Stop the Madness

Operation: Peanut's Holiday of Hope

This is a continuation of the Stop The Madness campaign and rescue of Labradors from a backyard "breeder". We are in the final stretch and we have had 23 Labradors come in who have no human socialization.

Peanut was one of the Labs rescued in Operation Sunday Labs. Peanut arrived in very poor medical condition. He was extremely malnourished and suffering from parasites and tick-borne illnesses. Sadly, despite exceptional foster home and Vet care, Peanut survived only a few days. L.E.A.R.N. has dedicated subsequent efforts to rescue the remaining Labs at that breeder's in Peanut's honor: Operation Peanut's Promise and now the finale of Peanut's Holiday of Hope Labs.

We already have confirmation of pregnancies, mammary tumors, Lymes', Analpamosis, Lung Worm, and Whip Worm. None of the dogs are fixed, which we will see to once it is safe to do so.

This is where we need your help. We estimate that Vet costs will average $750 per Lab (The vetting for 4 of Operation Sunday Labs was well over $1,000 each), and our adoption fees and donations are applied strictly to our veterinary costs.  Consider sponsoring one of our Peanut’s Holiday of Hope Labs in honor or memory of a loved one Please visit http://www.labadoption.org/info/donate to donate to our Stop the Madness Campaign.

Here's how you can help:
• Become a foster home, if only for 1 time.
• Make a donation to help pay for Vet expenses and help get these Labs on the road to a health and vitality.

(If you are interested in learning more about the various parasites and health conditions listed above, please visit: http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_the_pet_web_library.html  )

 

 

Operation Peanut's Promise

You likely remember well and continue to follow Stop The Madness - Operation Sunday Labs, L.E.A.R.N.’s effort to rescue and re-home 11 Labradors from a retiring breeder. All of the  breeder's Labs lived outside 24-7 with only some barrels and small dog houses for shelter and cheap dog food and bread for food.  The area where the dogs lived was filled with garbage and excrement. They are all unsocialized and had never seen a Vet.

Peanut was one of the Labs rescued in Operation Sunday Labs.  Peanut arrived in very poor medical condition.  He was extremely malnourished and suffering from parasites and tick-borne illnesses.  Sadly, despite exceptional foster home and Vet care, Peanut survived only a few days. L.E.A.R.N. has dedicated subsequent efforts to rescue the remaining Labs at that breeder's in Peanut's honor:  Operation Peanut's Promise.  L.E.A.R.N. geared up for Operation Peanut's Promise by recruiting and preparing additional foster homes.

After several postponements, and with the help of Pets In Crisis, on Sunday, January 11th, L.E.A.R.N. rescued 14 more Labs from the same breeder. Peanut’s Promise Labs were transported to a central location in southern WI where L.E.A.R.N. volunteers bathed, examined and showered them with love.  From there, the 14 dogs headed off to their warm foster homes where they would begin learning to trust humans. One of the greatest challenges for the foster homes is to help these Labs overcome different fears — from everyday noises to riding in a car, conquering stairs, and leaving the couch.

We're happy to report that this second group of Labs, despite needing Vet care, appeared less emaciated and generally in better health than the first group.  Unlike the first group, none have required emergency care.  Nevertheless, because of their background, they require more Vetting.  As with the Operation Sunday Labs, most have parasites and tick-borne illnesses for which they are being treated.  They also need to be Heartworm tested, put on preventative, spayed/neutered and vaccinated.   Since the breeder erratically vaccinated some dogs himself, L.E.A.R.N. is running titer antibody tests first to avoid over-vaccinating, which would be especially risky for dogs who already have health challenges.

 

This is where we need your help.  We estimate that Vet costs will average $750 per Lab (The vetting for 4 of Operation Sunday Labs was well over $1,000 each), and our adoption fees and donations are applied strictly to our veterinary costs. Consider sponsoring one of our Peanut’s Promise Labs in honor or memory of a loved one   Please visit http://www.labadoption.org/info/donate to donate to our Stop the Madness Campaign.
 

