Bowser's Brew Bash

Join us as we “add to our pack” at Bowser’s Brew Bash—the Erie Humane Society’s third annual beer launch with Lavery Brewing Company.

We’ll be re-launching our first two brews, Bowser’s Blind Dog Brew, a Helles lager, and Jack’s Second Chance Sour, a fruited sour ale. We will also be releasing our 3rd beer, Rebel's Redemption New England IPA!

Pick up a Bowser, Jack, or Rebel t-shirt, enter to win an awesome beer prize package, and enjoy live music.

Bowser, Jack and Rebel will also be there to sign “pawtographs” and meet their adoring fans.

No tickets are necessary and admission is free.

The Pups Behind the Brews

Bowser

Bowser's Blind Dog Brew - Helles Lager

Bowser, a 12-year-old beagle/spaniel mix, was brought to the Erie Humane Society in November of 2019. His previous owner made the difficult decision to surrender him, as she was no longer able to provide the care he needed.

Bowser was suffering from a painful eye condition that caused blindness. After consulting with our veterinarians, we made the tough decision to remove his eye because sadly, they were no longer useful to him and became a constant source of pain. The first few days after surgery were a little hard for him, but it didn't take long to get his groove back. Because he had been blind for some time, adjusting was not that challenging. He uses his other senses to navigate familiar places. It was apparent that his comfort level had greatly improved after surgery and was no longer in pain.

Bowser would still bump into things in unfamiliar spaces, but with a little guidance, he navigated his way around. With the help of our donor base, we purchased a Muffin's Halo harness to help him move around and it proved to be a very successful tool for him.

It's not hard to imagine why Bowser caught the eye of his foster family and it didn't take long for Bowser to capture their hearts, and officially become a member of their family.

Bowser comes back to visit all his friends at the Erie Humane Society and makes frequent appearances at our events. He is very proud to represent the Erie Humane Society with this Blind Dog Brew, in collaboration with Lavery Brewing Company to raise much needed funds for other special needs pets that come to the shelter in need of advanced medical care.

Jack

Jack's Second Chance Sour - Fruited Sour Ale

Jack’s innocent little life almost ended before it even had a chance to begin. Jack was living in an unheated shed when he was removed from his mother and litter mates at 4 months old. Unlike his litter mates, Jack was not going to be sold. Rather, he was going to be discarded because he was born with medical defects and was thought to be blind—ultimately, deeming him “unprofitable” by the puppy mill he was born at. Jack often displays a blank stare and appears mentally dull. Birth defects such as these are the result of poor over-breeding that often happens in puppy mills. The Erie Humane Society stepped in to assist in Jack's rescue and provide him the medical care necessary for him to have a full life.

Upon arriving to the Erie Humane Society, and after receiving lots of snuggles, a tiny, malnourished Jack began to perk up. We witnessed changes in Jack’s behavior throughout the course of that first day. Being showered with endless amounts of love allowed Jack to feel secure and when he began to feel more comfortable, we suspected that Jack was not blind.

While he would become alert, Jack would often slip into a lifeless state. After consulting with our veterinarian, it was determined that Jack likely has liver shunt, a condition in which his body does not purge toxins from his system.

As we awaited results from his bloodwork, Jack entered foster care with our Executive Director so his condition could be closely monitored. Our director began preparing fresh meals for him, allowing his body to absorb essential nutrients and easily process his food. Within days, we noticed a huge shift in Jack’s overall behavior and responsiveness. His labs did show signs of possible liver shunt, and we were referred to a specialist for consultation. Our director was advised to continue what she was doing with Jack’s nutrition because it was working.

Fast-forward three months later, Jack continued to thrive. While his updated lab work was not perfect, it had improved so much that the specialist consultation was not needed at this time. Thankfully for Jack, he was saved from a condition, that if left untreated, would have been fatal.

Over the past 1 1/2 years, he has been showered with love, and is enjoying life as any dog should. He stole the hearts of his foster family, who ended up becoming his forever family. Even when we may not be expecting or planning to add a furry family member to our pack, fate has a funny way of working out. There is no doubt that Jack landed exactly where he needs to be.

Rebel

Rebel's Redemption - New England IPA

Rebel, an 8-year-old lab mix, was brought to the Erie Humane Society in August of 2022 as a stray. Despite his gentle and friendly demeanor, it was apparent that Rebel had been neglected by his previous owner. He had long nails, a sore on his paw, and fleas, but what was most shocking was the large mass that was growing from his lower jaw.

Rebel was placed in a foster home and it was determined by our veterinarian that Rebel would require a surgical consultation with a specialist, to discuss the possibility of removing the mass. In October of 2022, Rebel was approved to move forward with surgery, which required the removal of a portion of his lower jaw. He made it through surgery with ease and healed up like the champ he is.

About one month later, we received the good news we were hoping for -- Rebel's mass was benign!

Every single pet that leaves our shelter with a loving family is something to celebrate. That victory is a little bit sweeter when you’ve witnessed a total transformation of a pet whose journey didn’t start the best. The love and compassion of the humans that care for a pet, like Rebel, play a key role in not only the success of their rehabilitation, but also in the restoration of a broken spirit. At EHS, we are proud to dedicate our efforts to rehabilitate the whole pet.

Rebel and his foster mom decided that they didn’t want to part ways, and would much rather continue their journey together, as a forever family. We are beyond happy for Rebel and his mom and celebrate the priceless gift of a full life, filled with love, that Rebel will live for the rest of his days.