See The Impact That We Are Making!

Hi my name is Huck well Huckleberry Finn to be exact (aka Lucky).  My adventure 
started on October 1, 2011 when my forever family picked me up from Lab Rescue in 
Oakville.  Wow what a day.  Jodi from Lab Rescue was great, she gave me lots of love 
and treats, and she even gave me a new collar and leash!!!  I love car rides and she 
took me to a park where I met my forever family.  They were very happy and fun.  I 
even met my new four legged friend Kuffs.  She was an old gal, but very feisty.  

We played lots of catch.  It’s my favourite game.  At the end of the game, I jumped into 
the back of my new family’s truck and off we went.  I was kinda scared I didn’t know 
what was going on, but it did seem like a fun adventure.  We had a long drive and 
finally got to our destination which is now my new home.  I hung out with Kuffs.  She 
seemed to know the routine pretty good, we went on lots of short walks at first.   Kuffs 
even tried to tackle me a few times, I didn’t want to her hurt but she loved to play.  I 
didn’t leave my families side.  I stuck to them like glue. They gave me lots of love and 
attention.  

In my first week with my forever family I met my cousin Cash who is sooo young and 
likes to bite ears.  She chased me everywhere and wow I was so tired.  In my second 
week I went to this place my new family called the cottage.  Wow what a great place. I 
swam in a big lake and got to play with my new friend Kuffs.  This is us at the cottage.  
That was sooo much fun!!








 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Me and Kuffs at the cottage

 

I forgot to tell you though, that I had a sore leg.  If I played or ran too much, my knee 
kinda hurt.  I tried not to limp but sometimes the pain was too much.  My forever family 
noticed my leg was sore and I heard them talking to Laura and Karen from Lab 
Rescue.  They helped them out a lot.  My family was so happy with Lab Rescue and all 
the assistance they provided.  They were worried about my knee. They said I tore my 
ligament whatever that is.  Laura gave them a lot of information that helped my family 
in making their decision.  Laura even gave them advice to go see Dr. Warren Jr. at the 
Oakville Animal Clinic to do the surgery.  I think it was called the TPLO surgery.  That’s 
the one they said would be best for my knee.  

On December 14, 2012 my family packed me and Kuffs up and off we went to see Dr. 
Warren Jr.  I met Dr. Warren and he was great.  He gave me lots of pats and chest 
thumps.  Dr. Warren said for sure that my ligament was torn and I needed the TPLO 
surgery.  I was getting scared.  I didn’t know what was happening.  But the staff and 
Dr. Warren at the Oakville Animal Clinic were so friendly and kind to me, they made me 
feel better.  I heard my family talking to Dr. Warren.  He said that my ligament was torn 
and they would remove it, and would have to break my leg and put it back together 
with a plate.  But then I would be as good as new.  He said he could do my surgery 
right away, but I would have to stay at the hospital for a week.  Wow that seemed like a 
long time!!!!  

My forever family took me and Kuffs for a walk and told me I had to stay to get fixed.  
But they would be back in a week to get me.  They dropped me back with Dr. Warren 
and they were gone.  I stayed over night and then the next day I had my surgery.  
They gave me a needle that made me really tired.  I fell asleep.  This is what they did.

         
                        the plate in my left knee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When I woke up….WOW my leg was shaved and sore and I was very tired. I stayed with 
the Oakville Animal clinic for 1 week.  They were so nice to me.  They helped me get 
better so that I could walk and put pressure on my new leg.  I kinda looked funny but I 
felt better. My new parents called every day (maybe they were a little obsessive) but 
Dr. Warren Jr. and his staff took time out of their busy day to tell them how well I was 
doing.  

On December 21, 2012 the staff came to get me for my walk, and my forever family 
was there to pick me up.  Yahooo!!!  I was back with my family.   They tried to gently lift 
me into the truck, but I tried to jump, I already felt that much better. They didn’t let me 
jump though, they were very careful.  I had a big cone on my head.  I thought I looked 
funny but they said it would help me heal.  Wow what a week.  I finally got home after a 
long drive.  And I slept.  I was so happy to be back in my new home with my knee 
feeling so much better.


