- Owned by
- 1 cocker
What happens when you unexpectedly find yourself in the hospital and there's no one to care for your pet? I've seen patients worry and lament over pets left alone in an empty home. They worry who will feed them, who will let them out to relieve themselves, and what will happen to them. It worries me and apparently other hospital staff too. This one's a happy ending:
Author: KELLY ONANIAN
http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090118/NEWS/901180366
1/18/2009
DARTMOUTH - Cardiologist Jonathan Bier and his wife, pediatrician Jo-Ann Bier, know a lot about the human heart, but they might not realize that their hearts are much bigger than most.
Recently, when one of Dr. Bier's elderly patients became too ill to care for her 8-year-old cocker spaniel Alexi, his family took the pooch right in.
"I was so impressed, I thought people need to hear this," said veterinarian Dr. Gerald Pietsch, who had been caring and housing Alexi for several weeks at Anchor Animal Hospital, where the dog's owner had long been taking him.
Dr. Pietsch said the Biers' act of kindness and compassion for Alexi is unparalleled to anything he has heard in his 37 years of practice, given Alexi's own health problems.
"For the family and the dog, it was love at first sight, but Alexi has problems. The average person would say, 'Gosh, I'd really like to help this animal, but I can't'," Dr. Pietsch said.
"He has skin, ear and eye problems and he's on three medications: One he must have three times a day, another twice a day, another once a day.
"He also requires frequent baths, a very high-maintenance dog that requires a lot of work. It's a big burden, and to take on this responsibility is remarkable."
Dr. Jo-Ann Bier said helping dogs like Alexi is something her husband and three children, Ben, Rachel and Rebecca, are used to.
They own two rescued dogs: a springer spaniel/mix, Lizzie, and another mix, Indy.
"We also had another part cocker spaniel that passed away this summer, and when my husband mentioned he had an ill patient who kept talking about her dog, a cute cocker that had problems, I thought, 'Perfect for me.' When we saw Alexi, he reminded us of our last dog. We've just always rescued, taken care of dogs. It's not something we do on purpose, but we're used to it," Dr. Jo-Ann Bier said.
Dr. Pietsch said his staff at Anchor Animal Hospital will miss Alexi, who spent a number of weeks there.
Alexi was so adored there that vet-technician Jocelyn Turner took Alexi to visit his owner in the hospital on Thanksgiving and even brought him home with her a few times.
"Alexi's original owner is a very sweet lady who really loved her dog, and Alexi is a great dog, a real sweetheart," Ms. Turner said.
"It broke my heart he was with us for so long, so I took him home with me and he got along great with my German shepherd and little cat. We were quite the family."
Meantime, Dr. Jo-Ann Bier said it took Alexi no time to settle into his new home, but the circumstances had her teen daughter, Rebecca doing a little extra thinking.
"It's like Alexi's lived here forever. Everybody's fine, but (Rebecca) said to me, 'I'm going to make sure nursing homes start accepting dogs, because it's sad for a person who's had a dog so long to have to leave them.'"
Author: KELLY ONANIAN
http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090118/NEWS/901180366
1/18/2009
DARTMOUTH - Cardiologist Jonathan Bier and his wife, pediatrician Jo-Ann Bier, know a lot about the human heart, but they might not realize that their hearts are much bigger than most.
Recently, when one of Dr. Bier's elderly patients became too ill to care for her 8-year-old cocker spaniel Alexi, his family took the pooch right in.
"I was so impressed, I thought people need to hear this," said veterinarian Dr. Gerald Pietsch, who had been caring and housing Alexi for several weeks at Anchor Animal Hospital, where the dog's owner had long been taking him.
Dr. Pietsch said the Biers' act of kindness and compassion for Alexi is unparalleled to anything he has heard in his 37 years of practice, given Alexi's own health problems.
"For the family and the dog, it was love at first sight, but Alexi has problems. The average person would say, 'Gosh, I'd really like to help this animal, but I can't'," Dr. Pietsch said.
"He has skin, ear and eye problems and he's on three medications: One he must have three times a day, another twice a day, another once a day.
"He also requires frequent baths, a very high-maintenance dog that requires a lot of work. It's a big burden, and to take on this responsibility is remarkable."
Dr. Jo-Ann Bier said helping dogs like Alexi is something her husband and three children, Ben, Rachel and Rebecca, are used to.
They own two rescued dogs: a springer spaniel/mix, Lizzie, and another mix, Indy.
"We also had another part cocker spaniel that passed away this summer, and when my husband mentioned he had an ill patient who kept talking about her dog, a cute cocker that had problems, I thought, 'Perfect for me.' When we saw Alexi, he reminded us of our last dog. We've just always rescued, taken care of dogs. It's not something we do on purpose, but we're used to it," Dr. Jo-Ann Bier said.
Dr. Pietsch said his staff at Anchor Animal Hospital will miss Alexi, who spent a number of weeks there.
Alexi was so adored there that vet-technician Jocelyn Turner took Alexi to visit his owner in the hospital on Thanksgiving and even brought him home with her a few times.
"Alexi's original owner is a very sweet lady who really loved her dog, and Alexi is a great dog, a real sweetheart," Ms. Turner said.
"It broke my heart he was with us for so long, so I took him home with me and he got along great with my German shepherd and little cat. We were quite the family."
Meantime, Dr. Jo-Ann Bier said it took Alexi no time to settle into his new home, but the circumstances had her teen daughter, Rebecca doing a little extra thinking.
"It's like Alexi's lived here forever. Everybody's fine, but (Rebecca) said to me, 'I'm going to make sure nursing homes start accepting dogs, because it's sad for a person who's had a dog so long to have to leave them.'"