Meet Peanut’s Promise Labs:

Binkee, 1 year old black male, started out as a “statue dog” and fearful of new situations, but he is now wagging his tail and learning all sorts of fun behaviors, including chewing up his cone after his neuter surgery, necessitating a trip back to the Vet for his incision to be re-sutured.
                  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Booboo, is 1 year old black male. This timid boy who wouldn’t come out of his crate is now a tail-wagging, prancing, toy-holding guy. He began retrieving a ball and loves it. Despite being an outside dog, Booboo has never had an accident in the house but would make a good thief. He has tried to take shoes, a remote control, and items from table tops.  He is very easy to correct and stops undesirable behaviors immediately.  Booboo gets along well with a 12 yr old Chocolate Lab, a 5 year-old Boston Terrier and the sneaky cat.
                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

                                                         

Bowser, a 1 year old black male, is described as “perfection” and everything that could be wanted in a dog. He’s tall with a gorgeous coat. While he can be timid and nervous, he’s eager to please, very affectionate, and would enjoy a canine friend. He’s been adjusting to the more temperate climate of indoor life and didn’t need any house training. Bowser loves couches and is learning to play fetch and now knows what a squeaky toy is. So far, he’s noticed a cat but has neither pursued nor sought her out. He’s been figuring out how to use stairs.
               ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bravo, a 13 month-old yellow male, gets along well with the 8 year-old Lab in his foster home. He’s very sweet and has only had one accident . .our fault because he didn’t get outside in time.
                 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bucky, a 13 month old black male, has been neutered and is not happy with the Vet's instructions not to play hard; he misses his fun time. He is completely housebroken and goes to the door and waits. He’s learning to ring the bells on the door but hasn’t quite caught on yet. He surprised his foster home when a friend came over.  Bucky barked, something he hadn’t done previously, but he calmed right down. He’s learning to sit before he eats; to avoid inhaling his food, he eats his dinner in two parts.
                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Frosty is a 13 months old yellow male (pictured), and Skipper, a yellow male, is 6 years old.
                   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jack, a 13 month old black male, has gained a few pounds in his first weeks at his foster home.  Jack initially was quite timid and tucked his tail between his legs and never wagged it. Now he wags his tail constantly. He eats and drinks like he hasn't eaten in days! He inhales his food and then tries to eat the other dog’s food but without success. Jack sleeps quietly at night in his crate and keeps it very clean. His potty training has been going very well, and he stands by the door when he needs to go out. He walks nicely on his leash and sometimes holds his leash in his mouth and prances as if taking himself for a walk.  He’s learning not to jump on the counter. Jack enjoys cuddling with the other two Labs at his foster home despite plenty of available dog beds. 
                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ruger, 4 month old yellow male, has been doing well and has much puppy energy. He loves toys.  He likes to fetch something and then play 'keep away.' He’s aspiring to keep up with the “big dogs” in the yard, but when he can’t, he struts around with a toy in his mouth. He now knows how to go upstairs, and his potty training is going well. He keeps his crate clean. His obedience training has been progressing well despite his love of stealing shoes by the door. He still has that puppy craziness!
                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ladybug  aka Lady, is approximately 1 year old yellow female. Her personality has begun to shine through and seems to smile when she's happy. She loves to play with toys and fetch them — but not bring them back and drop.  Sudden noises frighten her, but only temporarily, and the vacuum doesn’t bother her. She raced away the first time she heard a blender but, by the third time, did not react at all. Ladybug’s potty training has been going well, and she keeps her crate clean. She’s learned “sit” and “down” quickly. She does need to slow down at the food bowl.  
                   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Luke, 1 year-old yellow male, has been settling in nicely.  He's very sweet, curious, and very brave for treats.  He has learned “sit” and loves running around with his foster home’s Lab in the yard. He likes the noise that squeaky toys make, but balls still perplex him somewhat.
             ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Zach and Pushkin are brothers, 5-6 years old and both have many excellent qualities. They keep their kennels clean and know to chew only their bones and toys. They are very quiet and walk well on the leash. They will start classes as soon as they’ve adjusted more and had their health issues resolved. They are quite wary of new things, but their foster mom knows two happy dogs reside inside these frightened boys, and soon they will emerge.
           ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rusty, 8-12 months old yellow male.  Rusty is a sweet little boy.  He is very nervous around unfamiliar people, but he is beginning to make great strides and becoming more secure everyday.  He is very sweet and affectionate and loves to be with you.  He learns very quickly and knows "sit," "off," and "come."  He also loves being an inside dog and laying on the furniture.  He has started to play with my dogs and loves to play tug and fetch. 
                 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Please watch L.E.A.R.N.’s website and Facebook page for updates on these guys and all their other friends and consider helping us with their Vet expenses. And, please watch for our next issue of The Retriever which will include more good news about L.E.A.R.N.

