In Search of a Home for a Dog Named Bear

In a Red Bank area animal hospital, Bear waits for his mom.

Just a week ago, Gertrude Poole, known to her friends as Trudie, died from complications due to heart disease, a condition the 71-year old was diagnosed with when she was just 13.

Days before her death at Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, Poole told her friends she only worried that her 11-year-old German shepherd would think she abandoned him.

Now, without a home and without his owner, Bear, an old boy by breed standards, desperately needs a home.

“Trudie’s wish was for Bear to have a home if she passed away,” said Angelina, an area animal trainer and friend of Poole’s who asked that she only be referred to by her first name. “She loved her dog and he kept her alive and fighting until she just couldn’t anymore.”

Bear is in good health for his age and is very good with people, though is probably not a good fit for homes with other dogs, Angelina said. This puts Bear in a precarious position, since that eliminates a large segment of the animal-loving population that already has a pet.

Still, friends are confident that there’s a home out there for Bear.

“We’re really kind of desperate to get the dog a home," friend Janet Shaw said. "Unfortunately most dog lovers already have dogs so we’re in a position where we’re trying to find someone who’s between dogs. And that's difficult."

Poole's obituary referred to her as an animal activist. Angelina said Poole spend much of her life dedicated to animals. That included Bear, a licensed therapy dog, who was himself a shelter rescue.

Though Bear is not used to going on walks since Poole was unable to take him in the last years of her life,he loves to play ball in the yard and roll in the grass, Angelina said.

He also enjoys car rides and is very well behaved. A little peanut butter and a toy before bedtime is all he needs, she said.

“She wanted to be well so she could help other dogs and be there for Bear,” she wrote in an e-mail. “I hope someone can now help her boy live out his life in a home filled with love.”

If you’re able to help give bear a home or know someone who is, please contact Angelina by email at time2walkthedog@aol.com. Any questions can be directed to your local editor at Red Bank–Shrewsbury Patch by email at edward.vanembden@patch.com or by phone at 732-395-1924.