Sponsor-a-Lab

My name is Malcolm and I am one year old.

My Story: Even though I try not to show it, frolicking and running around has been painful for me. I arrived at Safe Harbor in August with an old complicated front leg fracture that no one took care of.  Safe Harbor arranged for me to see an orthopedic surgeon. He did a CAT scan and is doing extensive planning for my challenging surgery. My experienced foster mom, who adores me, will make sure I get lots of R&R for my two month recovery.

My name is Oliver and I am four years old.

My Story: When no one could take care of me I was left in a shelter in neglected condition with painful infected ears and itchy skin. I needed a trip to the dermatologist, medicated baths, medications, and prescription food to help my ears and skin heal.  I’ve seen photos of myself as a younger dog with a beautiful coat . . .  I’m looking forward to being that handsome shiny boy again!

My name is Callie and I am 5-6 years old.

My Story: After spending three months in a shelter I was relieved Safe Harbor got me the medical attention I needed. I had an oozing wound and a suspicious lump on my leg and belly (both successfully removed), an abscessed tooth with an underlying bone infection, and a couple teeth needed to be extracted. Ouch! It took some time to get all these things addressed, but Safe Harbor didn’t hesitate to make sure I received top notch vet care. The only thing that was kind of a nuisance is I had to stay out of the lake by my foster home while I was healing and I love to swim!

My name is Molly and I am two years old.

My Story: “Oh Molly is just the sweetest Lab I’ve ever met!” everyone said, and I could hear the smiles in their voices.  I’m one lucky pup who found myself at Safe Harbor after my busy family was moving away and surrendered me in July. It didn’t matter to Safe Harbor that I was born blind and had a painful degenerative eye condition.

Eye Specialists for Animals counseled that my quality of life would greatly improve if my painful sightless eyes were removed. My surgery recovery went well, but then I was surprised one night by two seizures. A trip to the ER, observation in ICU and some meds got me fixed up. I’ve been fine ever since.

My foster mom and her Safe Harbor Lab (who is also blind) had endless kindness and patience with my recoveries. Ready for the very best part?  Michael adopted me and now I have the best-ever forever dad!

My name is Barley and I am five years old.

My Story: I’m a Lab who always sees the dog dish as half full, and with a mission in life to brighten up the day of everyone I meet.  I did my best to keep a wag in my tail even though I had large infected sores on my ears, itchy skin,  a lot of ticks on board  and had been bounced around by the time I arrived at Safe Harbor in July. It wasn’t long before I had a soothing bath, had my sores gently taken care of and I got antibiotics to help them heal.  Meds made all the ticks ‘toast’, and before I knew it I was settling in with a wonderful foster home in the mountains.

My name is Guinness and I am 6 years old.

My Story: I arrived at Safe Harbor with four legs and three paws after a stint as a stray in a shelter. Even though I’m a good looking, good natured guy who gets around fine, a three-pawed six-year-old Lab’s prospects for adoption in a crowded shelter were iffy at best. Enter Safe Harbor with their amazing vet partners who had a custom prosthetic paw made for me! It’s taking some time getting used to having “a foot” and I’m using all sorts of new muscles. Physical therapy and lots of patience from my foster mom are helping me be ready to prance!

My name is Oakley and I am four years old.

My Story: Oh boy, I was itchy with raw skin, and my ears hurting from infection when I was dropped off at the shelter by my family who couldn’t care for me in May. The shelter did their best to take care of me, but realized my medical needs were greater than the average adopter could manage.  They threw a “Hail Mary  Pass” to Safe Harbor to try and save my life. Happily “dog is God spelled backwards” and Safe Harbor took me in. I was seen by a dermatologist at Wheat Ridge Animal Hospital who prescribed a special medication for my ears and skin. On top of all this, I got a nasty wound on my face.  Now, I’m itch and pain free,  loving life running like the wind!

My name is Pine and I am four months old

My Story: Soon after I arrived at Safe Harbor in September, I started feeling kind of crummy. A trip to the ER revealed I had parvovirus (parvo), a life threatening  disease that can progress quickly in puppies.  I was hospitalized in the ICU isolation unit at Alameda East Veterinary Hospital for prompt supportive care including intravenous fluids, anti-nausea medication, and vitals monitoring. Fortunately, I was back on my paws pretty soon and able to rejoin my foster family to finish recuperating.

