L.A.B RESCUE IN THE NEWS!
Article about one of our rescued dogs, Tuff and L.A.B Rescue: SuffieldPatch, Suffield, CT.
More than two years ago we lost Atticus, our beautiful but not-so-bright golden retriever. With the family in the middle of a move, the thought of replacing him seemed inappropriate. Once we settled into Suffield, the yearning for another dog was overwhelming. I was so desperate, I’d take my friend's St. Bernard, Lucy, for walks up and down Main Street.
Walking Lucy was like dragging Chewbacca. For such an old gal, her enthusiasm and lust for exercise was underestimated. Although this satisfied my dog craving temporarily, I knew it was time to start looking.
Since we wanted a rescued lab, we began with Petfinder.com. I was able to narrow the search to breed, sex, age, location, etc. Pictures and descriptions of each dog were available. I eventually found Tuff’s profile, photo and contact information.
Even though he was in Texas, his adoption contact was based in North Granby. Many labradors were regularly being transported from Texas to New England for adoption.
Tuff's adoption, standard vet expenses, transportation and papers were all paid for with a $400 fee (this fee varies for each adoption). He was a friendly, healthy, purebred AKC black laborador, 5 years old and neutered. Tuff was exactly what we were looking for.
Prior to adoption, rescue dogs live with a host family. They are observed, loved and given the freedom to run and play. Fortunately, Tuff had no issues. If he had, we would have been notified prior to adoption. Possible problems wth resuce dogs include dogs not being good with children, having a bad attitude around other dogs, engaging in counter surfing and other issues. Host families prioritize matching dogs to the appropriate adopters.
After numerous emails and exchanged phone calls, Tuff’s arrival in Suffield was confirmed and imminent. We anxiously waited two weeks for his scheduled transportation and final vet checks. At the time, Connecticut didn’t have sufficient host locations for lab rescue. It’s been more than a year, but much progress has been made.
Currently, the L.A.B. Rescue and Adoption Network is active in Connecticut. According to their Web site, the organization was formed to rescue and rehabilitate abused, neglected, homeless and abandoned animals. They provide humane care, temporary foster homes, veterinary care and treatment to rescued animals. They prioritize finding loving, compassionate adoptive homes and families for their animals.
The rescue of a dog includes pickup from owners or animal welfare facilities, shelters and pounds and assessment of the animal’s suitability as a pet. Each animal in their program is provided with comprehensive veterinary care. Standard procedures include a veterinary exam, a spay or neuter, vaccinations, worming, heart-worm testing and treatment and flea and tick prevention.
From what I know, Tuff was no longer wanted because of an expected set of twins from his owners. They already had other children. The shelter where he was abandoned contacted the lab rescue. He was picked up, saved from possible euthanization and lived with a host family until a proper adoption.
I always believed animals to be a permanent family member. The thought of abandoning him for such reasons, or any reason, is incomprehensible.
We understood the idea of adopting a dog, sight unseen, to be a bit risky. Even though a return policy is in place, the thought of Tuff going through this ordeal only to be sent away wasn’t an option. We had three children and much love to embrace our furry friend.
After a year of not clogging the Dyson with dog hair, forgetting about the enormous piles of excrement, vet bills and vomiting from excessive stick chewing, the realities of dog ownership quickly returned. What also returned was the wonderful feeling of companionship, the unconditional love, the loyalty and security of having a dog.
The first year with Tuff was a learning process. Having this stranger in the house seemed foreign and awkward but very exciting. Yet, like family, understanding and accepting Tuff’s personality and habits required patience. In the beginning, Tuff’s hearing seemed to be selective...especially in our backyard with the variety of scents! He loved riding in the car but feared being left alone. He barked incessantly at the mailman, didn’t like going to the vet and had a pallet seasoned for bananas.
Now we understand Tuff and his goofy personality. When a visitor comes to the house, he runs to grab his squeaky, stuffed pheasant. He’s proud of his toy and insists on sharing with guests. While school lunches are packed, he sits erect, waiting for dropped morsels. He has no objection to our mouser cat sleeping in his bed. He prefers Costco rawhide bones to Petco brand. He thoughtlessly cuts in front of you while going up and down the stairs. During walks, his bladder seems forever full... marking each tree, pole, stump and fire hydrant. He snores like a fat man and often wakes himself up with the silent vapors expelled from his hindquarters. He then looks at me as if to say, “Was that me?”
