MAKING A DONATION IN MEMORIAM
Please READ the following BEFORE you click the “Donate” button below to learn where to email us the details of your In Memoriam donation including any request for SCLRR to send an acknowledgement.
When you click on the Yellow Lab below, you will be taken to a PayPal page. Select the amount of your donation, then press either the “Donate with PayPal” or the “Donate with a Debit or Credit Card” button. Either login to your PayPal account OR enter your credit card info, then click the “Donate Now” button at the bottom of the PayPal page; follow any additional instructions you’re given and your dollars will be on their way to help the Labs. You will be sent a Thank You/Tax Receipt acknowledging your donation.
NOTE: When you see a box that says “Share my mailing address with Southern California Labrador Retriever Rescue,” please be sure to place a check mark in the box if you’d like to receive our annual Holiday newsletter in the US mail.
VERY IMPORTANT: If you want you us to know that your donation is in memory of someone, or if you’d like us to send an acknowledgement to a bereaved or other third party, send us an email to sclrr@sclrr.org with the In Memoriam details (this would be separate from the donation made at the PayPal site). The subject line of the email should read “In Memoriam Details from (donor’s name).” Be sure to provide the person’s or family’s name and mailing address of anyone to whom you’d like an acknowledgement sent, and also include exactly what wording you’d like the acknowledgement to say.
If you’d like to share your SCLRR dog’s story, please contact us.
 Roen 2007-06-15: On Saturday June 2, Valerie and I went to the San Bernardino City Shelter to evaluate several labs. While asking about a certain neutered yellow male that was brought in by Colton Animal Control on May 26, 2007, and now available we were sent to the back of the shelter where the injured animals are kept. There was a young male lab in a cage that would not put any weight on his right rear leg. The shelter staff felt like it was a broken bone, but there is no vet on staff to examine him. He passed SAFER, is gentle, social and good with people and other dogs. Because his time was running out I made arrangements to have him transported to General Dog & Cat Hospital on Monday morning for an x-ray to determine what his problem was. I agreed to do this at my own expense. X-rays were taken, and pain medication was given. The x-rays showed a broken femur bone midway between the hip and knee. The vet said that this was not able to be splinted because there would be too much movement from the hip joint. They suggested pinning the bone together. A vet would not be available to do this before next Tuesday, so I transported him to Mesa Vet in Victorville for a consultation and possible surgery. Mesa Vet, Dr. Appleton stated that this break happened approximately 4 weeks ago and now had a periosteal reaction, where new bone was beginning to form around the 2 broken ends. Because the dog had not had any medical attention for over 4 weeks he now needs to have orthopedic surgery with plates and screws. The sad part about this is that his owner had possession of him while in this condition and apparently let him loose to be picked up by Animal Control after several weeks instead of treating his injury. Over the last 4 weeks his injury has worsened causing him to endure more difficult surgery and recovery time. Roen was scheduled for his femur repair surgery on June 13, 2007. The surgery went well; the whole procedure took two surgeons four hours to complete. They did a beautiful job and placed a total of nine pins and a plate to fix his broken leg. The doctors were very happy with the results and they even burned the post-op x-rays onto a CD disk. However, while Roen was in the recovery room (ten minutes) after they took him off the anesthesia, he passed away from a blood clot. They performed CPR on him for ten minutes but was not able to revive him Yesterday, June 14, 2007, I went to say goodbye to Roen. I hugged him and kissed him goodbye. Even though I feel that every foster dog I have had is special; but Roen touched my heart in a special way. Probably because of how he was treated by his previous owners. Jose and I have decided to pay for his cremation ourselves and bring Roen home with us to be with Coco and Shadow. Because he was my foster and a stray, we did not want him to be alone after he crossed over the Rainbow Bridge. |
 Sandye 2011-09-29: Hi Geneva, my husband, Lou and I adopted Sandy from SCLRR back in Feb 2008. You were her foster mom. I'm not sure if you remember her, but she had lived with you for several months while she recuperated from a knee replacement. She had a very sweet disposition. I want to let you know that we unfortunately, had to put her to sleep yesterday. She had been diagnosed with hepatitis in May and was on medication and special liver food since then. Then on Monday, she was diagnosed with Lymphoma and the oncologist said that if chemo was successful, most dogs would only live 1 year. They gave her some medication to help her while we made the decision on what to do but she stopped eating and went down hill fast. Anyway, we want to thank you for getting her out of the shelter and letting us adopt her. She was a wonderful dog and we were very blessed to have her. |
 Achilles 2021-07-13: Sky (formerly Achilles) joined our family on November 1, 2012. He was welcomed by our two other Labs, Cocoa and Dax, and he seemed from the start to take his cues from them. It was as if he wanted to do everything right. That was the case for Sky's entire life with us - he never did anything he wasn't supposed to do. He never counter surfed, never chewed anything that wasn't his, and never had a problem with other dogs. When we adopted Sky, he didn't know many commands and pulled hard on the leash when we walked him. Off to obedience class! He seemed to be the trainer's favorite, as she always chose him to demonstrate a new command to practice. He learned everything quickly, and was the only dog to get a perfect score on the final performance tests. True to his breed, Sky loved water and never missed a chance to take a swim. The most memorable was the fish pond at Kenneth Hahn Park, where he emerged covered in green algae. He also enjoyed a dip in the waterfall and pool outside our daughter's neighborhood in Florida. One of Sky's all time favorite things was to wake us up in the morning. He would throw his upper body up onto the bed and begin happily licking our faces. his powerful tail banging against the side of the bed. He would then race out of the room to get one of his stuffed dragons, then race back in shaking the dragon. Morning is probably a time when we miss him the most. When Sky was about 12 years old, we began to notice some physical changes - pot belly, sagging back, thinning coat, and skin infection. Our vet diagnosed it as Cushing's Disease. The medication helped with the symptoms, but he gradually began to lose his hearing and eyesight. He fell off a step in the backyard and tore his ACL. Due to his other medical issues, our vet didn't think surgery would be successful. She agreed with our decision to let him go. Sky left us on July 7, 2021. Sky was the closest thing to a perfect dog that we have ever had. He gave his love to everyone, and was loved in return. We know he is waiting at the Rainbow Bridge with his tail wagging wildly! We miss you, Big Boy. |
 Beauty May 2021-07-03: There is another shining light on the sky since yesterday. Our beautiful and sweet hospice girl Beauty May aka Muddy crossed the Rainbow Bridge. She was adored by her foster mama Ginny Ashley, and they had such a beautiful and strong bond with each other. The way Beauty looked at her mama was like she was the only person in the Universe. And Ginny loved her back every step of the way. This sweet girl came to us with a bad cough. SCLRR spared no expense to try and figure that out. She had numerous visits to the specialty hospital, numerous tests and she even went to UC Davis for diagnosis. Ginny drove her to all of these appointments even if it was a 4-6 hours drive to her monthly appointments or 400 miles each way to get to UC Davis. Sadly, in the end we had a diagnosis but it was a very sad one - lung cancer that was terminal. This girl was special and knew how to live her life at the max. She chased squirrels and lizards like nobody else, she climbed hills and played in creeks, rivers and ocean up until the end. Ginny took her on multiple fun trips and had a lot of fun hiking and taking it all in. She had many cheeseburgers along the way as that was the tradition - Ginny fed her a cheeseburger every time she would go to the vet for just being a good girl. Run free sweet girl. I know you will have fun up there over the Rainbow.
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 Jazz 3 2021-07-03: Shadow
2010-2021. We brought Shadow home in late 2016 although he was named Jazz at the time. We called him Shadow since he rarely left my side. As my daughter pointed out, he was my true shadow. He left many friends behind. He loved everyone and everyone loved him. He brought calm dog wisdom to our home along with a sense of humor and fun. Ever present. Ever patient. Always handsome and well turned out. While we only had 4 1/2 years together until his health declined at some age over 11 (we were never sure of his true age), but we wouldn't have traded a minute of our time with him for anything. I used to tell him that every minute together forever wouldn't be enough time and so it wasn't. Thank you to SCLRR for bringing Shadow into your network, fostering him and letting us take him home.
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 Vanna 2020-12-21: Hannah, or Vanna as she was known then, came to us from SCLRR during the spring of 2008. From the start we knew that she would be the perfect dog for our family. Active, but not hyper, exceptionally friendly, but not needy, and sweet as could be. One of her favorite things to do was to just be with her people. Not as the center of attention, but just, present. Everyone accounted for. Safe. Peaceful. She loved to go on long walks with her special person, Karen, and then relax in the shade on the patio of a restaurant or coffee shop as strangers would stop while walking by and comment on her beautiful yellow coat and easy-going demeanor. Hannah lived a long and comfortable live filled with lots of love and special attention. She had many fun adventures and loved her trips to the Huntington Beach dog beach where she could watch from a distance what all the other dogs were doing. Hannah passed away peacefully in her home on 12/8/20 surrounded by people who loved her. Thank you to all of the people from SCLRR who helped to bring Hannah into our lives. |
 Scuirt 2019-08-28: We will forever be grateful to SCLRR for choosing our family for our Casey girl in 2006. She passed away with her beloved best human friend Bill by her side in July 2019, at 14 years, 7 months old. In spring of 2006, we had 5- and 10-year old daughters, a busy household with friends, neighbors, and girl scout troops constantly in and out, and we knew the time was right to get a family dog. SCLRR knew just the dog we needed, even though we didn't. The adoptable lab page beckoned us daily, but we waited, and waited some more. Then we got the call. A 'soft' dog, the foster mom said - easygoing when she was with her people; some signs of separation anxiety when left alone, as she apparently was for much of her puppyhood. 'Scuirt' as she was called then, was a lab-golden mix (DNA tests later said one purebred lab parent, one lab-golden mix parent) who had been rescued from the East Valley Shelter. A good dog unlikely to get riled or overly rambunctious with a house full of big and little kids. And what a quintessential family dog she turned out to be. A beauty, with long soft ears and a fluffy tail from the Golden heritage, she never minded the cats and was easily trained - she didn't like it when we left, but separation anxiety training was effective. She was pure, unconditional, nonjudgmental, never-ending LOVE. We are bereft, but grateful to have had as many years as we did with her. She was a beach dog, loving the ocean at Coronado's dog beach when we visited family. She was a mountain dog, cavorting in the snow at our cabin in Big Bear, chasing her family members sledding down hills, hiking with us, swimming in the lake. Even after she slowed down, with unreliable hips and kidney issues, she was game for attempting some friendly chases at her last dog beach visit in June 2019. 'All this dog wants to do is please you,' said our dog-trainer neighbor early on. Casey did an outstanding job of that for more than 13 years and we miss her dearly. Thank you to the wonderful people at SCLRR who knew she was the right match for us!
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 Zina 2019-07-25: Crossed the Rainbow Bridge on 4/1/2019. Zina was abandoned by her original owner at age 3, then had 3 failed adoptions before coming to us at age 5. She was our 3rd SCLRR adoption, and was with us for 9 years, 1 month, and 20 days. Thanks to some wonderful coaching by her foster mom, Jennifer Walker, we were able to correct the negative behaviors that had gotten her in trouble. We changed her name to Cocoa and she seemed to adapt to fit a softer name. She challenged us in so many ways, but in return, we got the sweetest and most loyal dog anyone could ever want. Cocoa won over everyone with her gentle brown eyes and wagging tail. Even people who had been afraid of dogs loved to pet her silky soft ears as she gazed up at them. Cocoa was smart and extremely athletic. She ruled her Labbie brothers with an iron paw. They were inseparable, but she was the Alpha. In the fall of 2017, she was diagnosed with transitional cell carcinoma in the wall of her bladder, but continued to act like her sweet self. She fought hard for 18 months, but finally let us know she was ready to go when she didn't want to go for her morning walks. She was 14 years old. Goodbye sweet girl. We miss you so much. You left a hole in our hearts.
Gail and Harold Garcia
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 Panser 2003-08-11: We can only hope Panser had a nice life before he was turned into the shelter. We only had him 3 days before he passed away...but everyone at the shelter had begged me to take this dog. He was sweet, gentle and lovable. I wish we had known him longer. We will always remember him. Panser's passing resulted from bloat. This disorder kills very swiftly. Don't let Panser's death be in vain. Be aware of the symptoms and get any dog who has them to a veterinarian immediately. Information on the condition can be found by clicking on this link: Canine Bloat Information
Donna
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 Layla 2017-02-10: With an extremely heavy heart and much sadness, we had to send Layla to the rainbow bridge this afternoon. After reviewing her X-rays this morning with the doctor and going over her meds, we decided it would be best for Layla to let her go. She was progressing in some areas, but the X-rays showed so much inflammation in her joints and hips, nodules in her rib cage (they thought cancer) and she was struggling to move and not interested in eating. She had good and bad days with her itching, but it was so difficult to watch her be in pain. Her spirit was always positive and I knew how much she wanted to play and run. She had a doggie spa day yesterday and she and her foster brother Jackson enjoyed a pup patty from In-N-Out and a homemade frosty paws this afternoon. I thank you for all your support for her and all the labs of SCLRR.. Even though we only rescued her a month ago from a shelter, she was so loved and I'm sure she felt that this last month we had her. She stole our hearts and she will be very missed. Run free, sweet girl.
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 Summer4 2012-02-08: This picture is of my beloved 'Summer', taken on Christmas day. We had to let her go on Feb 1.,2012 due to kidney failure. I was privileged to have her for eight years, and she was just under two years when I found her through Lab. Rescue. She was one of the sweetest animals I have ever known. She had such a love for everyone, and everyone loved her. I teach violin in my home, and she became my mascot, listening to every lesson, and loving every student. She followed me wherever I went in the house, and when I sat down, she seemed to think it was because I wanted to focus just on her. And, I did. She had a rough beginning in life and because of lab. rescue, she was given a second chance......I will forever be grateful. Her love for me was so unconditional, and she would not leave her bed in the morning until I got up. She would listen in the evening for my husband's car, and when she heard it she would run to get a 'toy', and I would open the front door so she could 'go see Daddy.' It was always a joyful time. She knew so many words that I sometimes found myself spelling some if I didn't want her to know what I was talkng about. We shared late night snacks together, because she knew the sound of the cupboard door opening and knew that I would always share with her. She had a 'Charlie Brown' blanket that we called her cuddle blanket, and she would come running if I asked her if she wanted to cuddle. Truly, she did not get up on the sofa unless I invited her with her blanket. She loved to swim, getting the ball out of the water and then expecting whoever she was with to throw it back in. She loved to swim with a ball in her mouth and pulling a child holding on to her. She loved music, and especially the violin. When I would practice, she would be at my feet listening, and I often chided my husband over the fact that he would close the door to his study, but Summer would come right into the room to listen. It was difficult for people to believe that Summer never chewed anything but her own toys. She had a basket full of them, and loved to pick them out of a Target bag. If this world was full of people as kind and loving as Summer, it would be a much better place. But it is already, because Summer lived here. 'Gone from my sight but not from my heart.' Judy Berry |
 Cassidy Baby 2017-01-24: I lost my beautiful Cassidy to cancer this morning. I adopted her from you 9 years, three weeks, and one day ago. She was the best friend I have ever had, and I will miss her greatly. Steven Robbins |
 Logan 2012-07-23: Logan was my very first foster dog---and he made me a foster failure for the first (but not the last) time. Adopted 1999. Crossed the Rainbow Bridge 2012. Andy Lesser |
 Nicko 2016-06-14: Riley came into our home as a senior lab for the last year of his life. Although we knew little of his past life he was accepted into our family and rewarded us with endless gratitude. With good manners and an enthusiastic attitude towards living the life of a dog, he took our hearts and spent his last year enjoying The Life of Riley. Bob & Robin Perry Riley |
 Truedee Update: Available! 2009-10-18: Hi my name is Truedee and I'm the happiest gal you will every meet! I'm a yellow lab between 5-7 years (my vet thinks I'm closer to 5 yrs) that was sadly neglected with big growths on my ears and feet from fly strikes and allowed to get very overweight at 101 lbs. My foster Mom took immediate action placing me on a restricted diet of light dog food and moderate exercise every day. As the 'Biggest Loser', I'm now down to svelte 82 lbs! I'm very playful, love to fetch and go on short walks. I am also happy just hanging out at the house waiting for you to get home. When you are at home, I like to be with you at your feet while you work on the computer, lying in the kitchen while you fix you meal, or if you feel like a walk, I'm all over that! I would like to be the only dog but would be fine with an older mellow dog like my foster brother Poncho V. As an only dog I would get your full attention and spoiling and not compete with other dogs, cats or children under the age of 10. I'm house broken, know some basic commands and take correction very well. I'm also not one of those dogs that bark constantly when outside. My foster Mom put together a pillow with a blanket on top and I settle in nicely for the night without going into a crate and I'm not in a crate when she goes to work, however, I do not mind going into a crate. The growths have been removed and I'm starting to grow hair back and being overweight I have the start of arthritis but this is being managed by medication. I also need to go to a family that will continue to help with my weight as my ideal weight for my size is about 70lbs UPDATE: I'm now down to 74lbs, only 4 more pounds to reach my ideal weight! Also should not go to a home with cats as they are really fun to chase. UPDATE: Should only be a couple of more weeks before I will ready for my forever home so come check me out!
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 Walker 2015-07-28: July 20, 2015 'Walker' adopted January 2003. We changed his name to 'Dax'. Dax was our second SCLRR adoption, having been picked up as a stray. He was a typical Lab in temperament. He loved all people and all dogs, especially little tiny ones. He is the only dog we have ever known who gave real hugs - he stood on his hind legs and wrapped his paws around you while laying his head on your leg. He was atypical in that he never chased balls, refused to swim, and didn't like toys. He did love to stand in a sprinkler and let it spray his tummy! Dax had a good, long life with us and was healthy to the end. He was about 15-16 years old, and his back legs just gave out due to arthritis. He seemed to know when it was time to say goodbye, and gave me a final hug. He is deeply missed by our whole extended family and his Labbie sister and brother. Letting him go was so hard, but it was what was best for Dax. |
 Rembrandt 2015-05-13: In the three months we knew him, Chester brought much joy to our family. His loving nature brought out the good in all of us. He was our buddy, our companion, and the love of our lives. Chester was a beauty, both in appearance and in character. We will always remember him with a smile and he will forever hold a special place in our hearts. |
 Jemma 2015-05-19: 02-09-2015 It is with a heavy heart that I am contacting you. After a valiant 18 month fight with Nasal Carcinoma, Jemma pass over the Rainbow Bridge on January 17th at 5:15pm. She was a beautiful soul and the best dog we have had. When we first saw her at your house on July 20th of 2008, she came in and put her Kong toy in my son Jack's lap and sat so quietly by him, we knew then that she was going to be the best companion for us. She became a loving and faithful member of our family. She was a protector of my special needs son Jack, and slept in his room and was by his side most of the day. She bonded quickly with our older dog Nugget,and was somewhat lost when he passed to the Rainbow Bridge on January 17th 2011. Almost to the exact time and day. We had been trying to get her a new friend, but when we received her diagnosis we decided to give her all of the love and attention she deserved. |
 Toby6 2014-02-09: Toby was a great dog and my best friend. Thankfully SCLRR rescued him from a shelter, gave him great training, fixed the life threatening bloat he had and eventually placed him with me. I want to thank SCLRR for taking Toby6 and so many other deserving dogs in and finding them homes. I remember when I was first looking for a dog, somehow I found the SCLRR website and saw Toby and thought 'what a great dog he must be!' Gone but never forgotten. Jeff Halpern |
 Darlene 2014-01-02: 'We just moved to our new house we recently bought, and our house feels so empty'. We try to find a dog since we do not have kids yet at that time and I searched everywhere and wanted mostly to adopt either a Golden or a Lab. We went to all the nearest adoption center and found SCLRR online and at the exact time is holding an adoption in Redondo Beach. My husband saw Darlene that is petite and looks scared and was sitting on top of the lap of a volunteer. The volunteer said that she is scared of strangers and especially men. She looks like she is scared with everybody around but when my husband and I came to approached her volunteer was surprised and let us walk her. At that very moment I know that she is a good fit for us. It wasn't an easy relationship at first since looks like she was still a puppy and most of all she was not socialized or was abused in the past. She was such a picky eater and was not house trained. I feel like she taught us to be patient and prepare us to be a responsible dog owner and parents as well. My kids treat her like a sister and part of the family and we were all devastated when she got really sick.It was the hardest for me to let her go .. from her suffering from hemangiosarcoma. We will miss her terribly and I know she will be waiting for us in the Rainbow Bridge... ( we love you so much Darlene!) We will never forget you! |
 Wasabi 2013-11-25: Scooter Thaxton August 13, 2002 November 22, 2013 On Mothers Day, in 2003, we adopted a nine-month-old yellow male we named Scooter. It didnt take long for us to realize why he had been given up not once, but twice. That first year was anything but easy as Scooter chewed his way through five pairs of glasses, three remote controls, two cell phones, and an assortment of really nice shoes, jackets and purses. My husband can attest to the fact that more than once I said, Its either him or me. But, there was something in those marble-brown eyes that said, Please dont give up on me the way the others did. So, we soldiered on with lots of love, patience and training (it turned out, we needed more training than he did). Everyone who ever met him, loved him. He was sweet, funny and smart as a whip. He was bigger than life. Everyday at three, he pushed his nose under my elbow to tell me it was time to get off the computer and take him for a walk. Every evening at five, I could hear the schwang of his metal bowl scraping against the floor before he brought it to me, telling me it was time for dinner-- he never needed more than a day or two to adjust to daylight savings time. When my son came home from college, I could clap my hands and say, Go get the laundry, and he would run into the room, scoop up socks, underwear, and shirts and drop them at my feet in front of the washing machine then go back again, until the room was completely cleared. He did the same with the bed linens, dragging them down the hall to the laundry room. Hed often go into my closet and select one shoe and drop it in my lap, waiting for me to say, Go get the other one, then hed run back into the closet and select the exact right match. I could go on. We lost our precious boy on November 22, 2013 to a very rapid and aggressive form of cancer. Fortunately, he was only sick for two days. Every turn, we see him; every quiet moment, we hear him. I feel his wet nose at the back of my knee, I hear him push against the closed bathroom door. We expect to see him at the window when we come home even though we know he is not there. We love you old boy. We miss you and will never, ever forget you. Love, Mom, Dad and Joe |
 Lennen 2013-07-15: on thurs. morning 7-11 my beautiful boy lennen passed away at my home. he was the most amazing lab and quite the celebrity. he was on the cover of pedigrees annual report and won a cameo in a book that will be out in sept. he had been an outside dog when sclrr took him in. he was so happy to be in the house all the time. i am devastated to lose lennen. he was the best. i will always miss him. Diana Holman |
 Lilith 2013-07-01: The Long Goodbye: We knew Lily the Lab had liver cancer a year and half ago, but the progress of the disease was so slow that we enjoyed time with her that we never knew we would have. She is gone now and we are missing her today and tomorrow and the next day and all the days after that. When we adopted her, she was truly a wild thing, having spent her first two years in a dog run. She was so wild that I was ready to return her and shared my plan at work, which prompted the Schoenlaubs to offer to get her obedience training and the Weavers to loan us their large-dog training crate. The thought of returning her was unthinkable in my office! Once the crate was in place, she was more content, and began to settle into living in a home, playing with toys and getting training so she would be safe with our soon-to-be born grandchildren, our most important objective. It all worked out --in spite of the chronic diseases that she had all her life, she was never, ever cranky with Molly and Megan. She loved her daddy; she was a true daddys girl, and Dougs favorite pet of all time. She loved her food and she loved her toys. We loved her. |
 Chip3 2013-06-23: You would never know that my floppy ear friend Chip came from a tough beginning. He was rescued from a South Los Angeles shelter, escaping a hard life on the streets of the inner city, even for a majestic animal. And yet, he seemed to know how lucky he was to have a good life. He was always smiling, wagging his tail, and extending his paw, as if to say, thank-you, I am glad I am with you....I am so glad I was blessed to see how much he loved life: going for walks, playing ball in the yard, riding in the car with windows open so he could see the surroundings...He loved people and people loved him...So it is profound sadness that I had to tell friends that Chip finally lost his battle with a nasal tumor last Monday. He was 15 but he packed so much fight in the last eight months. He had terrible nose bleeds and was sick frequently from his chemo treatment. But thanks to wonderful care of Dr. Dean Watanabe and his staff, I got to enjoy him for many more months. He was smiling and wagging his tail on his final visit to Dr. Watanabe. Good bye. my Chipper. Rest in peace on the Rainbow Bridge. |
 Cash |
 Max-n-out 2007-12-07: Max is a healthy 7 year old, obviously purebred yellow, male Lab who was an owner turn-in at the shelter. His family left him at their because they were 'moving' - it is sad that the guy got dumped just before the holidays! Max is a WONDERFUL dog! He is a big boy at 93 pounds. He has a VERY English style build with a HUGE head! He is just a big teddy bear! He has been wonderful with the dogs in his foster home and the cat. He LOVES to roll around on his back - it is very cute and he has so much personality! Max was adopted to a loving home December 22, 2007 and passed away February 7, 2013. His mom wrote: 'He was the best dog, so smart.'
