Homeless awaits reunion with his dog following its surgery

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – This is the story of a man and his dog.

They came to Indianapolis from Battle Creek, Michigan, a few weeks before Thanksgiving. At first, they stayed with family, but circumstances intervened, and 53-year-old Bernard Holland found himself pitching a tent for his 2-year-old mixed breed, Oreo, and him in The Jungle, a homeless camp just east of Downtown.

That’s where Horizon House outreach worker Melissa Burgess found them. Earlier this month, the city was in the deep freeze, with temperatures dipping below zero. A night not fit for man nor beast.

Holland knew he could return to his sister’s house for the night during the bitter cold, but his dog was not welcome. Leaving Oreo out in the elements was not an option.

Enter Ben Bierlein, owner of Wigglebutt Doghouse on the Northwestside. Bierlein offered to care for Oreo during the cold snap and until Holland finds permanent housing. But there’s more. Bierlein paid for Oreo to get up to date on shots and to be spayed, after Holland agreed to the procedure.

“She’s safe, and I know they’re taking good care of her,” said Holland during a visit to Horizon House, a day shelter at 1033 E. Washington St. “I can tell Ben has a passion for animals.”

Bierlein opened Wigglebutt, 8455 Moller Road, in 2011. It offers doggie daycare, boarding and fostering of rescue dogs. When Horizon House contacted him about Oreo’s situation, he knew he could help.

“Oreo is putting smiles on all of the faces here,” Bierlein told The Indianapolis Star (http://indy.st/1J2SQ3s ). “She is adorable, the biggest sweetheart – and she has made lots of new four-legged friends. She’s very dog-social. If you could watch her during the day, you’d think she’s been coming to doggie day care for years,” he said.

“But to us, the real story here is about a man, although down on his luck and living in a tent, who would not give up on his dog. The fact that he was willing to gut it out in sub-zero temperatures because he didn’t want to leave his dog – that’s pretty powerful,” Bierlein said. With the myriad of reasons people surrender their dogs to shelters, Bernard would have had a very valid reason, but he loves Oreo; she means the world to him.”

Holland and Oreo have been a team since Oreo was a 4-month-old pup. He bought her from a friend in Michigan, but he feels like he rescued her.

“When I got her, she was so skinny, you could see every bone in her body.”

Today, Oreo is a healthy 35 pounds. She has recovered from her surgery and is settling into foster care at Wigglebutt, but every few days, she gets a visitor. Holland has caught a ride a couple of times with a Horizon House van. Wigglebutt is on the IndyGo line so he can also take the bus there.

On his first visit last week, with Burgess by his side, Holland was understandably excited, but Oreo was over the top. “When she came walking out and saw Bernard, I wish I had recorded it,” said Burgess. “She hadn’t seen him since Friday. It was one of the most beautiful things. She was so excited.”

“Her tail was going 40 miles per hour,” Holland said. “She was rolling all over, jumping. It made my heart smile. That’s my baby.”

Bierlein witnessed the same thing. “You can see it on his face,” he said of Holland. “He’s in love with her. And she loves him.”

So, what now?

Holland will continue to make his home in a tent, unless the nights get too cold. But he is enrolled in Opportunity Knocks classes through Horizon House and hopes to find a job as a painter or janitor. Horizon House is also trying to help him find affordable housing.

Holland said this isn’t the first time he’s been homeless, but for 10 years, he operated his own drywall business in Chicago. His life changed, he said, when he was shot in 1992 by two young teens in a random attack that he later learned was part of a gang initiation.

What followed was months of hospitalization and years of surgeries. Now, he says he’s ready to settle down in Indianapolis.

“My plan is to get a job, get a place, reunite with Oreo and live out the rest of our lives together,” Holland said.

Before he left Horizon House on Tuesday, loaded down with blankets and warm clothes, Mary Stickelmaier, director of development and communications, gave him a picture taken of Oreo with Holland.

He gratefully accepted it and thanked her and Burgess for their help. “I’m truly blessed. My dog is taken care of, and I’ve got enough blankets to keep me warm.”

Burgess would prefer that Holland stay at one of the overnight shelters in the city, but Holland said the early curfew and other rules put him off. So Burgess and other outreach workers will continue to check on him and others around town.

Winter is a busy time at Horizon House, which also features the new full-service Eskenazi Health Pedigo Clinic. More people needing services puts more strain on an already tight budget, said Stickelmaier. The shelter welcomes volunteers and donations to carry out its mission of permanently ending the cycle of homelessness.

“Donations ensure that we will continue to offer vital services for Indianapolis’ most vulnerable,” said Teresa Wessel, executive director. “Funds go to keep key staff positions, such as case manaINDIANAPOLIS (AP) – This is the story of a man and his dog.

They came to Indianapolis from Battle Creek, Michigan, a few weeks before Thanksgiving. At first, they stayed with family, but circumstances intervened, and 53-year-old Bernard Holland found himself pitching a tent for his 2-year-old mixed breed, Oreo, and him in The Jungle, a homeless camp just east of Downtown.

