Cyrus (fka Benjamin) originally came to us as a surrender from a commercial breeding facility in Lancaster county due to developing orthopedic problems as a puppy.

Benjamin was diagnosed with bilateral elbow hygromas or large fluid filled swellings over both of his elbows. Hygromas are extremely rare and caused by repeated trauma to a bony area, such as elbows, and are nothing more than an inflammatory response.

We suspect the hygromas developed as a direct result of the conditions present in the puppy mill he came from. Most likely, Ben was kept in a crate too small for him and he was forced to lie in one position on a hard surface unable to move. Ben recovered from his past and just celebrated his 1st birthday with his forever family! Please read this update from them below:

“I wanted to share a few pictures with you as we celebrated Cyrus’s first birthday & all the treats he enjoyed. He is a great dog. I am so happy he picked me to be his “Mommy.” He is my first boy Berner & I love him so much. He is very well behaved and loves going on outings. I do not have small children as mine are teenagers, but he just loves the littles and everyone he meets. I am still working on his kitty manners, but for the most part he could not care less. I am going to Arcadia National Park at the end of June and he will be the first dog I’ve taken on vacation. I am so excited!”

Big hugs to Cyrus and Jennifer! Thank you for choosing to adopt, and being willing to overlook Cyrus’ past and only focus on making his future bright! We hope stories like this remind people a dog might not be “perfect” at the time of adoption, but with lots of love and a little bit of patience from their family they can blossom into the best dogs!