 

Operation Sunday Labs

On November 16th took in eleven (yes, 11) Labradors.  We are working with Pets in Crisis to assist in re-homing Labradors from a retiring breeder.

L.E.A.R.N. volunteers came together to help out these Labs.  These Labs lived outside 24-7 with only some barrels and small dog houses for shelter and cheap dog food and bread for food.  The area the dogs were kept in was filled with garbage and excrement.  During Operation Sunday, 11 of these Labs were transported to Sponge Spa Car Washes in Janesville, WI who were kind enough to let us use their location to transfer and bathe all of the Labs.  All Lab, which had a dog wash attached, were dirty and in need of a bath on arrival.  This was a new situation for all of them, and they were petrified.  We were surprised by the small size of the Labs, seven of the Labs were 1 year old and not one was over 30 lbs.  We took our time and bathed all but Macy, the small pup.  After baths the Labs enjoyed love, cuddles and treats from our volunteers, except for Goldie who had an open wound on his side.  Two volunteers took him to the animal ER for x-rays and staples.  Two hours later, these 11 dogs headed off to their warm foster homes where they would begin living as "man's best friend" should and start learning to trust humans.

This is where we need your help.  In the first week these Labs have been diagnosed with malnourishment, whipworm infestations, Lyme’s disease, Anaplasmosis, broken teeth, and a tumor that will need to be removed.  In addition to treatment for various ailments, all of our Operation Sunday Labs need to be microchipped, neutered/spayed, vaccinated, and put on heartworm preventative. Please visit http://www.labadoption.org/info/donate to donate to our Operation Sunday Labs Fund.

That’s not all!  We have just learned that the breeder has agreed to surrender 10 more Labs shortly.   :-)  This is great news for those Labs.  However, this increases our need for foster homes and funds to help these dogs.  We need people willing to open their homes and their hearts, and we need funds to cover their Vetting needs.

Here's how you can help:  

Become a foster home, if only for 1 time. 

Make a donation to help pay for Vet expenses and help get these Labs on the road to a health and vitality.

This holiday season, consider offering a priceless gift to the ones you love - sponsor one of our Operation Sunday Labs in honor or memory of your loved one.  In addition to knowing you helped put these dogs on the path to a good, healthy future, we will send you a certificate with their photo and biography in time for the holidays.  For example:


Macy, 3 weeks old and barely over a pound.  When Macy’s litter mates did not make it, her mother stopped coming to feed her.  Without Operation Sunday Labs, she would not have survived without the nourishment puppies need.  Macy is receiving special nourishment and care due to her very young age, she has spent several days under veterinary care. She will need to be tested for heartworm and other parasites, microchipped, be spayed when she is old enough, and examined by a Vet.
 


Bobbi, 2 years old and 40 pounds, lived her life outside and it became very obvious that there was something neurologically wrong. Extremely timid and quiet, Bobbi just wants to hide and be on a soft bed. Her foster mom reports, “she actually wagged her tail this morning and that brought tears to my eyes.”  Bobbi needs to have her Vet evaluation, an MRI, tested for heartworm and other parasites, and be spayed.
 


Lelu’s confidence has been growing and she gets along with her foster siblings, especially Cash, who uses her as a pillow. She’s only 1 year old, being treated for whipworm and Lyme's and needs to be spayed. She’s begun to play with some dog toys. She has a funny personality and is a real sweetie, but is startled badly with sudden loud noises, and will go hide in her crate when new people come around.   It's so rewarding to see her learning and becoming comfortable in a loving home.
 


Claudia, almost 11 years old, has been overcoming many fears, including getting out of the car. A depression in the ground or a barrel where she was kept chained up was likely her bed and shelter 24/7. Letting her foster mom pet her side and behind her ears marked a huge milestone. Her food motivation has helped her come a long way in a very short time. Short walks will begin to build some muscle mass, since she was chained up for such a long time before she came into rescue. She's tested positive for Lyme’s and Ehrlichia, has whipworms, broken/cracked teeth, and a tumor on her eyelid that needs to be removed.  She also needs to be spayed.
 


