Updates from Adoptive Families
We have adopted out hundreds of Labs to loving new families and we would like to mention them all but that is just not possible. Many come into our care in super health, and great spirits but just need homes that can spend more time with them while others need a bit more whether it be medically or in training or both. We continue to add stories to Lab Tails area of the web as an important way to convey the readers the critical work this rescue does saving as many Labs as possible from a wide range of situations.
CHARLIE- Updated December 2016, adopted October 2016 at the age of 6
Charlie was surrendered after the second child was born, leaving little time for their once beloved furbaby. He's now loving life with his pal Tilly, also a LRAS rescue.
It always totally amazes me how adaptable dogs are.
It is like Charlie has lived here his whole life. Once he has his walk in the morning he is a relaxed guy.
He is very special.
Yup...... he belongs here alright!
Thanks again to you all at Lab Rescue!
Gerry & Roger
FARLEY- Updated December 2016, adopted October 2016 at the age of 9.
Farley was rescued from a shelter where he had spent months becoming deconditioned and lacked proper medical attention. Upon intake it was discovered that he had Lyme disease. Lab Rescue treated Farley appropriately and he is now healthy and happy in his new home.
What fun to see Farley's personality emerge as he became accustomed to the sweet life!
He now shows his Lab nature when fed after a few weeks of delicately nibbling his kibble: by the time I have turned around to give him fresh water, he has finished his kibble and looks at me with innocent eyes hoping I will forget I just fed him and do so again. He enjoys sharing my banana each morning, and takes dainty morsels very gently.
Farley has rediscovered his bark! He barks at the dog park, especially when the young, rambunctious big guys get wild. They stop, look at him and settle down for a few seconds. Definitely, a cop!
And - after weeks of twice daily trips to the park - FARLEY HAS PLAYED!!! He now also follows trails nose to the ground. I keep an eye on him, but he loses sight of me and will suddenly pop his head up and look around until he sees me. Then he races towards me, with that Lab smile on his face. This experience has been a joy, thank you again for all the hours you spend making dogs whole again.
~Elizabeth~
TOBY- Updated December 2016, adopted July 2014 at the age of 6
Toby was surrendered to Lab Rescue by no fault of his own when his family moved and no longer wanted to include them in their family.
We adopted Toby from Lab Rescue in July of 2014. Toby is the sweetest, most loving dog and we are truly blessed to have him as a part of our family. He is just the best. In March our first baby (the non furry kind) arrived and it has been wonderful to watch Toby and our daughter bond. They are the best of friends already. Toby takes his role as big brother very seriously, always keeping a close eye on her. We can't thank you enough for giving us the joy of adopting Toby.
Sincerely,
L.W.
HERSHEY- Updated December 2016, adopted October 2016 at age of three.
Hershey came to Lab Rescue when her owners realized they were too busy to give her the attention she needs.
This is Hershey's first boat ride. She really seemed to enjoyed it and actually tried to go back on the boat for another ride. You have no idea how much we truly love her already and getting to know her has been amazing. Her first Thanksgiving with our family went well she loved everyone as they did her. She sleeps with us now and is so good in the car just lays on back seat so we take her everywhere. The lease thing gets better everyday and she has been in the lake up to her belly
So we cannot thank-you enough for the work you do and sending Hersey to us when we needed her as much as she needed us.
Thanks so much
Betty and Dan
BUFFY- Updated December 2016, adopted August 2011
Buffy is doing extremely well! She's turning into an old girl at 12 1/2 but she's healthy, strong and still very active. She loves carrots and sweet potato and she still walks a solid 40 - 50 minutes a day along with our play time in the back yard. She's turning grey but she's still a beautiful girl! She's turned into a real cuddler, too, even though she was not comfortable with close contact at first.
I love coming home to her little happy dance, it’s adorable! She prances back and forth from one front foot to the other, and she does these pretty little prancing leaps, like Bambi at play. And now when I crawl out of bed in the morning, I always have to smile as she gives me her good morning wag. She’s still half asleep and looks dead to the world all but for that tail going ‘thump, thump’ against the floor. Then she goes belly up, it’s quite obvious that she knows who the suckers are in this family.
