Bernadette and Penny
DAY 6: BERNADETTE
In early June 2018, a volunteer drove home from St. Louis with two dogs, and one of them called shotgun.
Bernadette arrived at the barn blind, her body full of tumors and ticks, her prognosis grim. The welcome post pulled no punches:
"Bernie may not be with us long... but whatever we can do for you sweet girl I promise we will. No matter how long you have, at least you'll know love."
Nobody told Bernie she was fragile. Though she couldn't see, she taught herself the dog door and ran the place from day one. She earned a full royal roster of nicknames: Queen B, Big B, "Ms Big Brindle Butt". She also earned a reputation as the barn's beloved resident cranky pants: grumbling constantly, guarding the food bowls, and demanding breakfast be brought to her. And everyone adored her for it. She had her soft side though with a routine of sunbathing on hot Kansas days, sunset cuddles, and car rides with the windows down for pup cups and Sonic tater tots.
In August 2018, the barn feared they'd lose her.
But Queen B wasn't done.
She rallied for months, posed majestically in the snow for another winter season, and was crowned prom queen at the Golden Gala.
On February 4, 2019, came the diagnosis: her heart was failing. For eight more days, the posts kept coming. Good mornings, goodnights, one last kitchen begging session. On February 12, 2019, Bernie crossed the Rainbow Bridge.
Bernie was never adopted. The barn was her happily ever after. A blind dog given days to live instead got eight months of sunshine naps and a family of caregivers who let her be exactly who she was: bossy, grumbling, resilient, and deeply loved.
Every dog deserves that kind of love, however long they have.
🐾
Penny
The Unexpected Addition Who Stole Every Heart
June 2018 — December 26, 2018 • Always & Furever Midwest Animal Sanctuary
"We Couldn't Leave Penny Behind" (June 2018)
Penny was never part of the plan. In early June 2018, volunteers drove to St. Louis to pick up Bernadette — and came home with two dogs. "When we went to grab Bernadette we couldn't leave Penny behind." While Bernie called shotgun, Penny slept the whole ride to Kansas. She arrived at the Little Red Barn a "little lumpy lady" with hip and leg issues, "a shaky scared mess" — a tiny senior rat terrier from a kill shelter, slowly learning she was safe while gentle giant Hank appointed himself her protector.
Princess of the Barn (Summer–Fall 2018)
Penny blossomed into pure barn royalty — and pure barn mischief. She was outed early as the "resident indoor pooper and piddler" who tried to blame Hank and hide under him when questioned. She was the second food thief "at large," wandering bowl to bowl. She stole Hank's bed so often he ended up on the floor, helped "clean the spoons" at meal prep (#pennyprepper), loved to howl, and raced Miles in legendary senior-vs-senior sprints with "a little spring in her step."
Her calendar was full: a Sunday Funday "Penny's Day Out" with car cruising and treats, sprinkler parties with Howard, Sonic pup cups and tots with Bernie, sunbathing sessions, dog park adventures, a Girls' Night Out at a paint-your-own-pottery studio, church visits with Miles, and one failed blind date with Bad Cat ("No sparks. Ehhh. We tried."). She had a nurturing side too — she and Mama took care of newcomer Gump.
"This sweet senior truly enjoys her life on the farm and her Jen that saved her."
She was forever underfoot or in Jen's arms — "Princess Penny," the little pup with the big heart, even serving as A&F's honorary "head accountant," Penny Pincher.
• • •
The Fight of Her Life (December 2018)
On December 19, 2018, everything changed: "Penny would appreciate everyone's prayers please. She's at BluePearl now and the outlook isn't good." After six months at the barn, Penny was suddenly fighting for her life, badly wounded. The community rallied instantly. The barn launched a "1000 Pennies" campaign — "See a PENNY pick it up, all day long you'll have good luck!" — and donations poured past $3,000 within a day against vet bills climbing over $4,000.
And Penny fought. She made it through the first night. On December 22 the barn posted in her voice:
"I've decided to stay and keep fighting... my time isn't up yet. I have so much love left to give."
Gump insisted on stopping by to give her love. When her wounds abscessed, surgeons placed a drain on December 23 and she came through surgery. On Christmas Eve, the miracle everyone prayed for: "Penny is home and resting... Our princess is home." She spent the evening in her own bed beside the Christmas tree, a piece of Jen's ham placed at the edge of her bed in case she wanted it later.
Goodbye, Princess (December 26, 2018)
The day after Christmas brought a final scare, a return to BluePearl, and then the hardest post: Penny "crossed the rainbow bridge... while resting in the loving arms of her momma, Jen." Jen's tribute remains one of the most beautiful things the barn ever wrote:
"You were our first unexpected addition and our most special... You were practically perfect in every way and one of my littlest best friends... Whatever is more than love, that's what you are."
Legacy
Penny's paw prints are everywhere at the sanctuary. "Penny's Place" was built in her honor, where other pups now nap. The barn's entrance road is Penny Lane — "Pull in. Left at Penny Lane. Entrance to heaven on earth." Dogs were pulled off euthanasia lists partly "because you look like our Penny." And in the barn's own words about its original six: four found the perfect home on earth, and Bernie and Penny "found the perfect home in heaven."
Penny's success story isn't an adoption — it's that a shaking, discarded senior from a kill shelter spent her last six months as a princess, utterly and completely loved.
DONATE NOW
Website: alwaysandfurever.org/donate
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