Blincoln, a 1 year old male, has transitioned from utterly petrified to timid and skittish. He cowers at loud or sudden noises, but his tail is less frequently pinned down between his hind legs. A few bribes aided him in going out the back door and down a step, likely an entirely new experience for him. He’s smart: earning an “A” in potty training and Tennis Ball Discovery 101. After life outdoors, he especially likes the warmth of the house. He needs to be tested for heartworm and other parasites, examined by a Vet and neutered.  He’s coming out of his shell slowly, and that’s his biggest challenge.
 


Diva, aka Midnight a 1 year old female, loves attention and, after not having enough to eat, is very food motivated; this will help with her much needed training. Diva had no idea what to do with a ball – she watched as it rolled by her with interest.  Once the ball bounced, Diva bounced along with it.  In 15 minutes, she was playing fetch. Her athleticism and her food motivation make her an excellent counter surfer. She’s first learning affection and trust; then manners instruction begins. Diva has Lyme's and Anaplasmosis and only weighs 28 pounds; she will be spayed soon.
 


On his first walk with a human, Rascal, a 1 year old male, found an ad flyer wrapped in plastic, resembling a newspaper. He picked it up and strutted around the block with it in his mouth like he had the BEST toy in the world. With something in his mouth, he struts with head and tail up. He’s mastered going down bare wood stairs but would rather not go up. He’ll get more practice once his stitches from neutering are removed.  He’s probably the healthiest of the Sunday Labs, but is only 30 pounds and is Lyme positive.



Sadly, Peanut, aka Blonko, a very sweet 1 year old male, will never get his forever home.  Peanut was handed to his foster mom right after his bath.  It was evident right away that things were not right for him.  He was very weak, had a hard time on the floors in our house that were not carpeted.  Getting him to eat and drink was a challenge.  He did not poop or pee much, but the first time he did poop it was full of plastic and paper.  He was living on whatever he could find to put into his tummy.  Although his blood work came back only to show whipworms and Anaplasmosis, the Vet did not give much hope. Peanut was started on IV fluids, antibiotics and steroids.  His foster home gave him puppy food, goats milk, a warm coat and calming herbal essences.  They stayed home all week taking turns holding him wrapped in a warm blanket.  Things got progressively worse; he started having seizures.  His foster mom and dad padded his entire crate with foam so he wouldn't hurt himself during times they could not hold him.  The seizures started coming so fast, they couldn't get the IV into him anymore. There was no quality of life left for this beautiful little boy.  He has crossed the Rainbow Bridge less than a week after coming into foster care.

The group of Labs arriving shortly will be in Peanut’s memory;  Operations Peanut’s Promise.
 


Goldie and Trisket have a few veterinary needs. When Goldie was being bathed, volunteers discovered he had an untreated laceration.  He required a trip to the ER for x-rays and staples.  He has also tested positive for Lyme’s and Anaplasmosis.  Trisket has whipworms and lack of nourishment. These boys have been very unsure of things like doors, leashes and toys but are improving each day.  Alone, they still seem shy, scared and timid; together, their tails are up and happy to see each other. Both will need to be neutered. Click here to help these dear boys and their friends.  
 


After seven years of outdoors and being a breeder, Juno has been adjusting very quickly and has started to interact with people, including a two-year old child very nicely. She will be spayed in December and happily her Vet exam found her clear from the nasty parasites that her friends are experiencing, but will need to spayed after she comes out of heat. This very sweet girl wants exactly what all the other Sunday Labs want — a loving home, protection from the elements, and enough nutritious food.

Please visit www.labadoption.org/info/donate to donate to our Stop the Madness Fund. If you would like to donate in honor or memory of someone,  please email our Financial Manager at labbielover2003@aol.com and provide their name(s).

If you would like to help by fostering, please complete a Volunteer Application.

These 11 Labs and all of our L.E.A.R.N. volunteers sincerely thank you for whatever help you can give to support our Operation Sunday Labs Rescue and allow us to help rescue more Stop the Madness Labs later this month.

(If you are interested in learning more about the various parasites and health conditions listed above, please visit: http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_the_pet_web_library.html  )

Happy Holidays!
    From all the L.E.A.R.N. volunteers and the Labs we save

www.labadoption.org

https://www.facebook.com/labadoption