I’m so happy to have Buffy, my little chocolate shadow. She’s definitely become my girl.
~Loving owner L.W.~
DIEFENBAKER - Updated December 2016, Adopted May 2014
After living the first 6 years of his life living outdoors with very little attention, Dief now enjoys cuddling with his new family in the warm house and going for long trail walks everyday. And of course swimming!
It's hard to believe Dief has been with me for over two years. He turned 8 on June 16th and we celebrated with a hamburger cake. He needed help blowing out the candles.
~ Rob & Family ~
MAGGIE - Updated December 2015, Adopted November 2015
Maggie was surrendered to LRAS due to her "birth defect", being born with one eye. LRAS performed the surgery to close the eyelid to prevent future infection.
This little peanut has totally stole our hearts 💗 She is so smart she is using the bell for potty; no problems what so ever. Her and Katie have bonded so well it is unreal. We definitely believe she was meant to be with us, she is so at home it is like she has always been here. We can't say enough how much we love this girl who has the most quirky personality, she is totally opposite of Katie . We have had so many laughs and we have seen Katie perk up which has been great. We can't thank you all it truly was a match and meant to be.
~Pam & Fred~
BELLA - Updated December 2015, Adopted August 2015
Dear Lab Rescue,
Words cannot begin to describe how grateful my wife and I are for Bella coming into our lives. We lost our previous pup in 2012 and it devastated us. We still mourn his passing, but we felt it was time to open up our hearts and home again to another lab that needed us. Enter Bella; a beautiful 14-month old black lab looking for a family to love her just as much as she’d love them back. We understand she came from a family situation that changed, where she suffered from a bit of loneliness and abandonment. Well, her life completely changed when she became part of our lives.
During the week while we’re at work, three of the days she goes for long walks 3 times daily and the other two days she spends the entire day at a great doggie daycare. On the weekends we take her on long hikes or to the dog park. She has become quite the social butterfly with all of the interaction she has with other dogs. And she loves it! Not going to lie, she’s a little spoiled. She’s got 3 beds throughout our house, the best quality food, full access to our home and large backyard and occasionally gets to jump in bed with us for a snooze! Bella came to us looking for her forever home and trust me, she found it. She will never again have to worry being loved and cared for. We couldn’t love her more. We are all living the dream!
~Paul & Joan~
NICHOLAS & NOEL -Adopted August 2015
Nicholas underwent TPLO surgery to repair a torn ligament in his knee and with the dedication of our foster he recovered fabulously. These siblings started to discover the world and progressed tremendously and stole everyone's heart at Lab-Rescue. Nicholas and Noel were adopted at the age of 6 by a wonderful family.
Update August 2015 - We are overjoyed and so fortunate to have Nicholas and Noel as part of our lives. They are fabulous and have meshed with our life style more than we ever thought possible. By the first week it felt like they had been us for a long time. They are well behaved, friendly, affectionate and responsive. Making full use of our fenced two wooded acres, we are now well protected from chipmunks and squirrels. Once again the property is crisscrossed with paths. Being most fortunate to have been able to adopt Nicholas and Noel, we are extremely grateful to your organization and excellent fostering process.
~ B.M. ~
MARLEY & COCO - Update August 2015, Adopted June 2015
Marley & Coco came into our care because their family was leaving the country going to Africa and could not take them with them. Today, they are simply adored and have quite the life! Words from their new family ... "Franz and I love these two girls. They have brought so much to our lives. We never thought we could love another dog the way we loved our previous dog but we were wrong! Now we have the love of two gentle beautiful dogs!"
~Sylvie~
BUSTER - Update August 2015, Adopted December 2014
Buster is doing well! He is a happy, energetic boy who loves to snuggle with his Mom. This summer Buster went on an East Coast road trip and got to stick his feet in the Atlantic Ocean! Though we still call him Buster we have added the name Posey so he is Buster Posey named after the San Francisco Giants all star catcher! We are grateful everyday for this little guy and thank all of you very much!