My Name is: Tess, 1 year old

My Story:  I was a homeless pregnant mom who gave birth to my little family of seven puppies under a trailer. Good Samaritans looked out for me and my babies until  I could get to  Safe Harbor. Making milk for seven puppies and nursing them all took its toll on me, but I was happy to see them growing and thriving. I needed antibiotics for an  infection, was 15 pounds underweight and had a spay surgery complication. I just need a lot of rest and good nutrition get my strength back. My expert foster mom got me back on my feet and ready for my forever home.

My Name is: Bubba, 1 year old

My Story: When I grew to 69 pounds my family decided I was too big, so they gave me to the shelter. They didn’t notice my eyelashes were ingrown, a condition called entropion, and rubbing against my eyes with every blink. My ears hurt too from an infection. I got meds for my ears and had delicate surgery to correct my eyelashes. The worst part was wearing an e-collar for two weeks so I wouldn’t mess with the eyelash stitches! Thanks to Safe Harbor, I’m feeling 100% now!

My Name is: Bali, 7 years old

My Story: My teeth had a lot of tartar and needed a routine cleaning, but my dental cleaning was anything but routine! After x-rays to check a possible broken tooth and cleaning was underway, I had a scary-bad reaction to anesthesia. My heart was in trouble and I needed immediate supportive care to save my life. Thank goodness the vet was a highly skilled, seasoned professional in a state-of-the-art hospital who knew just what to do. Whew! The next day I had a thorough evaluation by a cardiologist. Fortunately, my heart is boringly normal; I’m just super sensitive to a drug commonly used for anesthesia. Now we all know!

My Name is: Koda, 5 years old

My story: My journey to Safe Harbor began with a ride in the “Doggie Paddy Wagon” after I got picked up running along I-25. I had a big, infected gash on my front leg and my ears were a mess. My owner didn’t want me back. The shelter was small and didn’t have the means to take care of me. “Would Safe Harbor help?’ they asked. Happily, they said ‘Yes!’  Their vet cleaned my wound, prescribed  antibiotics, and cleaned and medicated my painful ears. Got a special allergy shot too. I love my new family and still blush when they compliment me on my loving personality and excellent manners!

My Name is: Sammy, 1.5 year old

My Story: When I got picked up as a stray, I weighed 38 pounds, was weak  from starvation, my coat was a dirty mess and I had had lots of sores. The shelter staff took me under their wing until Safe Harbor could take me and get me the vet care I needed. I had to be on a special feeding plan to gain about 30 pounds. Day by day I felt stronger, more chipper, my wounds healed and my coat shined. In six weeks or so I was ready for my forever home. My love for people and looking on the bright side never wavered. Life with my new family is the best!

My Name is: Hardy, 2 years old

My Story:A month or so after I arrived at Safe Harbor I was losing weight, puffy, burpy, gassy and more, but I was still my frisky retrieving self. I’d been to the ER and was eating special food. There was no improvement. I had lots of tests, x-rays, and an ultrasound. My main problem turned out to be was irritable bowel disease (IBD) so I needed lots of meds and special food. Then in an unexpected a twist of events I ended up with a life threatening perforated gastric ulcer. Emergency surgery and a stay in ICU saved my life. Safe Harbor cared for me for 175 days.  Now I’m happily home with my forever family!

My name is: Daisey, 10 years old

My Story:  I came to Safe Harbor when my lifelong owner went to assisted living. During my intake checkup, I tested positive for heartworms (yes, they were in my heart doing damage). I underwent a lengthy treatment involving harsh shots and hospital stays. Then I needed a long quiet recovery period while the worms died off so I wouldn’t have any complications like an embolism in my lungs. I was  good hands with my foster family and looking forward to being back on my paws.  UPDATE: My foster family is my new forever family!

My Name is: Ozzie 10 years old

My Story: In all modesty the vet said, “Ozzie is one of the sweetest dogs that I have ever met. He is gentle, engaging and just wants to be patted and sit in your lap!” Now that I’m done blushing I can tell you my family left me at a local shelter when they could no longer care for me. For most of my life I’d been blind and now had painful cataracts. The shelter vet removed my painful sightless eyes and then Safe Harbor stepped in to help with my post-surgical care and recovery. I quickly became very bonded to my foster mom. She became very attached to me too and adopted me. Now we are living happily ever after!

