Safe Harbor's Lab Gab
January 2009
Volume II, Issue 1 |
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Our Mission Statement
SafeHarbor Lab Rescue is a non-profit, 501(c) (3) charitable organization run solely by volunteers for the purpose of successfully rehoming stray or surrendered Labrador Retrievers in Colorado by offering medical care, training resources and breed education.
2008 Statistics as of December 31, 2008
Labs Placed....210
Labs Taken In...235
Spayed/Neutered....85
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Dear Friends of Safe Harbor-
Best wishes for a happy 2009 filled with many joyful moments with family and friends-- both two and four legged! Thank you once again for your kind and generous support in so many ways throughout the past year that made the rescue of almost 240 Labs possible.
Warm Regards,
Jacky
President
Safe Harbor Lab Rescue
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SUCCESS STORY ~ from the Archives
"Whatever Happened to Owen?"  Owen at 9 weeks with Libby by Leslie Brown
In October of 2004 we took into our program a little 9 week old puppy sight unseen from the Western Slope. Little Owen had been born with hydrocephalus ("water on the brain") which had rendered him partially blind. In addition he was just recovering from a case of Parvo.
...and the rest is history. When Owen arrived at my house for fostering I immediately noticed his forehead was larger than a normal puppy's. I took Owen to Arvada West Veterinary Hospital, one of our Safe Harbor's providers, and was gently told by Dr. Carpenter to give Owen lots of TLC and keep him warm and safe -- dogs with his condition rarely lived to see their 7 month birthday. I vowed to give him the best life, however short, a little puppy could ever wish for.
Owen turned four years old last August. He's been neutered, and he's HUGE (90 lbs!), fun, silly, and full of life. He has adapted to his limited vision and loves to fetch the ball, run and play with my other dogs, adores his bed and is flawlessly house-trained. Owen continues to visit Dr. Carpenter every year for his checkup and vaccinations and Dr. Carpenter calls him his Miracle Puppy.
Although Owen is "special needs", I prefer to think of him as simply "special" and a bargain to boot! He has enriched my life in a very special way.
Owen on his Fourth Birthday 
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TRAINER'S CORNER 
Poop Eating: A Doggy Dilemma
There's a word for dogs that eat poop, Cop-ra-phag-i-a. Here are the steps to dealing with this unpleasant issue.
Take a fecal sample the vet to rule out any parasites or medical conditions
Change your dog's food. Many so called "premium" super market dog foods are just a bunch of grains with very little usable nutrition. Corn and Brewers Rice are not dog food. Buy your food at an independent pet store instead of the supermarket Petsmart or Costco.
Feed your dog one extra meal per day. Your dog may be hungry.
Give your dog a large, raw beef leg bone. Most Copraphagia is due to boredom. There are many busy toys on the market. Click her for a list of some recommended chew type toys to keep your dog busy.
De-stress your dog. What is making your dog so anxious that they resort to eating poop? Call a professional and find out.
More exercise.
Clean up the yard daily, twice Daily if that's what will help remove your dog's regular supply of feces.
Laura Brody, CPDT
Dog Behavior Specialist
laura@goodfamilydog
720-289-7498
"Attempted socialization will backfire unless it is performed in a way that ensures a positive outcome for the dog."
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TEAM SPOTLIGHT ~  MEDICAL TEAM
Safe Harbor takes great pride in striving to have our rescued Labs as healthy as possible before going to their forever homes. In 2008 we rescued over 230 souls so this was a BIG job!
Their health care is entrusted to our dedicated all-volunteer Medical Team. Board member Joy Landy is the Team Coordinator. Board member Dr. Jeff Steen DVM, DABVP, Medical Director of General Practice at Alameda East Veterinary Hospital, is our advising veterinarian. The team is rounded out by Teresa Giammanco, Sue Netzel and Emily Cohen. Carol Farina and Connie Fredman are special "medical fosters" for dogs with serious or challenging conditions.
Every dog we rescue receives an intake exam, basic shots, a heartworm test and if needed, is spayed or neutered. Many rescued Labs arrive with health issues. They may be sick or in pain, requiring care before they can be adopted. 2008 saw severe ear infections, skin conditions, heartworms, infectious diseases, tummy troubles, cancers, glaucoma, rotten and damaged teeth, scratched eyeballs, bite wounds, nasty sores, limb injuries, poisonings, malnutrition and seizures. You name it, our medical team has probably dealt with it!
This tirelessly committed team schedules vetting, gets dogs to appointments, handles emergencies, monitors follow-up care and takes calls 24/7 from fosters with any medical concerns. They spend an incredible 60 hours a week serving about two dozen Labs in our care at any given time. We are very proud of the care our Labs receive, something that's truly made possible by this terrific team!
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Safe Harbor Media Highlight
Brodie has quickly settled into his routine at home once again, following an exciting if brief acting career.
Read about Brodie's role in Marley & Me!
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 LETTERS TO THE EDITORS
Hi Safe Harbor,
We always love getting newsletters and such from Safe Harbor. So here's our own update.
Nivea is the love of our lives!
She's finished a dog obedience class and has had fun meeting new dog
friends - since her exercise restriction ended in October!
The snow this morning was wonderful - she loves it!
Thanks again and happy Holidays,
Emily & Eric
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Thanks to all who supported Safe Harbor and our Labs by purchasing our calendars! |
Event Year in Review: 
What a year it has been for our faithful volunteers; Yappy Hour, PetSmart Adoption Fairs, LabFest, Bake & Craft Fairs, Dog Baths and more. No fund raising or community event can happen without the energy and devotion of the volunteers. We can envision and plan out all the events we want to, but we are limited by the number of people who can donate their time, energy, cooking skills, creativity and physical strength.
In 2008 we raised over $10,000 from the Lab fundraising events - and many Labs found new homes. Even the community events we attend raise awareness about Safe Harbor Lab Rescue and are considered invaluable. Through our appearances, the word continues to spread through the Rocky Mountain region and surrounding states about Safe Harbor and the amazing work we do for the Labs.
Again, the volunteers have been the backbone for many aspects of Safe Harbor Lab Rescue - no matter how large or small the participation we thank you (and many sloppy kisses from the Labs.)
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| Contact Information
601 16th Street, #C-322
Golden, CO 80401 phone: 303 464-7777
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