~Jennifer, Graham, and Buster Posey~
HERSHEY- Update June 2015, Adopted May 2011 at age 2.5 yrs
We adopted Hershey in 2011 and what an athlete he has become! He competes in agility but his passion is dock diving. I would encourage all other owners who adopt from your wonderful program to consider this sport. It is a great day out with your best friend and another way to meet other dog lovers. Hershey will continue to compete in dock through the summer and he generally is in the run for placing in his division.
Thanks again for all that that rescue unit does in finding forever homes for these wonderful companions. Hope to see you at the docks!
~Heather~
CHICO- Update February 2014, Adopted July 2013
FAST FRIENDS....
Chico has now been with us for 7 months and our granddaughter is just about 1. As you can see from this picture they have become fast friends. Just before I snapped this picture Gwen went over and sat beside Chico and he softly put his head in her lap.
Thank you for all you do to give dogs a second chance.
Chico is home.
~Laurel~
HENRY- Update January 2014 - Adopted July 2010 at age 9 years
“Henry originally came to our family as a Foster Dog in July of 2010. He was found wandering the streets in Kingston and picked up by Lab Rescue from a kill shelter when no one came to claim him. After only a few days with our family we knew Henry wasn’t going anywhere. There was no letting this sweet boy go. He and our cat Carter became quick friends and love to spend their summer days outside in the garden. Carter was an indoor cat before Henry came along but refuses to stay inside while his best friend is out! Henry has adapted nicely to his daily walks, afternoon naps, and appreciates the fact we have put a dog bed down for him in almost every room of the house! Thank you for introducing us to Henry. We are so happy to have him be a part of the family.” Barbe & Family
SKY - Update July 2013
We had the barking problem in the beginning, and although still an issue, not like it was. She was quite a "city dog" and didn't seem to know how to manage the woods and rocks on our property and our local dog parks. It didn't take long and she has made herself quite at home at the cottage on the St. Lawrence River--runs along the shoreline rock ledge with ease; initially only diving for rocks and went in up to her knees at first and is now an avid swimmer, fetching balls and sticks thrown in, jumping off from anywhere. She also loves to go into the kayak with me. Needless to say, she has lost some weight and the vet says she looks great. We absolutely love her and she seems to really enjoy her life with us.
KODA - Update June 2012 - Adopted May 2012 at age 8
Just a note and another ‘thank you’ for Koda. He is such a pal and goes almost everywhere with me! He loves just walking around the yard with me watering the flowers, saying hello to the neighbors, etc. He also loves to go for a car ride when ever he can!
Thank you again for Koda. He is such a good dog.
~Kelly Z~
TULAH - Update June 2012, Adopted April 2012
Hi, Recently we donated a bench to our dog park in memory of our
Labrador Chase, and also for the joy that our golden Chloe and now
Tulah (Tulip) derive from their daily trips to the park Thank you for allowing us to adopt this wonderful, sweet yellow Labrador. She and Chloe are best friends, and she has certainly enriched our lives.
Thanks so much we are impressed with your professional approach and everyone that has met Tulah has fallen in love with her.
~Bonnie & Mike~
BESS - Update June 2012 - Adopted at age 9 years
What a delightful story - from Bess' owner dying, then being dumped at a shelter, then rescued by us, adopted by a wonderful family a month ago at age 9!
Now she is living the life .... BESS THE BOATER!
Truly wonderful and inspirational.
FARLEY- Update January 2012 - Adopted 2009 at age 6 years
Farley was adopted in August 2009. He quickly became a part of
our family and our lives. In the summer he cottages in Algonquin
Park enjoying jumping off the dock and retrieving a ball. We generally tire of this long before he does. He is very good in the car on both long and short trips as long as he can poke his head out
of the window and catch all of the smells. With 5 grown children
dropping by Farley is constantly coddled with lots of ball throwing
and walking. He enjoys his daily walks near the lake, or snowshoeing in the bush behind our home and is my constant companion while I sew, read or cook. He has many friends of the 4 legged variety in our neighbourhood who he also plays ball with. We are thoroughly enjoying Farley and are so glad he is part of our family.
