Dog’s story of healing will give you all the feels

Bert is a guy who’s in touch with his feelings and not afraid to show it. When this gentle giant first came to foster care, he cried and couldn’t sleep unless someone curled up beside him. However, that’s no longer the case. Today, Bert is confident and self-assured knowing that his humans will always be there for him. So how did his transformation unfold?

Bert doesn’t have a mean bone in his body, but he did have a badly broken one. When the 3-year-old pup arrived at the Southern Utah Valley Animal Shelter, his left hind leg was practically broken in two, likely from being hit by a car. Recognizing that Bert was going to need extensive care, shelter staff contacted Best Friends and arranged to bring him to the Best Friends Lifesaving Center in Salt Lake City. That’s one of the most important ways that shelters across the country have reached no-kill — by working with other organizations in their area to save pets who need extra time or care.

Once at the lifesaving center, the Best Friends vet team examined this handsome boy with a sleek black coat and speckalicious paws. In addition to a fractured leg that he couldn’t walk on, he was covered in scabs, had a yucky upper respiratory infection, and was quite thin for his large frame. However, what stood out most about Bert was his sweet nature. Despite being in an unfamiliar place and likely in pain, all he wanted was to be close to people.

[Dog, adopter take healing journey together]

“When a dog is in pain, they really don’t want to be touched. They want to be left alone,” says Tiffinni Pawlak, Best Friends lifesaving and care specialist. “But Bert immediately laid in my lap. He would just look up at me. It felt like he was saying, ‘Thank you for taking care of me and making me feel better.’”

Tiffinni was so touched by Bert that she offered her apartment as his temporary foster home. Everything went smoothly that first night — until it was time for bed. Each time Tiffinni left to go back to her room, Bert would cry and howl, as if to say, “Person, are you still there?” After a few failed attempts to sneak off to bed, Tiffinni gave in; she lay down on the floor and slept next to him until morning.

The Best Friends vet team sent Bert to an orthopedic specialist for X-rays and a consult. The doctor recommended a surgical procedure to fuse Bert’s leg and foot bones together.

“If (his injury) was left untreated for too long, he probably would have lost the leg either due to infection or it healing incorrectly, and it did make it really difficult for him to walk,” says Tiffinni. The operation would allow Bert to walk and run pain-free. But this was major surgery; it would take about two months to recover, and he’d need a long-term foster home.

[Puppy with two broken front legs recovers, finds a little boy to love]

Taylor Calabrese initially signed up to foster a different dog, but fate intervened. When that pup was adopted, Best Friends staff asked Taylor whether she’d be willing to care for Bert instead. She agreed. So after a successful surgery, Bert moved in with Taylor, her fiancé Jimmy, and their cat Muu. He came with strict doctor’s orders: two weeks in a medical cone to prevent him from licking and chewing the surgery site, eight weeks in a splint to ensure proper healing, and no running or jumping.

“Bert’s recovery was a bit rough since he had to take so many medications, had to wear a cone and cast, and had to be on bed rest for many weeks. It wasn’t too hard to keep him calm since he’s a pretty calm dog already, but he really did not like the cone,” says Taylor.

Several weeks later, Bert’s bandages could finally come off. X-rays showed his leg had healed beautifully, and he was cleared to return to regular dog activities. He was feeling great, and it was time for Bert to go to a permanent home. But by that point, Taylor and Jimmy knew there was no way they could say goodbye. “We realized he was a perfect fit for our life and our family right now,” says Taylor. They decided to make it official and adopt him.

“Bert is such a sweet, calm boy. He is the most affectionate dog I have ever met and is so loyal,” says Taylor.

From adventuring outdoors to jumping onto the couch for snuggles, the surgery has allowed Bert to enjoy life with his new family to the fullest. “He can run so fast and now has no issues walking or jumping. We can do activities with him, like hiking and playing catch, that we wouldn’t have been able to do before,” says Taylor.

Bert has grown into a well-adjusted dog who no longer struggles with separation anxiety. In fact, Taylor may be the one who has a harder time being apart. “My life feels so much fuller with Bert in it, and I miss him so much anytime I need to go somewhere,” she says. “I can’t imagine our house without him.”

Our goal at Best Friends is to support all animal shelters in the U.S. in reaching no-kill in 2025. No-kill means saving every dog and cat in a shelter who can be saved, accounting for community safety and good quality of life for pets. 

Shelter staff can’t do it alone. Saving animals in shelters is everyone’s responsibility, and it takes support and participation from the community. No-kill is possible when we work together thoughtfully, honestly, and collaboratively.