                                                                   My first night at home. Yay!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So now my healing begins.  My family kept me upstairs for the first 6 weeks.  I could 
only go up and down the stairs when they were with me.  They hooked a leash under 
my belly and took some of the weight off when I went up and down stairs.  I love stairs.  
Normally I fly up and down then.  But they kept good control of me.  I tried to be well 
behaved.  I was so excited to be feeling better I wanted to jump for joy and run and 
play.  I was hungry though.  I love food too.  I never stopped eating not once!!!!  This is 
a picture of me eating.  That’s what my leg looked like after the surgery.  Look, I am 
even putting lots of pressure on my leg.  They had to shave my back too for the 
morphine patch.  I was funny looking.  My family kept a leash on me to slow me down.  
But I was able to walk inside only.  I wasn’t allowed any outside walks yet; I only went 
outside on a leash to do my business.  But my leg felt better, I was so happy.  

    

 

 

 

 

 

One week after I got home from my surgery, my new friend Kuffs passed away.  She 
was so kind to me, taught me the new rules of the house, and the routine.  Kuffs was a 
good friend and I miss her.  My parents were sad.  So I tried to keep them occupied, 
and gave them all the love I had.  I know they lost another friend Bentley in June so 
they had a rough year.  Lab Rescue gave me a great new home and I was gonna do 
my best to give all my love to my new forever family.  We wouldn’t be a family without 
the help of Lab Rescue.

I went on weekly visits to Dr. Warren for 4 weeks.  He looked at my knee to make sure 
it was healing ok.  He also gave me an injection for my knee joint and ultra sound too.  
I had to take some drugs for the pain too.   

Don’t let these pictures fool you.  I wasn’t allowed to walk outside, but I had lots of 
energy. My parents played on the ground with me a lot.  I learned how to playfully 
wrestle.  I played all day long but I still could not run.  But I did get tired.  







 

 

 

 

 

             
  
My family tried to keep me busy and occupied.  I had a lot of toys, kongs with peanut 
butter (sometimes frozen), and sometimes a cheese kong.  I watched a lot of T.V. with 
my family too.  I love watching hockey. My favourite team is the Pittsburgh Penguins. 
This is me cheering for my new team!!!!







 

 

 

 

 

At 8 weeks I went for my halfway x-ray.  They still had to make me sleepy but I was 
able to go home.  Good News!! I was healing well and allowed to go on short walks, of 
course on a short leash.  I was sooo happy!!! I was allowed to go outside.  We started 
with three- 5 minute walks a day for a week or two and slowly worked our way up to 15-
20 minutes walks three times a day.  WOW!!!!  I even got to go to the cottage again, 
but I had to stay on my extended leash.  I wasn’t allowed to run yet, and there are lots 
of chipmunks up there for me to chase.  I eventually was allowed to trot on my leash.  I 
was trying to make my leg nice and strong.  The extended leash was awesome.  I was 
able to roam way more freely, and strengthen my leg.  Ya!!


Then it came.  After 18 long weeks, I went for my last visit with Dr. Warren.  I went for x-
rays again, and I passed with flying colours.  I was free to run by myself.  He said I had 
to be careful, to take it slow because my muscles had to build up again.  My parents 
followed Dr. Warren’s suggestions to the T.  I started to run on my own slowly.  This is 
me again at the cottage.  Most of my hair grew back, and then I got a rash on my 
back.  It was slow to grow, but I was free to swim and run and play.  I was very happy.

It’s now August.  We just came back from 2 weeks at the cottage.  All my hair has 
grown back.  My knee feels great.  I run free through the woods, I swim all the time.  I 
love swimming and chasing my toy.  I never stop. I always bring it right back so I can 
do it again.  It is one of my favourite things. I am no longer in any pain.  



















  

This is me going for my very first boat ride.  Wow!! That was fun.  I love sitting up in 
the front of the boat like the captain.  It’s my favourite spot.