~Shelagh~
SCOUT - Update January 2012 - Adopted March 2011
Scout was adopted out with separation anxiety issues. Through the love, patience and guidance of Suzy and her family Scout has flourished to be a wonderful companion for the whole family. He is best buds to Micheal and has welcomed happily the birth of the twins! This is one busy household but shows the level of commitment to dog ownership. Scout lives happily with his canine bud HAPPY!
Things are great with my little guys.....the dogs are spectacular with it all! Scout and Happy are very restfully always at my feet!
Scout LOVES to sleep right in the middle of the kitchen floor or hallway, I am sure he is making sure he is able to see all the goings on around him! We absolutely adore him and short of never leaving him alone, think we have figured things out! He was a challenge though thats for sure! He goes everywhere with us, and behaves so well that he is an easy companion! He and I do an 8km walk everyday, sometimes there is a destination.....shopping on Bloor, the ladies in the stores LOVE him! He comes with me into change rooms, patiently waits while I try on shoes....he is a saint really! This dog is the most loyal friend I have ever had....he watches my every move even from comfy, sleepy spots and will be there in a split second if I move! He walks everyday now with the twins!! Our whole family think he is the best dog ever (along with Happy of course!) Our lives have been forever changed with the addition of Scout to our lives.....he is so connected to us I almost think there is a bit of human in there!
JET - Update December 2011 - Adopted June 2010 at 5 yeears
Joan was kind enough to update us recently that Jet - who is blind is just the most happy, easy going lab ever! He doesn't let his disability slow him down at all and the neighbours tease he is "faking his blindness". Note:A special thank you to Jodi for also fostering this boy until his forever home was found.
Jet's journey from a kill pound to his forever home took volunteers many hours to find the right home and every second was worth it for this amazing boy!
We are proud to be part of the solution for these wonderful labs.
~Joan~
JACK - Adopted April 2011
Jack was adopted by a super family and is currently the apple of their eye! He truly is one special loved boy.
Jack came to us with a groin pull diagnosis from his surrendering vet. It was a pull he had been coping with for well over 6 months and not managing as well as he should. A fantastic family adopted him and we worked together with them at the rescue to make sure Jack's pull was recovering at the proper pace. When we felt that it wasn't Jack visited our super vet for further investigation .. then we got the bad news .... Jack DID NOT have a groin pull that simply requires rest he had a TORN LIGAMENT in his back hind leg that was causing him intense pain. As team leader I have just watched my own dog go through this issue and know how important it is to deal with medically sooner then later. A TORN LIGAMENT NEVER HEALS ON A LARGE DOG EVEN WITH REST - IT must be addressed. Jack had his surgery - a Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy on April 6th and has recovered nicely.
SHADOW - Adopted March 2011 at age 3 years
Just thought I would touch base with you again to let you know how we are progressing with Shadow. Let me tell you, this dog is AWESOME!! He is doing so well and really seems to be making himself at home here. He loves playing with the kids, and they just get a real kick out of him. He is amazing with his commands and his house manners are really good. He has really bonded with Jason already, but is still very affectionate with the kids and I too. Overall, we think he is fabulous and we're pretty sure that he thinks we're okay too :-)
He is such a GOOD boy and is a wonderful addition to our
family. I know I have said it before, but thank you so much
for matching us up with such an awesome lab.
~Mary~
BARILKO (BEAR) - Adopted March 2011 at 1.4 years
Barilko is an owner surrender due to the financial / medical requirements of surgery. Barilko was having a super time romping around the bedroom until he smashed his knee on the bed frame and was in excruciating pain. The result was this boy needed a luxating patella surgery and a few months of patience and rehab which is so hard to keep a one year old dog from high energy
excitement.
