Rescuing a gentle giant

Michelle Krawczyk can’t imagine her family without their beloved Saint Bernard, Obie. She also can’t imagine how anyone could abandon him and let him be put to death.

Brian LaPeter

Tom Mueller, a reference librarian at Lakes Region Library, rescues Saint Bernards. Pictured with him is his 5-year-old Saint Bernard, Barry.

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Michelle Krawczyk, far right, and her family adopted Obie, right, a couple of years ago from Tom Mueller, who rescued the Saint Bernard a day before the dog was scheduled to be killed. Krawczyk said Obie has been a major part of her life and her family’s life. The family includes: Nixon, another family dog; her husband, John; and their children, Kaelyn, 4, Cole, 1, Hannah, 13 and Abbie, 3.

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Michelle Krawczyk’s son, Coleman, takes a nap on their adopted dog Obie. Cole was 3 weeks old when the photo was taken.

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Obie poses for a picture with the Krawczyk’s girls, Hannah, Kaelyn and Abbie.

The gentle giant’s life nearly ended at an animal shelter more than two years ago in south Florida. An animal rescuer found him the day before he was scheduled to be killed, Krawczyk said.

Through a rescue group, Obie ended up in the Inverness home of Tom Mueller, a reference librarian at Lakes Region Library who fosters animals in need. Mueller cared for him, saw to his medical needs and got him back to a healthy weight.

Krawczyk had been looking for a Saint Bernard and got in touch with Mueller. After Mueller’s visit with Obie to the Krawczyk home in Jacksonville, everyone involved knew they’d found a match. Krawczyk was pregnant at the time and had three other children and other animals, so the dog had to be good with them too.

He was.

“Obie couldn’t be any more perfect if we drew him on paper,” Krawczyk said.

She even has a picture of her son at 3 weeks old sleeping on 150-pound Obie’s back.

The dog has become a big part of their lives — in every sense of the word.

The Krawczyks, who have since relocated to North Carolina, like to take family vacations that include their pets. When Obie came to live with them, they discovered they had to trade their minivan for a 15-passenger van to accommodate him and the growing family, but it was a small price to pay for having the perfect dog.

Adopting Obie has made Krawczyk want to foster other rescued dogs once her children are older. Knowing what she knows now, she doesn’t plan to buy another dog again.

“I will always rescue,” she said. “I’m so thankful to Tom. Obie is so gentle and amazing. He’s brought so much joy to our lives. I can’t believe somebody would have killed him.”

Krawczyk continues to share updates about Obie with Tom and others involved in Obie’s rescue.

Labor of love

Mueller fosters a variety of animals and has two Saints of his own: teenage Mimi and 5-year-old Barry. Mueller jokingly describes Barry as a “rescue failure” because Mueller kept him for himself.

“We fell in love with each other four years ago,” said Mueller, who is in the process of creating his own rescue organization.

The animals Mueller fosters are “waiting for their forever homes” — homes like Obie’s.

“(The) one I have now at home was basically a garage ornament,” Mueller said.

Many of the rescued animals in the two Florida-based organizations Mueller works with — The Dog Liberator and Florida Saint Bernard Rescue — come from shelters or were discarded from puppy mills.

Mimi came from a puppy mill and was nearly lifeless when she came to live with Mueller. She had heartworms and other ailments and was underweight. Mueller wouldn’t even name her for the first few weeks because he didn’t know if she would live.

“She looked ancient, but she was probably 8 (years old) when we got her,” he said.

Mimi eventually came around and regained her health.

“When her eyes came to life, it was like, ‘Somebody loves me,’” he said.

Saint Bernards aren’t for everyone. They tend to drool, they shed and they’re big. But for owners such as Mueller and Krawczyk, they are the perfect choice.

“They are very special dogs,” Mueller said. “They’re very sedentary. They love to sleep and hang out with their people.”

Mueller’s love for dogs doesn’t stop at Saint Bernards.

“Those that are most in need, I’ve learned, are pit bulls, German shepherds and mongrels. Heinz 57s — sometimes those are the best dogs.”

The most important advice Mueller offers to dog owners and prospective owners is this: “Spay and neuter. Please adopt and don’t buy. Don’t support puppy mills.”

Chronicle reporter Amanda Mims can be reached at (352) 564-2925 or amims@chronicleonline.com.