By rescuing Tuff, his life was not the only one improved and saved. He is family. And like family, we love all his imperfections, his unpredictability, his stench and his awkward habits. He's proven, with Tuff love, that no reason is needed for sharing good feelings and squeaky toys.
Article about L.A.B Rescue in The Mercurial, Danbury, CT.
| Local - News |
| Friday, 19 November 2010 11:44 |
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by Kristin Weinkauf
BARBIE MABLE is looking for Connecticut families to help quality dogs from Texas find new homes instead of being put to death. L.A.B. Rescue and Adoption Network, based out of New Fairfield, Connecticut, is unlike other rescue organizations because they do not shelter dogs. Instead, L.A.B (which stands for Labs and All Breeds) builds a network of foster homes to set up rescued dogs with families.
Photo by Kristin Weinkauf. Laura Hurlburt and Duncan (L) and Barbie Mable with Alex.
According to Mable, over 2500 dogs are being euthanized every month in just one shelter in Montgomery, Texas, where most of the foster dogs come from.
In an interview, Mable said that shelters differ greatly in Texas versus Connecticut. She said that Texas shelters are overrun with dogs and put down often.
“600 dogs are waiting to be put down [on a kill day]," Mable said. "Our volunteers walk up and down the aisles looking for who is adoptable...It’s hit or miss."
But the number of dogs Mable can save depends on the number of foster homes – if there are only eight homes with room for a foster pup, only eight dogs can make the trip to Connecticut.
Mable said that the methods Texas shelters use for destroying the unwanted dogs are gruesome.
"They use gas chambers or heart sticks,” she said. She explained that dogs are put to death in gas chambers filled with carbon monoxide, or killed with a lethal injection into the heart. Mable said that sometimes it can take a few days for an animal to die after the heart stick procedure because it is often done incorrectly. Both methods are cruel and end up costing a shelter more than a lethal injection from a vet.
One method used to transport the dogs is Rescue Road Trips, an organization based in Ohio. It takes dogs three days for the dogs to get from Texas to New England.
L.A.B. is in search of more foster homes for these traveling pups.
The number of dogs Mable can save depends on the number of foster homes – if there are only eight homes with room for a foster pup, only eight dogs can make the trip to Connecticut.
"[A good candidate] is not gone for most of the day," said Mable, "has shift work, will be willing to provide feedback and photos to potential adopters, has a good vet history and a dog-friendly home." In addition, Mable would like foster dogs to be around children and cats so that a potential adopter will have a good idea of what home life with a new dog will be like.
The organization also needs donations.
"A storage space to store all of the donations," listed Mable, "linens, sheets and blankets, but no comforters. Leashes, collars, toys and bowls.” L.A.B uses specific food provided by P&G.
Mable also spoke about her mission to educate people on an epidemic called “Black Dog Syndrome”, where black dogs have an almost impossible chance of survival because of the color of their coats. Superstitions from folklore (think the big black dog known as Sirius Black from the Harry Potter series) along with fear fueled by insurance companies continue the stigma attached to the color of a dog’s coat.
According to Mable, parts of the South have become "breedist" against black and tan dogs (Rottweilers, Chow Chows and Pit Bulls). Insurance companies refuse to insure homes with these dogs and condo associations ban them from their communities. Fears of certain breeds is not limited to the South though; Willow Springs condominiums in New Milford has posted in its bylaws that no new Pit Bulls are allowed into the complex as of 2009.
Laura Hurlburt, who fosters a dog named Duncan, found out about L.A.B. from an article in The News-Times.
"I don’t want to commit to one dog," Hurlburt said while holding the growing Duncan. "I love to be with dogs and care for dogs." But after spending so much time with Duncan, Hurlburt decided she wanted to adopt him permanently.
From home visits to checking in with a vet, the employees of L.A.B. do a thorough job taking care of Texas' orphan dogs. L.A.B.'s adoption fees is $450.00 for puppies and $425.00 for dogs over a year old.