Barilko had surgery on March 1, 2011 - without this much needed surgery he would have been a lame dog for the rest of his life in chronic pain.
Lab rescue is so pleased to have been able to save this boy and we thank all those for their support though sponsorship donations; the vet hospital that gracious performed the surgery with tremendous skill; the foster family that cared for him the first two critical weeks of recovery and his new family for having the willingness and rescue faith to adopt this boy and continue on his road to recovery. Another month and this boy will be back to full romping around.
DIESEL (JACK) - Adopted April 2011 at age 3.8 years
Diesel, now Jack, resides with his new buddy Jessie and is super content and a delighted member of their loving family. He is super in the car and great with the young child in the house. He loves water and the beach and has settled in like his
has been part of the family for a very long time.
Thanks again for introducing us to this super-special guy into our lives. L.P.
MAX - March 20, 2011
Max has come along way since we brought him home that cold winter day in February. Over the past few weeks he has come out of his shell and he truly is a delight. He gets along great with our cat Riley and we have recently got him a dog walker to break up his day. He has began to socialize well with other dogs and we have taken him to the Dog park recently. He got along with most dogs and loved to be leash free running for an extended period of time.
He is very well behaved in the house and is usually pretty relaxed. It is probably because he gets out all of his energy on our walks. He loves to have his belly rubbed and he loves our futon in the office. I just wanted to say thanks to you and everyone at Lab Rescue for doing what you do each and every day. If it wasn't for you guys I would have never been introduced to Max. He has become a big part of our lives and I can't thank you guys enough. Thanks again ~Nick and Amanda~
TOBY- Adopted February 2011 at age 11.
Toby was surrendered to us for family allergy issues. Lab Rescue has placed her with a wonderful family that is full of love ad time to devote to this amazing princess. The family truly adores her and have said "I have to tell you she is the MOST polite, sweet, angelic dog I have ever had. She loves go for a walk and to play with her toys. " Lab Rescue has placed her on meds to help with her sore joints and this girl is almost prancing now on her walks.
Lots of love to this wonderful gal. Proud new family J & M . B
PETRIE - Adopted February 2011 at age 11.
Petrie was surrendered to Lab Rescue due to divorce. It is hard for most of us to understand how one could just let go of a lab that they have owned since they were a puppy. Lab Rescue does not examine the reason but only looks forward to find the solution and that is to find amazing loving home that are rescue savvy and have incredibly open hearts. Petrie's new family adores her and have said "Petrie is beautiful, and is doing well. She is happy and settled and enjoying all the attention! It is like she has lived here all along!"
Lots of love to this wonderful gal.
Proud new family A. F
LEXIE - Adopted Feb 2011 at age 5.7 years.
Lexie was surrendered to Lab Rescue due to life circumstances.
Lexie is having an incredible time with her new family and learning to love the outdoors and her new mode of winter play transportation! They have said she is so wonderful that is doesn't seem possible
that she has only been with them such a short time. She is a wonderful girl that is adjusting well to her new home.
Thank you to her family for sharing such wonderful pictures.
Proud new family R & M. C
TIGGER - Updated January 2011 - Adopted May 2009 at the age of 3 years
He is beloved by all, especially his trainer and his dog walker. People are always offering to Tigger-sit as he is very good dog. He has become a great dog both on and off leash. He is delightful to be around and is a wonderful friend and companion. He is absolutely incredible with people, and is the lousiest guard dog of all time. He smiles too, which is absolutely endearing and hilarious. He is a real talker and in recent months has started communicating via different ‘dialects’ of dog groan. He has his purr-groan, his rollover groan, his lie down groan, and so on and so forth. His best groans are in the morning when his sleepy eyes are being rubbed awake. He is very smart, learns quickly and loves to please. He is the proud owner of a new car now, one specified to his coat colour with a heated seat in the front for those cold winter travel days. And when I am in the store, he likes to sit in the driver’s seat and wait, just in case we need to make a quick getaway. Tigger is very, very happy and is very grateful to Lab Rescue for finding him the perfect match.