My Name is: Presley, 3.5 years old

My Story: Since I hadn’t seen much of the world outside the breeding facility, everything was scary so I just sort of shut down, so I didn’t have to deal with anything. I was dirty, my skin and coat were a mess, I had ear infections, sore joints, and was 20+ pounds overweight at 100 pounds. I didn’t feel very good. I needed both medical and emotional care, and Safe Harbor provided me with both. The vets at Alameda East Veterinary Hospital prescribed medications to help me feel a lot better. My foster mom and her dogs lifted my spirits, took me swimming and on ‘pack walks’ through the horse pasture; another volunteer would just hang out with me. And do you know what? One day we were all surprised to see my tail wagging and looking rather trim. Life is looking a lot better!

My Name is: Tootsie, 2 years old

My Story:  It’s hot, humid and buggy in the middle of an Arkansas summer, but that’s where I found myself, out in a pen with my six little newborns. None of us were wanted and I wasn’t allowed inside, so no comfort was in sight. Fortunately, local rescuers heard of our plight and, partnering with Safe Harbor, got us away from there and to the safety and care of an excellent vet hospital. We were all filthy dirty, I was exhausted, and my puppies had a fungal disease. I needed care for poor nutrition, dehydration and a tick-borne disease. We remained at the hospital for several weeks with Safe Harbor’s rescue partner checking on us daily and making sure we were recuperating and thriving. My babies loved playing with her. Finally, it was time for us to board a Pilots and Paws flight to Denver where our forever homes awaited us. What a lucky mom and litter of babies we were!

My Name is: Fisher, 7-8 years old

My Story: By the time I was rescued I’d spent a good bit of time in a crowded shelter, and I was looking thin. The chow may not have been all that great, but it was hard for me to tell the shelter workers my mouth hurt and chewing kibble was painful. Safe Harbor’s vet took one look in my mouth and said, “Good heavens, Fisher, your mouth is a mess!” In short order, I had a dental and needed not only a cleaning but 15 extractions for loose and infected  teeth! It’s taken a while for all that to heal up, but the delectable meals my foster mom serves up sure taste good now!

My Name is: Dutton, 1.5 years old

My Story: I was running around outside a Kansas town when someone started using me for target practice. A rescuer snagged me and got me to a safe place and then to Safe Harbor. During my checkup, I tested positive for heartworms (yes, they were in my heart doing damage) and had to undergo a lengthy treatment involving harsh shots. A long quiet recovery period followed while they died off so I wouldn’t have any complications like an embolism in my lungs. I also had deep cuts on my legs that required surgery, sutures and pain meds. I’m kind of a quiet, easy-going Lab and liked sleeping in my foster mom’s closet until I found my wonderful forever family.

My Name is: Nyla, 1 year old

My Story: My family bought me as a cute puppy at a pet store. As time went on, they found they were not able to keep me. Being a whirlwind of inexhaustible young Lab activity — running, jumping, twirling, you name it — one day I ended up with an ongoing limp. The orthopedic experts at Colorado Canine Orthopedics diagnosed me with a serious knee injury: a torn cranial cruciate ligament and luxating patella. I needed expensive surgery to fix both and to get me back on the road to my active self. The recovery is a tall order: I must stay calm for many weeks while the surgery site heals. My foster parents are both people nurses so I will be in good hands!

My Name is: Abbey, 5 years old

My Story: Before I knew what happened, I was pushed out of a vehicle onto a rural road alongside -25 in southern Colorado.  It sped off leaving me there all alone, bewildered, and scared. Fortunately, an animal control officer picked me up and got me to a shelter where they took one look at me and remarked, “Girl, you are a mess.” I had a skin disease that caused me to lose most of the hair on my face and also patches on my legs and body.  My ears were infected and sore.  The small shelter I was at reached out to Safe Harbor, and we were all thrilled when they said, “Yes, we’ll take this sweet and gentle young lady.” I now have meds for my skin and ears, and my foster mom gives me medicated baths.  It will be a while before my skin and ears are well, but thanks to Safe Harbor, I’m on my way!