Abused senior black Lab needs rescuing...

[lukasahero]

X-post from the Pets forum...

The rescue group I work with is asking for your help in saving this old black Lab. I don't expect anyone on my list to adopt him but I have seen miracles happen when I tell two friends and they tell two friends and they tell two friends... etc.

Would you please consider forwarding this email to your friends or posting it to your Facebook page or forum? Look at his picture, read his story and please see if your friends and contact list could help him - by adoption or forwarding his story... Please help us save the life of just one dog.

His story:
This poor boy is a senior Labrador Retriever mix. He came to DeKalb County Animal Services because he is a victim of animal cruelty. He was emaciated and dehydrated when animal control officers discovered him.

The dog's former owner made it clear that he did not feed or water his dog, because he did not want the dog anymore. The owner has been arrested and charged with animal cruelty. The dog is very nervous, and will need to be rescued by someone who can give him lots of love and patience.

This poor dog has not known much kindness in his life.

Please consider rescuing him and teaching him that people can be good and that life can be good.

Please contact me ASAP if you would like to rescue this poor dog. Please forward on to anyone you know who may like to help.

Please contact:

Jamie Martinez

Decatur, Georgia 30032 - Main: [phone] - Direct: [phone] - Fax: [phone]

Email: [e-mail]



Thanks,
LaH

PS - We will do whatever has to be done to get him to whomever is kind enough to give him a forever home. I am on the transport crew.

[EFerrari]

1. Bless your heart. That poor boy.

I'm sure someone will step up.

We have a senior Lab mix, too, and she is the sweetest thing on four slightly stiff legs. She smiles and tries to run like a puppy.

[lukasahero]

4. I have a special fondness for Labs

Please feel free to forward this to your friends - maybe they know someone who knows someone who knows someone...

Best regards...

[EFerrari]

7. Yep. Is this something that can be posted to PetFinders?

I've never been there but my rescue friends seem to use it a lot.

/oops

[lukasahero]

11. If it can, I'm sure it's being used

I suspect that this is an urgent call (we don't get many of these types of emails so I would guess that this guy is on death row and we don't have long to get him out of there...) Petfinders is a god-send and I know my group uses them when possible.

Thanks for the suggestion though - I will send it back down the chain to make sure it's on the table.

[muffin1]

2. What a sweetie!

I will never understand animal cruelty as long as I live. I would give anything to help him. Unfortunately, hubby and I live in a 700 square home with four rescue cats already.

I will spread the word, though.

Bless his heart - I hope he finds the home he deserves.:cry:

[lukasahero]

3. Spreading the word is help enough

(God if I could take in every dog that crosses my path...)

Thank you. Please post and forward - that's the best help we could ask for.

[mnhtnbb]

5. One can always hope the prison staff might forget to feed and water

the owner.

Grrr. Animal abuse makes me very angry; there's no excuse for it.

[lukasahero]

9. Yeah.

Give me 5 minutes with the guy - really, that's all I'd need.

I'm usually a very peaceful, calm and understanding person. But animal abuse sends me over the edge.

[flvegan]

6. Ah, if only I had the space.

I will contact all my N Florida rescue folks, though and ask them to spread the word.

[lukasahero]

8. That's all we're asking for...

Thank you.

[EFerrari]

13. That's awesome flvegan.

[Haole Girl]

10. Poor baby

Hope he finds a home & soon.

Did you post this in the Georgia forum too? :hi:

[lukasahero]

12. I did not but will do so now

Thanks for the reminder.

[sohndrsmith]

16. I'm not sure, but there might be a Pets forum, too. If not, it wouldn't hurt

to post this in forums that might not be a perfect fit but would give him another spotlight. I'm rooting for the old guy... if I think of any other ideas I'll immediately post it.

I'll start looking around....

The Petfinderforum.com is a place I'd start first... (not just the listings, but the community forums - rescue forums in particular seem to work extremely hard for cases just like this poor guy's situation - and there is a good deal of networking that can only help).

As someone suggested, it's a great place to start. There's another pet adoption site that might be a good venue - I can't recall the name but I'll go look for it now.

I'm hoping for the best for this sweet guy.....

[lukasahero]

19. Thanks

I am a denizen of the Pets forum ;) so this was posted there first. I checked and the initiating rescue group is on PetFinder.com

I'm just hoping people will forward his message on and someone, somewhere will be able to help.

I know miracles happen.

[sohndrsmith]

14. Oh wow. He looks exactly like my boy - a senior, mistreated black Lab

who was rescued from the E list.

I can't describe what a gift he has been... He had everything working against him, just like the old guy in your post: He was old (people want puppies). He was black (people don't like black dogs - which I REALLY don't get). He had marking/peeing problems (which no one wants - and many assume can't be resolved with an older dog). He was mistreated (clearly expecting to be hit if you made certain motions).

I needed to give my guy a chance and brought him home.