Loving owner L.M.
WILLIAM & POPPY- Update July 2010 - Adopted May 2010 at the age of 8.5 years
" The worlds two best dogs - it really is happy ever after! " lovingly adopted by C.D.
Background - Owner surrendered. Owned both labs since 8 weeks old - transferred to Australia for business.
CHASE - Updated July 2010 - Adopted Dec 2009
Chase is doing great in his new home. His 6 month report card proves that he is truly a gem. His new mommy has invested time, love and patience to bring out the best in this boy. Chase loves to go hiking, jogging and swimming.
Loving owner .. C. C
VEDDER - Adopted April 2010 at age one year
He is so pooped at the end of the night it's hard to get him up sometimes for his morning potty. Too cute. All in all just having a wonderful time getting to know Vedder and showing him all that is great in life. Thank you so much for all you do & for bringing Vedder lab-o-licious into my life.
Best, T.T. Vedder's background prior to adoption: He was surrendered by a family that did not do their homework regarding the lab breed specifically the size they grow to and the amount of exercise required. Prior to his adoption Vedder had very little exposure to anything outside his immediate home as well as limited social skills and obedience. Prior to his adoption Lab Rescue volunteers worked with this boy to give him the guidance he needed to be well on his journey with his new family. In addition his new family has invested love and energy into continuing with the guidance this boy requires to like a happy fulfilled life.
JAZZ - Adopted April 2010 at the age of 7 years
Thanks to you all for finding us such a wonderful girl. We can’t tell you how pleased we are at the way they’re getting along. B & M
Jazz's Background - Owner surrendered. Owned since she was an 8 week old puppy but life circumstances had changed for the family and they felt they no longer had the time to give her.
ROCKY - Adopted May 2009 at age one year
My whole family could not be happier with Rocky.. He is the perfect
fit! L.S.
Rocky's background - surrendered to a shelter and Lab Adoption
Service stepped in to rescue him.
BELLA - Adopted February 2010 at the age of 3 years
Bella has settle in quite well and knows our routine very well now. She’s very eager every morning to get out for her walk and come back for breakfast. She loves playing in the yard with her brother Bear. They also have started to sleep in the same bed, even though they have one each. She has quite a little personality and absolutely loves attention. She has recently learned “high-five”, and how to catch treats when they are tossed to her.
Thank you again for helping us find Bella. M & P
CHESTER - April 2010
Chester came into Lab Rescues care a year ago from a family that had recently divorced and out went the family dog as well!
A wonderful family with two young children adopted this 10 year old yellow prince and they adore him to bits! His days are filled with walks, play time and lots of love.
OWEN - April 2010
Owen came into our care due to life circumstances (kids, change of
job). A wonderful family with two children adopted this sweet 8 year
old boy and they adore him to bits! His days are filled with walks,
play time and lots of love.
We just LOVE him to death he is Fantastic-Thank you so much for all the hard work you do, you guys are Amazing people!!
Thanks again. SB
MAX - April 2010
It is 6 months to the day that we adopted Max from your organization. It has been one of the best things we have ever done. He is absolutely one of the family and has endeared himself to us so completely. We love Max. His friendly disposition combined with his
comical side has been a blast. Yesterday he went for what we think was his first swim. He hesitated at first only going in chest deep but
decided to go for it after a few stop & go's. Was quite funny actually.
He now has an insatiable appetite (a true Labrador) and a constant desire to be with us no matter where we go. He is a great car guy
and we look forward to taking him to the cottage this summer.
Another round of "thank you's! This has been such a great story to tell and we never tire of it. Max is truly a great Labrador. We feel so very lucky to have him. M.P
SUNNY- April 2010
Sunny was adopted at age 12, found wandering by himself in a field, was he abandoned as his rip old age - who knows.
All we know is that when we were asked by the local shelter to help this boy we stepped in and did so. First to the vet's and then into his new family. Where he is happy, healthy and living a superb life with his new fur siblings.