"A Home for Brewster"

Last week Maggie Marton spent some time over at "Oh My Dog!" considering the question "Why do I blog?" I've recently been giving this question a lot of thought.

As you have probably noticed by now, I'm struggling to keep Bella's blog going. But in considering the question "why do I blog?", I was reconnected to what started this whole silly mess in the first place: Bella. And dogs like her.

I have been so blessed with the contacts and friendships I have made through this blog and so lucky to help a person here and there not feel so alone in dealing with their scared-y dog. I don't have all the answers. Heck, I don't know if I have any answers most of the time. But if one person sitting on her bathroom floor in the middle of the night trying to help her fearful dog cope feels just a little less alone in this world because of this blog? Well, hey, that's a moment I never anticipated experiencing when I started this endeavor.

But not every story about a scared-y dog is going to end positively.

Some people just don't have the wherewithal to deal with the situation they've been handed. Others may have family situations that prevent them from being able to tolerate the potential risks that come with keeping a fearful dog.

And then there are some who realize their personal situation just isn't the optimal life for the fearful pup. The ones who will sacrifice their own broken hearts to give their dog a chance at a better life.

My friend, Lorrie and her husband Tim, are those kind of people.

They adopted their dog Brewster, a handsome hound with an extraordinary fear of thunderstorms, from a local shelter in south Florida. If I recall correctly, they actually meant only to foster him but upon coming to understand the full extent of his fear, they felt they couldn't adopt him out until they had worked this issue through with him and adopted him into their family instead.

This really is one seriously handsome hound.

That was three years ago and they have diligently sought out every treatment path and plan to help Brewster learn how to cope with the thunderstorms that terrorize him.

But they live in south Florida where thunderstorm happen every day during the summer months. There is no escape to the basement for Brewster, no respite from the barrage of daily storms.

He is a great, social and happy dog during the winter but becomes anxious and depressed 6 months of the year because he has now generalized that cloudy days might mean the arrival of these terrifying storms.

But he gets so depressed...

Lorrie and Tim have come to the difficult decision that Brewster's life would be happier spent elsewhere - in a drier climate with the opportunity to escape the constant threat of his worst fears.

Towards that end, they have put together a beautiful website detailing everything they have tried to do to help Brewster overcome his fears and why they believe he would be better served living in a more temperate zone. The video on the home page gives you a glimpse into who these special people are and how much they love this beautiful boy.

Would you please help share their story and spread the word about the "Home for Brewster" webpage? After much research, they are aiming to find a home for Brewster in southern California and will personally transport him to his new owners.

Please take a moment to hop on over to his website to read more about Brewster, his tribulations and his wonderful adoring family who are willing to sacrifice their own broken hearts for Brewster's well-being and happiness.

Thanks.

A Home for Brewster

Loves people and other dogs - he's an ideal pet sans stormy weather.