To contact Mable for any additional questions at PetRescuer06812@yahoo.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or check out PetFinder.com for a list of current dogs waiting for a home. Visit L.A.B.'s website at LabRescueNetwork.com.
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Article about L.A.B Rescue in the Danbury, CT News-Times!
Good things do happen thanks to Facebook
Published: 01:58 p.m., Friday, January 28, 2011
Melinda McGarty Webb
Contributing Writer
When something negative or scandalous happens as the result of a Facebook "connection," we hear about it.
When the Rev. Cedric Miller, in Neptune Township, N.J., told his married church leaders to either delete Facebook or resign, and strongly suggested his parishioners do the same, news outlets latched onto the story.
When Brian Lewis was convicted in England of murdering his girlfriend, Hayley Jones, after she changed her Facebook status to "single," we heard about it a continent away.
And let's be frank, many of us know of at least one person who has hooked up with an old flame after finding him or her on Facebook -- sometimes to the great consternation of a spouse. After all, if it involves infidelity, deception or disgrace, word spreads quickly.
But what about the good things that happen as a result of Facebook, and the connections between its more than 500 million users?
What about all the childhood friends who reconnect after decades of separation? What about the jobs found, medical cures discovered and businesses built as a result of social networking? We don't hear about those very frequently.
Attorney Gregory Klein of Alan Barry and Associates in Danbury even located a vital witness on Facebook and saved one of his clients from criminal prosecution.
Klein, who had heard of Facebook but never thought to join, signed up as a last resort in an effort to track down a witness who could prove his client wasn't involved in the hit-and-run accident of which he was accused.
The client had sworn under oath his whereabouts at the time of the accident could be corroborated by a gas station attendant who had re-filled his phone card at that very time. Those transactions are time stamped, so Klein found the name of the clerk working that shift. The problem was that the clerk had moved out of state, leaving no forwarding address or phone numbers. Even his cell phone had been disconnected.
Faced with this dead end, Klein created a Facebook account. He located the witness, sent him a request, and by the next day, the man had answered and agreed to testify.
More than a year-and-a-half later, this gas station clerk remembered Klein's client, and his testimony helped clear him.
But just because he signed up for work purposes doesn't mean Klein doesn't now put Facebook to personal use.
"Once I was on, this phenomenon takes over where suddenly your e-mail database is being cross-referenced with everyone else's, and you're connected with everybody you ever knew from elementary school, high school, camps or met on vacation," he said. "And within four to six weeks, you're reconnected with everyone you ever knew. It's amazing."
Brooklyn buddies
Barbara Levitt of Danbury is no stranger to that phenomenon.
Growing up in Brooklyn, N.Y., Levitt was particularly close with two other children who lived in her 110-family building -- Ava Makalsky (now Ava Gottlieb) and Nick Ara.
"Nobody went to nursery school back then -- we didn't need one," Levitt recalled. "We all spent time with each other and with each other's parents. We were very close."
There was no need for parents to establish play dates for their kids in that setting, she said. The kids just knocked on the pipes to communicate and met out on their fire escapes.
"We basically spent our entire childhood outside together, waiting for the Good Humor man, riding our bikes and playing on the sidewalk," she said. "We were each other's family."
move away, and friends, regardless of how close, sometimes lose touch.
So when Levitt got a message about eight months ago on Facebook, from a woman saying she was Ava Makalsky, and asking if she was the "Barbara Robinson who lived on Ridge Boulevard," she was thrilled.
"I still think of your mother when I see sunflower seeds," the woman wrote. "I also think of your father when he took us to a Phil Ochs concert. How are you? I live in Dallas. OK, I will stop till I find out this is you, but I will be really surprised if it isn't. You even look the same, and also like your mom. Wow."
Levitt quickly called Nick Ara, with whom she was still in contact, told him of the note, and then
e-mailed back to Gottlieb.
"Thanks for remembering my parents. I remember that delicious challah that your mom used to get on Colonial Road and 69th St. every Friday! A few years back when I think he was still living there, I wrote to your brother ... to find you, but he or you never answered me. ... What are you doing? Can we talk on the phone?" Levitt wrote.
Soon, the two women were corresponding like the old friends they were.
