Six year old Tosca (left) and four year old Dutch (below) both arrived sick with "kennel cough" from a rural Colorado shelter. Working with our generous partner Freedom Service Dogs, we were able to have them immediately fostered and cared for in their isolation kennel for shelter dogs.

Shortly after their arrival, one of our transporters took the two Labs to Alameda East Veterinary Hospital where Dr. Jeff Steen, our primary vet and the hospital's Medical Director, worked them into his busy schedule. Each was examined, given medication and returned to FSD to quietly recuperate.

After a few days, Sass, the diligent Manager of Dog Care at FSD, called concerned that both were rapidly getting worse with rising temperatures in spite of medication. Our medical co-coordinator, Carol, alerted Dr. Steen who advised the dogs be seen right away, as pneumonia was suspected.

Our transporter got the two dogs to Alameda East ASAP. Chest films showed each had a serious case of pneumonia; both required hospitalization for several days of supportive care before going to foster homes where they could continue their several weeks of recovery.

A few weeks later, both are doing well thanks to a great team effort. We hope chest films next week show "all clear" and they will be ready for adoption.

We take great pride in caring for our rescued dogs on their journey to their forever home. Many, many caring, generous people help on the journey of each and every Lab. Shelter personnel, our intake coordinators, transporters throughout the state, partners like Freedom Service Dogs, our medical team volunteers, vets, foster team volunteers and many others were all involved in Tosca and Dutch's journey.

In 2010 three hundred Labs like Tosca and Dutch began their rescue journey with us. They all invite you to join the Safe Harbor family with your support to help the waiting abandoned Labs start their journey home.

Tucker was left all alone when his lifelong owner passed away, and this youthful, active 10-year-old yellow Lab could only dream of finding a new family to love and care for him again. Sweet Tucker Too's dream came true shortly after Kathe and Charlie saw him on our website and sent in an application to adopt him.

On the application, Kathe said: "It always breaks my heart a bit when I read the Poop Sheets but Tucker Too actually made me cry. Our dogs are around the same age and I can't imagine what they would think/feel if we just disappeared from their lives. We want to help Tucker Too enjoy the rest of his life in a home where he is loved and cared for (and a bit spoiled)."
 
Tucker was so excited when he met his new family, and seemed to really love his new canine siblings, Jo and Blue. Tucker offered up his favorite stick to Kathe and Charlie in hopes of sealing the deal, and never left their side after that. When it was time to go home, he hopped right into the car, and headed off for new adventures as
a cherished member of this wonderful, fun-loving family who so readily opened their hearts and home to him.

This sweet boy has definitely found the happily ever after that he so truly deserves!

Thanks to Shannon and Matt for fostering Tucker!

"I am stunned by the ability of dogs to recover." Tiffany became involved with Safe Harbor through its website and volunteer coordinator. Tiffany and her husband Geoff have provided a home for four senior Labs over the past 8 years.

Tiffany, an often-traveling environmental scientist, has been on the Safe Harbor board since 2005. She currently is vice-president with event planning and fund-raising duties. Thanks to Tiffany, friends and family members have become part of Safe Harbor, adopting or volunteering. She tells about "broken" Anna, now thriving, adopted by a friend of hers as well as about roping her parents into helping at the Lab Fest this past fall.

Tiffany says she is blessed to be a part of Safe Harbor. "I have learned so much and am a better person because of Safe Harbor." And, we, Tiffany, value your energy and commitment both to our board and, especially, to those senior Labs.

If you are interested in fostering or volunteering, visit our
Volunteer web page.

Rescues don't stop when winter comes, so the transport team locks it into four wheel drive and keeps right on driving. The week before Christmas, we were scheduled to receive a dog who was coming in from the other side of the mountain. A very complex road trip was planned for multiple organizations to bring dogs from Utah over I-70 and from Idaho Falls, ID, via Steamboat Springs, meet in Idaho Springs, CO, where yet another transporter would bring the dogs the rest of the way into Denver. We had one dog on the transport. Other local rescues were receiving dogs as well.

As the day wore on and the weather got worse, the plans kept changing, and by the time the dust had settled, one transporter had lost their four wheel drive and had to buy a new set of tires for the trip back over the mountain, and our transporter had to drive up to Idaho Springs to fetch our dog. On duty for Safe Harbor that late night was veteran transporter Lee Mickus.

Not only did Lee pick up our Lab when the transport finally made it, but he also delivered a Pomeranian named Napolean and Lucky, a beagle/basset mix to their destinations. A total of nine dogs were rescued in this transport, for various rescues in the Denver area.

Lee was a hero that night for us and two other rescues. And the story behind the story is the cooperation that we experience between the different rescue organizations on these long distance transports.

One of the many people involved said it best: "I just want to thank everybody for your hard work and perilous drive to bring these dogs to Denver. It always amazes me how everybody pulls together and this always gets pulled off. Even with all the problems, the dogs are safe."

The smiling chocolate guy is Beau, happy to be safe at a foster home in Denver after that wild ride.