Original St Bernard kennels rescued

Dogs in the News: Original St Bernard kennels rescued

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-1418111,00.html

If your memories are anything like mine, you'll remember your first knowledge of a working dog was the venerable St. Bernard, with cask of brandy about his/her neck, rescuing stranded hikers and skiers in the Alps. Well it seems that the monastery that bred the first St. Bernards was in financial trouble, and they've been saved by 33 local Italian and Swiss villages.

"Kennels at the Alpine monastery that bred the first St Bernard dogs have been saved from closure after mountain villages raised enough money to cover the running costs. Monks of the Hospice of the Great St Bernard, in the mountains on the Swiss-Italian border, announced in September that they lacked the funds to continue breeding and caring for the huge dogs. They said that their 15 St Bernards would have to be sold." Read more...