He was basically untrained, but MAN is he a quick study! I am absolutely sure that he could learn anything if I knew how to teach him... he knows all basic commands (and remembers them better than I do).

He never has an accident if he gets his 2 walks a day - morning and night. He's a lab, that's the minimum to keep him from being squirrelly.

He's not a puppy (thank GOODNESS). A Lab's puppy stage lasts (I swear) at least six years... I didn't want that much energy, and I understood that limitation. He doesn't chew, but he does "take" shoes or stuffed animals that have "favorite person smell" on them. In the instance of my daughter's stuffed orca, he's had it for 2 years and there is not a thread missing... even though he tosses it about.

He isn't full of machismo... barking only when he should and basically ignoring or putting up with other dogs (some who want to fight and their nitwit owners have them off-leash).

He loves kids, and was a bigger hit than the candy for his first Halloween with me (though he does tend to get protective of me when people he doesn't know well - but I do - hug me, but he relaxes quickly. Still - one should always be aware with a new (old) dog - always ensure safety for all - always - because dogs can't talk). Even the best behaved dog can get a wild hair... even a slug like mine might flip out, though it's extremely unlikely.

On his first visit to the vet, they had a kitten that roamed free in the office - who walked up to him, went between his front legs rubbing on each of them... he loved it. (He's not as patient with birds - and actually caught a dove in mid-flight which totally stunned me, but he is hardwired for it...).

Every dog is different, but with love and patience, this lovely old guy above could very likely be the angel my boy has been for me. Labs (often) have a undying, forgiving, sweet spirit that I have seen in the first old, senior black lab boy I rescued who has long since passed. There are exceptions, but older Lab boys (in my experience) have all been pure sweethearts and absolutely can and do learn. The scars of abuse can and do fade with patience, love, learning and knowing Lab behavior and unconditional love from his person...

Please consider rescuing this boy... there is NOTHING better than an old black Lab boy, especially if you're not a high energy person and want a happy, sweet, dying-to-please boy who has puppy spurts that last a couple of minutes (if that). : ). My boy is a goof ball - he's so happy to eat dinner that he wags his tail so hard it makes him fall over. : ).

[lukasahero]

20. You are a hero

Thank you. Old Labs are the most wonderful animals. (I had one from 10 weeks to 14 years and you ain't kidding about the length of their puppyhood!) Thank you so much for rescuing one. :hug: Love the kitten story - my old Lab's best friend was his kitty, Frodo.

[sohndrsmith]

21. two... Zephyr was my first guy... Zander is my now guy. : ) I wrote

my story because I can't believe that these old guys are overlooked, much less discarded. How my boy ended up being nearly euthanized is beyond comprehension. Besides some minor (cough) shedding, he's the perfect dog - as was Zephyr (they look identical when I compare pictures - and could be this boys brothers).

Glad you like the kitten story - I wish I'd had my camera because it was just so lovely. Needless to say everyone in the vet's office fell in love immediately, encircling him and cooing at him and petting him. Maybe they do that with all their patients, but... I dunno.

Oddly enough, he hates the rain and doesn't like to get wet. He'll swim - but ONLY because he'll do anything if a small bit of food is involved. : )

When looking for my boy, I met a 6 year old AKC lab boy who was the most gorgeous dog I've ever seen. He was also a typical young lab: having the ADHD-superball-uber-energized-buzz-saw puppy-ness I knew I couldn't provide for. I work in a studio at home, and I wanted a low-energy, polite, goofy love bug and... he found me (twice - Zephyr and Zander). It's not just luck. Despite the horrible things people do to these boys or don't do for them... they don't hold a grudge. Or at least any grudge they do hold can be peeled away. And man, is it worth it.

Old labs (the ones I've had) are hardly high maintenance, but the amount of love and joy they give back is almost absurd...

The old boy you posted looks scared and injured, and it makes my heart break. But all I know is that with care (safety), kindness and patience, the strength that is the lab heart and spirit will peek through. I hope he finds his home soon.

I just hope my descriptions of having rescued old boy Labs twice, both of whom turned out to be angels and better than I could have imagined - might help someone consider adopting this boy. My boys even both had/have the white flecks around the face... the syrup-colored lovely eyes, they could be the same litter. This boy deserves a chance. : )

[Randall Flagg]

15. I called.

I'm three hours away from Dekalb Co.

I have one lab, one mixed lab and a half acre fenced in back yard. And a lot of dog love.

[sohndrsmith]

17. YAY!!!! : ) ... thank you... n/t

[lukasahero]

18. God bless you!

I don't know if you've seen my other post here tonight but it would be a miracle if something went right tonight.

:hug:

God bless you.

[Randall Flagg]

22. Not time for hugs yet....

I need to see how he gets along with other dogs.

Plus, I'm going to need to set up a vet fund for these sweet beasts, :) (JK)

[EFerrari]

23. .