Sponsor-a-Lab

My Name is: Wilbur 9.5 years old.

My Story: When my military family who raised me from a puppy was re-assigned to a new location that did not allow dogs, they asked Safe Harbor to help find me a new home. My vet exam revealed I had heartworms. Gratefully, Safe Harbor didn’t hesitate to find me a wonderful foster home and make sure I got the treatment I needed. Treatment was a many months long process. I had to be hospitalized for part of it and need to rest for quite a while as I recover. In addition, I have pretty bad arthritis in my hips and am grateful for medication that helps me feel a lot better. Happily, my foster mom, who adopted me, has plenty of love for all 100 pounds of me!

My Name is: Louie, 1.5 years old.

My Story: My mom and dad each had a rare recessive gene and brought wonderful me, a mischievous super social Lab, into the world where I would have some challenges. My legs are shorter than normal, and a visit to Eye Specialists for Animals confirmed that I’m blind, both due to the recessive genes. I’m prone to allergies and ear infections and need a special allergy shot every month or so, and I do best with my salmon and rice food. I may be a little short in stature and learn about the world with my keen nose and ears, but I have the heart as big as any Lab.

My Name is: Blanca, 7 years old.

My Story: The weather was turning colder when a young couple welcomed me, a thin seven-year-old neglected stray in need of medical care, into their Kansas home. They learned about Safe Harbor through another rescue organization, and soon they began a caring partnership with this couple to get me the immediate vet attention I needed and then on my way to them. Antibiotics were started for my skin, ear infections and wounds, allergy medication helped with itching as did soothing baths. Good food helped me gain needed weight.

On top of all this, I was diagnosed with heartworm disease. Treatment was a many months long process while my foster mom took loving care of me. I had to be hospitalized for part of it and have to rest for quite a while as I recover and wait for my forever home.

My Name is:  Guster 8 years old.

My Story: When I arrived at Safe Harbor after getting lost and ending up in a shelter, I was underweight and my smile needed some attention. Turns out I needed a complete dental tune up that included five extractions for broken and infected teeth.  Now that chewing is more comfortable, I can enjoy a Lab’s favorite pastime: eating. I also had a urinary tract infection that knocked me down a notch, too, but meds got that cleared up and I was ready for my forever home.

My Name is: Oscar; 3 years old

My Story: I was rescued off the streets in a small Arkansas town by a Good Samaritan. I had a deep puncture wound on my shoulder and was scared and starving. On top of that I tested positive for heartworms and had really sore hips. Once with Safe Harbor I got lots of TLC and the medical care I needed. First, I got heartworm treatment that included special injections, medication and rest for about four months. Then I had surgery for my hip followed by extensive rehab and physical therapy. But best of all, after many months with my medical foster, a wonderful family adopted me!

My Name is: Margo, 1.5 years old

My Story: I was taken in by a family in the Kansas country as a stray “mama dog.” My puppies all got placed and then . . . there was me left over who ended up at the shelter. Somehow I ended up with a lump on the side of my neck that Safe Harbor’s vet diagnosed as a salivary mucocele — an injured salivary gland. I’ll need special delicate surgery to correct the problem. The surgeon will start with a CT scan to plan a successful surgery and then I’ll recover in my foster home for a few weeks.

My Name is: Bean, 8 years old

My Story: When I arrived, my ears were a sore mess and I had been shaking my head so much due to pain that blood vessels burst in my ear flap, making it look like a balloon. With a long course of meds and special care of my ear flap, I was a lot more comfortable. Ah, and then there were my senior teeth that needed some serious attention. With my ears finally feeling better and a radiant smile, my new family found me irresistible!

My Name is:  Sugar; 9-10 years old

My Story: Older stray Labs with a grey muzzle like me get overlooked in the shelter, but fortunately Safe Harbor looks out for us seniors. When I got to my foster home I gulped down tons of water and had “to go out” a lot. Safe Harbor’s vet diagnosed me as having Cushing’s Disease, meaning my body made too much of a certain hormone. On top of that I was increasingly sore getting around and x-rays showed I have osteosarcoma (bone cancer) in my hips. I still love to fetch and go for walks. Thanks to medications for both conditions, I’m doing OK in my hospice foster home.

My Name is: Baxter, 8 years old

My Story: I was living outside 24/7 in a 10 x 10 pen in Kansas with no one paying much attention to me. Being a social, people-loving guy, I was pretty lonely until my family decided to give me to a shelter who works with Safe Harbor. During my vet exam I tested positive for heartworms and am going to go through a lengthy and expensive treatment including special injections, hospitalization and strict rest for many weeks. I’m getting lots of attention in my medical foster home until my treatment is behind me and I’m ready for my forever home.