That’s where Horizon House outreach worker Melissa Burgess found them. Earlier this month, the city was in the deep freeze, with temperatures dipping below zero. A night not fit for man nor beast.

Holland knew he could return to his sister’s house for the night during the bitter cold, but his dog was not welcome. Leaving Oreo out in the elements was not an option.

Enter Ben Bierlein, owner of Wigglebutt Doghouse on the Northwestside. Bierlein offered to care for Oreo during the cold snap and until Holland finds permanent housing. But there’s more. Bierlein paid for Oreo to get up to date on shots and to be spayed, after Holland agreed to the procedure.

“She’s safe, and I know they’re taking good care of her,” said Holland during a visit to Horizon House, a day shelter at 1033 E. Washington St. “I can tell Ben has a passion for animals.”

Bierlein opened Wigglebutt, 8455 Moller Road, in 2011. It offers doggie daycare, boarding and fostering of rescue dogs. When Horizon House contacted him about Oreo’s situation, he knew he could help.

“Oreo is putting smiles on all of the faces here,” Bierlein told The Indianapolis Star (http://indy.st/1J2SQ3s ). “She is adorable, the biggest sweetheart – and she has made lots of new four-legged friends. She’s very dog-social. If you could watch her during the day, you’d think she’s been coming to doggie day care for years,” he said.

“But to us, the real story here is about a man, although down on his luck and living in a tent, who would not give up on his dog. The fact that he was willing to gut it out in sub-zero temperatures because he didn’t want to leave his dog – that’s pretty powerful,” Bierlein said. With the myriad of reasons people surrender their dogs to shelters, Bernard would have had a very valid reason, but he loves Oreo; she means the world to him.”

Holland and Oreo have been a team since Oreo was a 4-month-old pup. He bought her from a friend in Michigan, but he feels like he rescued her.

“When I got her, she was so skinny, you could see every bone in her body.”

Today, Oreo is a healthy 35 pounds. She has recovered from her surgery and is settling into foster care at Wigglebutt, but every few days, she gets a visitor. Holland has caught a ride a couple of times with a Horizon House van. Wigglebutt is on the IndyGo line so he can also take the bus there.

On his first visit last week, with Burgess by his side, Holland was understandably excited, but Oreo was over the top. “When she came walking out and saw Bernard, I wish I had recorded it,” said Burgess. “She hadn’t seen him since Friday. It was one of the most beautiful things. She was so excited.”

“Her tail was going 40 miles per hour,” Holland said. “She was rolling all over, jumping. It made my heart smile. That’s my baby.”

Bierlein witnessed the same thing. “You can see it on his face,” he said of Holland. “He’s in love with her. And she loves him.”

So, what now?

Holland will continue to make his home in a tent, unless the nights get too cold. But he is enrolled in Opportunity Knocks classes through Horizon House and hopes to find a job as a painter or janitor. Horizon House is also trying to help him find affordable housing.

Holland said this isn’t the first time he’s been homeless, but for 10 years, he operated his own drywall business in Chicago. His life changed, he said, when he was shot in 1992 by two young teens in a random attack that he later learned was part of a gang initiation.

What followed was months of hospitalization and years of surgeries. Now, he says he’s ready to settle down in Indianapolis.

“My plan is to get a job, get a place, reunite with Oreo and live out the rest of our lives together,” Holland said.

Before he left Horizon House on Tuesday, loaded down with blankets and warm clothes, Mary Stickelmaier, director of development and communications, gave him a picture taken of Oreo with Holland.

He gratefully accepted it and thanked her and Burgess for their help. “I’m truly blessed. My dog is taken care of, and I’ve got enough blankets to keep me warm.”

Burgess would prefer that Holland stay at one of the overnight shelters in the city, but Holland said the early curfew and other rules put him off. So Burgess and other outreach workers will continue to check on him and others around town.

Winter is a busy time at Horizon House, which also features the new full-service Eskenazi Health Pedigo Clinic. More people needing services puts more strain on an already tight budget, said Stickelmaier. The shelter welcomes volunteers and donations to carry out its mission of permanently ending the cycle of homelessness.

“Donations ensure that we will continue to offer vital services for Indianapolis’ most vulnerable,” said Teresa Wessel, executive director. “Funds go to keep key staff positions, such as case managers who serve people like Bernard. With a 32 percent increase in the neighbors we served last year, services are in high demand.”

Holland aims to be one of Horizon House’s success stories.

The perfect life for him, he said, is “just to be able to get Oreo back, have a roof over my head and have a job and do the right thing in life. I’m not looking to be rich, just live a happy life.”

gers who serve people like Bernard. With a 32 percent increase in the neighbors we served last year, services are in high demand.”

Holland aims to be one of Horizon House’s success stories.

The perfect life for him, he said, is “just to be able to get Oreo back, have a roof over my head and have a job and do the right thing in life. I’m not looking to be rich, just live a happy life.”