How to Apply
for Assistance:

The criteria for applying
for assistance are as follows:

Doctor Vision Any owner of a purebred BMD is eligible to apply for assistance as set forth in the Mission Statement and Goals. Owners applying for assistance must adhere to certain standards of care, responsible ownership, and ethical treatment of all animals in their possession, which include but are not limited to, caring for their animals in a responsible manner, insuring that all animals receive adequate hydration/nutrition, medical care, and are tended to in a manner acceptable in the owner's country of residence. Because breeders hold the future of the Bernese Mountain Dog in their hands, they may be held to additional standards, at the discretion of the Board of Directors, in order to be eligible for assistance.

Health issues that are common in the breed (and therefore an accepted risk when obtaining a BMD) will NOT be eligible for funding. These include but are not limited to joint problems (including hip and elbow dysplasia), eye disorders (including entropion, ectropion, and PRA), and conditions related to breeding. Please note, joint and eye disorders that occur as the result of an accidental injury may be considered for assistance. In some extraordinary cases, a Berner may not meet the BEHAF criteria and/or funds may not be available or sufficient to offer assistance, yet the case may have captured the sympathies of the Berner community. In such cases, at the discretion of the Board of Directors, a Berner may be granted status as a "Special Friend of BEHAF" and funds will be accepted specifically to help that case. Any amount donated over the amount of assistance requested for a Special Friend will be allocated to the BEHAF general fund.

BEHAF will require verification of the medical condition of the dog. The Medical Liaison Officer of BEHAF will contact other veterinarians and specialists as necessary to assist Board Members in making funding decisions. All applicants will be asked to demonstrate financial need by submitting proof of income (tax forms or the equivalent) and will be given an opportunity to detail any circumstances that they wish the Board to consider in making its determination regarding assistance. All financial information will be kept strictly confidential.

Any owner applying for and accepting funds must agree to allow BEHAF to use certain information from their case (identifying and/or non-identifying information as agreed to between the family and the Board) for the purposes of education, fund raising, and public relations which may include but not be limited to magazine articles, BEHAF website and posts to the Berner-L. Once a completed application is received by BEHAF, the Board will convene to discuss and vote on the application. Applicants will be notified immediately of the Board's decision, and any funds approved will be disbursed as soon as possible following notification. If an applicant is approved, funding will partially reimburse the expenses billed by the organization or veterinarian providing the medical care or services, as per the evaluation procedures set forth by the BEHAF Board of Directors. In no case will reimbursement exceed 80% of the total bill or the current monetary limit set by the Board of Directors.

There is no limit to the number of times a family can apply for assistance from BEHAF, however, each individual case may only be submitted for consideration once. Each case will be decided on its own merit. The decision of the Board of Directors is final. BEHAF encourages the repayment of assistance through monetary contributions and/or volunteer work. If subsequent applications are made where no effort at repayment/contribution/volunteer work has been made, the failure to contribute/volunteer may be considered by the Board in its evaluation. We at BEHAF are continuing to work towards our goal of being ready and able to offer our services within a very short amount of time. .

The application is listed below in Adobe Acrobat format(.pdf). To access The application you will need Acrobat Reader.

Follow this link to go to the printable application for assistance:

"TO LOVE ONE BERNER IS TO LOVE THEM ALL!"

How to Applyfor Assistance:

How to Apply
for Assistance: