinnati shelter by a good samaritan; however, due to life's happenstances and four families later, Angel ended up on the streets in Connersville, Indiana. She was taken in by a wonderful woman, bathed (Angel had been in a lose-lose battle with a skunk-YIKES!), and then taken to Dr. Scott Keaffaber's office in Connersville to be nursed back to health. Bear & Friends was contacted, and Angel became the latest addition to the pack on March 15, 2017. Angel continues to gain weight, as she needed to put on a few extra pounds, and she helps to keep Miss Lucy busy.... As the TV commercial says,"a tired dog is a good dog!!"

UPDATE: Angel was ADOPTED by a Bear & Friends board member. Angel now has a great life with two other dogs and two cats (the cats keep her in check!).

Meet Milo

Milo came to Bear & Friends on June 8, 2016. Milo had been in a loving home with two other dogs until their owner became ill and entered a nursing home. The dogs were placed in a veterinarian's care in Cincinnati, Ohio, for approximately six months (although that is not what vets are equipped to do), and the dogs desperately needed a home, not kennels. Milo's brothers were adopted, but Milo remained in his kennel. Bear & Friends was contacted, and he found himself with new brothers and sisters.

UPDATE: Milo was quickly ADOPTED by a caring man who had lost his wife several years ago to cancer. As if losing his wife wasn't enough, he then lost both of his dogs in June within two weeks of each other. When this gentleman met Milo, it was love at first sight. Today, Milo enjoys a warm and loving home and grilled chicken breasts every night for dinner. What a life?!...

Meet Hank

Hank had a home for a short period of time, but it just didn't work out well, and the family insisted that he go to another good home instead of a shelter (nobody could blame them for that!!). Bear & Friends was contacted by Hank's family and asked if we could accept him. On June 20, 2016, the family brought Hank to visit the facility and to meet his new brothers and sisters. To our surprise, Hank settled right in like he had been with us all his life. Hank was the second smallest friend at Bear & Friends, but he was scrappy, and he looked like he should be wearing cowboy boots and a hat. Several months after arriving at Bear & Friends, a couple came to see the dogs at Bear & Friends in hopes of adopting one...well, Hank won over their heart. They loved his spunk and his look (nobody could resist his charm!), so they ADOPTED him. Hanky has been missed terribly by his B&F family, but he has a new family of his own, so how could anyone deny him that?!....In early August 2017, Hank's new mommy told us that they were searching for a raincoat for him...that cracked us up! Hanky is spoiled rotten, and we love it!!!

Meet Dorothy - No Photo Available

Dorothy is another adorable kitten, approximately 2 months old, that had her life spared. As Drew and Michelle were driving down S.R. 1, they passed a little bundle of fur that was sitting on the double yellow line. Drew turned the truck around, went back to where she was, stopped traffic, and got her into the truck. She was SO, SO SCARED! The residents of nearby homes were asked if she belonged to them, which she didn't, so Dorothy was taken to the local Humane Society where Eva and Paula took good care of her. It was then decided that she should be given the name Dorothy, because she was walking the double yellow line (Hint: like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz).

UPDATE: Dorothy was ADOPTED by a wonderful family, and this sweet baby will be loved for the rest of her life. Unfortunately, we did not get a chance to photograph her before she was adopted....but, rest assured that she was adorable! We are thrilled that she will live the life of a princess (or maybe even a queen!).

Meet China

On October 2, 2017, a sweet pitty joined the pack at Bear & Friends. China was the loved pet of a family that was going through a very tough time in their lives, and they needed help. They contacted B&F about taking in China until they were back on solid footing, so, not wanting China's life to be left to fate, she came to B&F. Although this was a unique situation, we have been blessed to have China with the other dogs at the rescue facility. In fact, China would be a great candidate for Pit-Bull Poster Dog of the Year. China is incredibly sweet, she has great manners, and she loves to give lots and lots of kisses (trust us, LOTS of kisses)...no aggression, whatsoever!!

Update: Miss China was reunited with her family on May 6, 2018. We are so happy for her, but we do miss our kissy girl. :)

Meet Buddy

When a little, old, scared dog with half a nose needs a home with warmth and love, we give it. Buddy somehow found his way to the FC Pound in the fall of 2017, and he was incredibly scared. At some point in his life he had a traumatic experience, as half his nose was taken off, and his tail had been docked badly. When we went to see him, there was no question that Buddy was going to join the pack at Bear & Friends. It took lots of coaxing with gentle back rubs and soft talking to bring Buddy out of his shell, but Buddy finally barked and showed that he had a "voice" (after several weeks of being at B&F). He now shares the loft with his new brother, Shadow, and his new sister, Lucy. He was groomed and is now a handsome little guy, waiting to spend the rest of his life with a forever family!!

