Blue Bear’s sole home for the last 11 years had been with his father, but that all changed last week. Blue Bear’s father had nowhere to go, so the senior mastiff ended up at Trenton Animals Rock. Blue Bear had no idea why he was at a shelter or why his father couldn’t stop sobbing. He growled and barked, frightening the staff at the shelter, until his father urged him to sit and Danielle Gletow approached him.

“I went over to him, and he instantly nestled his head into my waist and let me touch him,” Trenton Animals Rock director Gletow told The Dodo. “It was just upsetting.”

Blue Bear wasn’t violent, Gletow recognized; he was just bewildered and unhappy. Gletow assured Blue Bear’s owner that the dog would not spend the night in the shelter and began about finding him a foster home. Blue Bear began to cry since he was separated from his own family.

“We attempted to put Blue Bear in a kennel just to compose ourselves and make some calls, and he was just really upset,” Gletow explained. “So we carried him into the office, and he sat down in my lap.”

“He’d go over to the door and sit in front of it weeping every time he had,” she continued. “When he turned around, he had genuine tears streaming down his face. I’m not exaggerating — literal tears.”

Gletow told Blue Bear she wouldn’t leave the shelter that night unless he got a temporary residence. But, at 130 pounds and with significant arthritis in his rear legs, she realized it would be difficult to place Blue Bear.

Gletow posted a Facebook Live video of Blue Bear, and calls and comments began pouring in from all across the country. Fortunately, Madison, a local foster, watched the terrible video and agreed to take Blue Bear so he could begin to decompress. Blue Bear began to unwind at Madison’s residence.

“We put a cushion on the floor, and he lay his head on it, and Madison and I just sat with him and hugged him and spent some time,” Gletow explained. “He’s incredibly kind. He reminds me of a gentle giant.”

Gletow maintains in contact with Blue Bear’s father, but as his condition remains precarious, she is attempting to provide Blue Bear with a suitable location to spend his golden years.

“We’re going to put him in foster care for a bit to give him a chance to relax.” “Gletow stated. “We’ll start searching for a home with someone knowledgeable with large-breed dogs after the vet has seen him and we know what his needs are, and we’ll put him on supplements and potentially acupuncture.”

Blue Bear is just one example of Trenton Animals Rock’s efforts to assist local pets.

“Many people in this city are unaware that this is a no-kill shelter, thus they are hesitant to contact us.” “Gletow stated. “We’ve attempted to make this shelter more friendly to the community, and we’re showing folks that we can be a resource. They don’t have to be frightened to call out for assistance before it’s too late.”

And, while Blue Bear’s destiny remains unknown, one thing is certain: no more tears will be shed.