Bear arrived at Spokane to me about 7:30 Pacific Time. I got many kisses – love at first sight for both of us. More later. It is 10:30 my time, 12:30 a.m. Bear’s time – we’ve all had a very long day but are happy to be together.

We’re parked for the night at a campground about 20 miles east of Spokane and will head for the little house in the woods in the morning.

Thanks for all of your prayers and encouragment.

With love,
Ann, Bob and Bear

No, I’m not talking about a highway patrol helicopter…

This is Bear. He is currently flying from Newark, New Jersey to Spokane, Washington, where Bob and I will pick him up this evening. He is a 6 1/2 year old Karelian Beardog whose owner died very suddenly. George was only 48 and Bear was his love and the center of his life.

The whole story…

Two weeks ago, I sent a deposit for an English Shepherd puppy that I planned to pick up in OR on June 1. At the end of last week, I was suddenly uncomfortable…not ready, too much money and effort and I was so tired and just not ready. I cancelled.

My plan was to spend some time at my local humane society and just be around other dogs to get back the feeling that I could love another. I was on the Humane Society web site which connects to Petfinders and I did a search for Karelian Bear Dogs…just to see. One immediately caught my eye and then I read his, Bear’s, story. Bear’s owner had suddenly passed away and Bear needed a home where he was the center of attention. But Bear was in New Jersey…impossible… Bear stayed on my mind all weekend and I finally phoned on Monday afternoon and left a message with my own story. I was called back nearly immediately. The breeder who sold Bear to owner, George, had Bear back – it is her policy that any dog she sells or places comes back to her vs a shelter if there is any problem. In addition to the KBD breeding, Sherry fosters and places homeless dogs.

I learned that George had died suddenly. His sister and another friend had wanted Bear but both had dogs and kids and it wasn’t working. Bear arrived at the breeder’s last Saturday. She had received a lot of calls, but no one who called had ever had a Karelian and all worked and Bear would have been home alone. Sherry said when she heard my message, she just knew I was the one for Bear.

It was an intense week as we worked to arrange transport for Bear. It is just short of 2500 miles from where he was to my home. We tried ground options but ultimately it looked like air was the best bet. A special thank you to about 15 of Delta Cargo’s people who I spoke to through the week. Every single one of them was kind, professional, knowledgeable and they listened carefully as I asked questions. Bear must travel in a Giant kennel – it cannot go on every plane so trying to find both a humane flight schedule and one that both Sherry and I could meet was a challenge.

And the kennel…ultimately I had to have it overnighted from Amazon as there just was not one to be had in Newark vicinity.

Another special thanks to a young man in parking management at Spokane International Airport. I phoned parking to see if there was any airport parking that would accomodate Wild Thing. With the evening arrival, I would need to stay over and when I totaled Jeep gas plus a motel I was close to motorhome gas expense. The young man I spoke to gave me detailed information on not only where I could park but also some options for retrieving the giant kennel.

Kindness from strangers… I received so much and it means so very much to me. And the incredible support from friends and family – this would not have come together without them.

I hope that Karl and George are watching over all and however things work… that maybe they are together waiting for all of us. And I believe that my sudden uncomfortable-ness with getting one of the puppies was because I was supposed to have Bear.

Then, 2 days ago, the bear biologist from Fish, Wildlife and Parks…from whom I got Karl, phoned, having heard of Karl’s passing. He has a sister of Karl’s, named Ursa which is Russian for “bear”. She is well and is both his work partner and best friend! He laughed with delight when he heard I was to have a male “Bear” and hopefully we’ll cross paths this summer and let the 2 “Bears” meet. I will never forget the kindness of he and his wife 10 years ago. They welcomed me in their home, listened to my stories of life with Zack, the Karelian cross I lost to lymphoma, looked at photos and then let me spend time with the puppies who were barely 5 weeks old…and I met Karl.

It has been a week. If you are reading this before Bear has arrived, and are so inclined, please pray for a safe and comfortable journey for him with no fear or anxiety. …and maybe a prayer for Bob as well…I’ve spoken to him but I believe he is under the impression that he will be an “only”…it might be a rude awakening :)!

***AND prayers for Sherry’s 6 year old daughter, Danielle, who had a bad accident on her bicycle and is recovering at home after an afternoon and evening in the E.R. Thank you to Sherry who in the midst of that, arranged for neighbors to get Bear to the airport and thank you to those neighbors who helped care for Bear this week and then sent him on his way to his forever home with me.