“Bertha’s home is waiting, and we’re doing everything we can to get her there.”
Meet Bertha. She’s a 7-year-old mastiff whom Border Tails Rescue describes as “a gorgeous, gentle soul.” For most of her life, the only home Bertha knew was a puppy mill, where she lived in a cage. She gave birth to litter after litter of babies, all of whom were taken away from her. Once she was past breeding age, the puppy mill abandoned her.
“When she was no longer ‘useful,’ they tossed her aside,” TikTokers Eric and Joey wrote in a video. “Just discarded.”
Border Tails Rescue saved Bertha and gave her a safe place to live. Still, a loud, crowded shelter is no place for a tired senior dog.
The rescue staff hoped that an adopter would come in and give Bertha a forever home where she could live out her golden years. But for months, day after day, Bertha waited in her kennel, watching everyone get adopted but her.
“No one that comes here asks to meet her,” Harleigh Goodman Garcia, director of Border Tails Rescue, said in a TikTok.
As a senior who had to be in an only-pet household, people overlooked Bertha. It broke the shelter staff members’ hearts because they could tell that all she wanted was love.
“[She] enjoys couch time, belly rubs and cozy companionship,” Border Tails Rescue wrote on Facebook. “She even loves to give her paw for a little extra affection — because she has so much love to share!”
Even as a senior, Bertha loves stretching her legs and getting fresh air. More than anything, what Bertha really wanted was a house with a big yard.
A few weeks ago, Bertha finally got the news she’d been waiting her whole life for. The perfect adopter had volunteered to take her home. There was just one little problem: Bertha was in Illinois, and the adopter was in Oregon.
But Eric and Joey were so determined to make sure Bertha got her happy ending that they decided to personally take her on a 2,000-mile road trip to Oregon. Border Tails Rescue threw her a big farewell party, then sent her on her way.
“Bertha’s home is waiting, and we’re doing everything we can to get her there,” Eric and Joey said.
After a days-long trek halfway across the country, it was time for Bertha to meet her adopter, April. Right away, it was clear the two were a perfect match. They celebrated Bertha’s arrival with a cake, then Eric and Joey said goodbye.
Eric, Joey, and Bertha had gone on such a long journey together that it was difficult to part with the senior dog. But they were happy to leave her in a home with a loving mama and a huge backyard all for her.
“We are so grateful Bertha gets this second chance, and while we’ll miss her terribly, we know her best days are ahead,” Border Tails Rescue said. “Oregon is lucky to have you!”