Meeting `the one'
Strangely, the day before Gottlieb contacted her, Levitt said she'd mentioned her old friend to her husband, Joel. She had been reading a quiz in Redbook magazine, and one of the questions was, "When did you know you were going to marry your husband?"
That sparked memories of the night they'd met at a college mixer, and how she'd gone home and told Gottlieb about the boy she'd met. Fast forward 37 years to this past October and Levitt's 60th birthday party, to which she had invited both Ara and Gottlieb.
Ara, who lives in Long Island, N.Y., agreed to attend. Gottlieb said she couldn't. Each guest was asked to bring an item that "connected" them to Levitt. An hour and a half into the event, Levitt looked up and saw Ara come across the room, flanked by two women -- only one of whom she recognized. The other one was carrying a mop and broom.
"To make a very long story longer, it was Ava," Levitt said, laughing. "She had brought a mop and broom because my mother was always cleaning our three-room apartment -- that's what she remembered most."
Levitt had also invited four other people who had lived in their old building.
"I think that keeping up with that many people was incredible, and I'm proud of myself that I was able to get us all together -- with a little help from Facebook," she said.
Canine connection
Some people, such as Barbie Mable of New Fairfield, have found even more ways to harness the power of Facebook.
As the Connecticut coordinator of LAB Rescue and Adoption Network, she's always looking for people to adopt dogs her group rescues from kill shelters in Texas.
In the last three months alone, the group has rescued more than 110 dogs -- some of whom were adopted by owners who first saw them on Facebook.
"I was in the band in high school, and I'd used Facebook to reconnect with people from school," Mable said. "It occurred to me I could also put a dog on the site."
She now posts a photo of a different adoptable dog every day.
"I ask people to go to my Facebook site, pick out one dog, and then re-post it to their site," she said.
Facebook allows her to communicate with far more people than she'd previously reached. With each Facebook "friend" who re-posts a photo and requests that all their friends do the same, the group's exposure grows.
The more people who see an animal's picture, the greater the likelihood it will find a home.
Among those who found pets in this manner are Debra Mitchell of Southbury and her family -- husband, Ian, and daughters Kaitlyn, 5, and Addison, 3.
Mitchell is "Facebook friends" with Mable, as well as real-life friends and former colleagues.
Like more than half of Facebook users, Mitchell logs on to the site daily -- sometimes to connect with relatives in Michigan, or friends in Massachusetts. As a result, she would also see the dogs Mable posts to her site.
She and her husband had been debating whether to get a dog, and had decided to wait one more year. But that resolve quickly withered when they saw photos of a litter of golden retriever-yellow Labrador retriever mixes in Houston.
"I'd always wanted a golden retriever-Lab mix, and Barbie kept sending me pictures of the whole litter and updating me," Mitchell recalled.
Molly the puppy, now 5 months old, was 11 weeks when she landed at LaGuardia Airport and was transported by a volunteer to meet her new family. Three of her litter mates also found homes in Connecticut -- two right in Danbury. "It was truly a flawless, painless experience," Mitchell said.
But beyond pet adoptions and reunited friends, Facebook's reach can extend even further.
Author Emily Liebert shares a compilation of such tales -- some life-changing, some even lifesaving -- in her book, "Facebook Fairytales: Modern-Day Miracles to Inspire the Human Spirit."
The book showcases a diverse collection of stories -- ranging from that of a Florida woman who decided to donate a kidney after reading a plea on an old high school friend's Facebook site, to a couple who found a baby to adopt, and half siblings who met for the first time as adults.
There is a story about how a French man used his Facebook site to locate a member of the Nepali Ski Team who simply vanished from the team's base, and another about a girl in Maryland who contacted police in Oxfordshire, England, after seeing a boy there post his intention to commit suicide.
Police arrived soon after the boy overdosed on drugs, and medical personnel were able to save him.
"Facebook is not only a social networking site -- it's a cultural revolution," Liebert wrote in the introduction to her book. "It's opened up an international dialogue, allowing members to connect in the most technologically advanced way."
She continued, "But, more than that, it's truly become the modern-day word of mouth ... an intricate web of connections, the results of which have transformed people's lives in ways they never imagined possible."
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