Meet Zeke

Sitting at the FC Pound, hoping his forever family was coming down the road, Zeke waited...and waited...and waited. On January 20, 2018, a family contacted Bear & Friends about Zeke, and they wanted to see him. Wow, was this his forever family? .....No, sadly, it wasn't..... Luck had it that Zeke had too much energy for the family, so they turned him down. Well, to Zeke's good fortune, B&F was not going to return him to the Pound, so he took his place amongst all his new brothers and sisters at the B&F Sanctuary. He stole our hearts, and he was special...we knew he had potential to make a great therapy dog. Well, that was until his forever family really did come down the road.

UPDATE: Zeke was ADOPTED by a wonderful man who wanted to give him the world. The man sends texts and pictures regularly, and Zeke is doing very well....we are SO happy for both of them...happy pup dreams, Zeke!

At Bear & Friends, we celebrate every animal whose life we had the privilege of helping in any capacity. Sadly, the following cats, kittens, dogs, and puppies have passed away, and it is safe to say that they have each touched our hearts in a myriad of ways that will never be forgotten....

MEET WILLOW... Yes, we now accept cats/kittens, too, although dogs/puppies are our main rescues. Our first feline was Willow, a 6-month-old kitten that had a traumatizing beginning. When she was just a few weeks old, she was caught in the jaws of a dog and severely injured. Bear & Friends paid for her initial treatment at the Care Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, but her medical issues remained. She was taken in by Bear & Friends as the 'cat friend,' and she remained under vet care to get her healthy...or at least try to get her healthy. Willow's hind right leg was damaged so badly that it would not bend at the first joint. And, because Willow could not use that leg, she scooted most of the time, which produced a massive sore on her backside that would not heal. Willow got cleaned daily, wiped down with warm water, and rubbed with antibiotic ointment; however, it wasn't enough. Willow's injuries just never healed, and little Willow succumbed to her extensive injuries and PASSED AWAY on Friday, November 11, 2016. Losing Willow was extremely tough, but we know she is no longer suffering, and that brings us comfort. She was buried in the Bear & Friends Bird and Rabbit Sanctuary, and we know she is happy now, as she is able to run without pain and chase all the birdies in kitty heaven.

MEET COCO... Coco was a big, furry, scary-looking, male Rottweiler-mix....BUT, we know that looks can be deceiving. Coco was a big, big baby that loved little squeaky toys and belly rubs. As a matter of fact, Coco liked all things that beeped or squeaked, including the microwave and clothes dryer when their cycles were complete. Bear & Friends increased its pack size with Coco on January 19, 2017, and we were blessed to have gotten to know him. Coco, big though he was, was a gentle giant and a peacekeeper amongst all his housemates. Indeed, he was a beautiful blessing in a big, scary disguise! Unfortunately, our time with Coco was cut much too short, as he PASSED AWAY on May 1, 2017. He was old, and he did suffer from joint discomfort, but we were devastated that, after spending a week at the vet's office hooked up to IVs, his health failed him. Now Coco is buried with two of his favorite squeakers in the Bear & Friends Bird & Rabbit Sanctuary with a beautiful grave marker to mark his final resting spot. Thanks to Miss Betty Weaver for being so very kind to our dear, sweet Coco.

MEET CALLIE THE CAT...Callie the Cat came to Bear & Friends from PAWS of Dearborn County on March 13, 2017. Callie was approximately 20 years old,, but, because her previous cat mama passed away, she needed a safe and loving home where she could live out her life in pampered style. Although Miss Callie PASSED AWAY on April 26, 2017, she was able to live her remaining days in a home that provided her with safety, comfort, and love. Miss Callie was snuggly wrapped in a little blanket and laid to rest in the Bear & Friends Bird & Rabbit Sanctuary. She was loved, and she will be missed!! Sadly, there is no good photo available of Miss Callie.

MEET FENNIGAN... Fennigan is a crotchety old fella that needed a permanent place to call his home. Hear ye, hear ye, he found it on January 16, 2017. Fennigan was an old cat (guesstimated to be about 12 years old) that once had the run of the facility at PAWS of Dearborn County. The awesome staff at PAWS decided he deserved to be in a good home with a loving family, so they contacted Bear & Friends. Fennigan came to Bear & Friends and lived out his remaining days with his newfound brothers and sisters until he PASSED AWAY. We regret that there is no good photo available of Mr. Fennigan.