BHRR's Merlin – ? – January 21st, 2015

*Victim to Food Contamination*

Tragically, he is the first of several dogs deeply affected at BHRR by food sent our way by a group. 

We have learned a lot more than we ever did before about food contamination and, how easy food can be contaminated once it leaves a manufaturer's hands and, the more hands it touches plus transfers from, the higher the risk of problems occuring. 

This memorial posting is only being made now for a number of reasons. 

1) I wanted to touch base with the animal control person that I have worked with for well over a decade saving amazing dogs such as BHRR's Licorice, BHRR's Thor, BHRR's Ava Marie, BHRR's Potter etc….they entrusted this amazing GD to our care and, it was important to converse with them directly and, not for them to find out on a blog or a fb post that he was no longer with us. Many tears were shared over his loss… frown emoticon

2) I and the control officer finally made contact on Monday February 16th after much tagging back and forth and, it was like ripping a fresh scab off a very raw enormous wound and, I needed a few more days.

3) We have been in contact with two food testing and analysis companies – both in Mississauga and, it has been extremely informative plus educational. One could have a 1,000 bags of food, it only takes one bag to be contaminated to affect a life and, a whole bag also does not need to be contaminated for a life to be negatively affected…

We had been told that no other org.'s donated this food by this group, were affected. Then a group did reach out to us to say that they also had dogs affected. 

We do sincerely hope that no more deaths or even vomiting, diarrhoea, lethargy, excessive gas etc. occur to any of the groups involved. No one should go through our experience. 

We went through 72 hours of the worst hell imaginable with vomiting, diarrhoea, lethargy, gas and, now loss. 

We are even now still trying to get weight back on, after purging their systems and, re-introducing food slowly – many witnessed at our February 1st BHRR 'EXPERIENCE' mini open house, the new thinness of many of the dogs.

Each day is better and better for most of them now. Thank goodness…..

Yet, sadly, we have a number of other dogs including BHRR's Porridge, BHRR's Braveheart, BHRR's Oakley, BHRR's Salma(HQD), not to mention one of our own Caffrey(though she was not fed any of this food, she does like to eat vomit and sometimes dog poop) and, at one point we were cleaning up over 52 bouts of diarrhea/vomit – lost count after that – inside and out of the house) adversely affected.

We have spent much money on exams, blood-work and UA's to see how the internal organ functions have been affected and, how much if so. 

At our recent BHRR 'EXPERIENCE' mini open house, it was so sad to learn of not one but two other groups that were in attendance that have experienced their own losses over the years due to contaminated food – it is so easy for food to become contaminated – how it is stored, how it is transported/transferred, mouse droppings, moisture, birds, freezing and thawing etc. No one's intentions were ill with the donation of this food, yet, the results have been devastating to BHRR.

We began to feed the food the same day it was donated – January 17th and, it was mixed appropriately and, the food bags were stored properly.

Since learning even more about food contamination, we are taking even more precautions on our end re: food donations and storing and, handling.

We have operated BHRR for over 19 years and, we have never gone through an experience like this and, may we never do so again. 

Our wish would be for no organization or group to do so. frown emoticon

We did inform the group that donated the food – they originally wanted us to take food back in December, we did decline as we had just bought food and, had some donations sent our way – SS etc. and, we never wished to see another group do without. 

In January, we were contacted again and, this person was quite insistent to assist our group with food for they did not wish to see it go to waster/bad and, we then accepted with our grateful appreciation 8 bags. 

We also had two dogs in foster care also affected and, not just the rescues residing here at BHRR. 

We showed the proper due diligence in informing this group about the food as were were aware others had also received some. 

We respectfully request that any posts made in this thread be made in BHRR's Merlin's honour plus memory…..

If only we could turn back time…….we tried so hard to save you, you were getting healthy day by day, putting on the weight slowly, your skin issues were resolving, did blood-work and UA's and, we even saw a specialist for your eye, biopsied all your lumps and bumps and, yet, your poor special needs neglected broken abused body just could not handle the food………

BHRR deals with extremely compromised immune and digestive system medical cases such as severe emaciation and, these special needs dogs could not deal with the food.

BHRR believes in full disclosure and, the BHRR BOD can be reached at contactbhrr@gmail.com

RIP BHRR's Merlin……..we will miss your special 'purring'….