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 Sir Jack 2003-11-09: My name is Sir Jack and I am a 3 and a half year old chocolate labby boy. I am sweet, great with kids and love to be indoors getting petted by my family. I am housebroken, obedient and love to play ball with the kids. This is my favorite activity!! I am calm and gentle with my family and any visitors. I am also a great watch dog. My only issue is that I do not like other dogs. I become very anxious and nervous when they are near me. I started behavior classes and will need more IF you want me to go places. I really would be best with a family that spends time around the house.I would be very happy to spend my days following you around and getting belly scratches. I would be a great only dog. Please consider me if you want a great housepet to keep you company. |
 Josh 2013-01-06: Riley (Josh), I want to thank you for SO many things. For being our protector, my hiking buddy....for your soft little chin when you laid it on my knee. For your snuggles. For your patience. For your strength. You taught me so much. Most recently, that sometimes you need to take a walk a little slower and truly enjoy all that is around you. Thank you for being a best friend to Kory. He misses you a LOT. As I do. I am SO VERY thankful that YOU were the bouncy lab in the back seat of your foster moms truck the day I came to meet you. I am SO very thankful for the almost 12 years we had with you. I love you my friend. You will always be with me. |
 BooBoo Bear 2012-11-18: When 'Bear' joined our family, he was a wiggly, happy 7 week old puppy who could not give you enough kisses ! He soon grew to be a big, handsome dog and lived up to his name, 'Bear' (as in Teddy Bear) ! Sadly, Bear passed away recently. Bear was dearly loved and is missed VERY MUCH by his family. Bear was a therapy dog for Gabriel's Angels in the Phoenix area, where he comforted neglected children with his love. Bear, you will forever be in our hearts. Thank you for SO many of the happy memories you gave us, and thank you to SCLRR for giving us such a wonderful gift. |
 Lucy Lou 2012-10-26: Our lab, Lucy, who we adopted through SCLRR, had to be put to sleep yesterday due to an aggressive oral melanoma. After a surgery and the melanoma vaccine, she made it about 4 months before the tumor was blocking her airway too much for her to breathe or eat properly. Lucy was an absolutely amazing dog. I didn't think anyone or anything had so much love to share. We will miss her terribly. |
 Windy 2012-10-05: Zoey (formally known as Windy) was picked by my slightly grumpy 9 yr old Lab River to be her buddy. I was so thankful that River made this choice as Zoey turned out to be a wonderful dog that Im sure I wouldnt have chosen myself. Zoey was probably not well socialized as a young dog and it took some work, but she was always a joy. She was the reason I learned positive only training methods, that my future dogs will now benefit from. She turned out to be a bit older than originally thought and I was only blessed to have her in my life for 5 years. She also was my first rescue and the reason I have volunteered for SCLRR for the last 4 yrs. My sweet gentle soul is now once again hanging out with her buddy River across the rainbow bridge. She passed peacefully at home in my arms on 9/14/2012. |
 Pluto 2012-09-20: Pluto (his foster Mom gave him his name as she worked on a project sending a space ship to Pluto, so when we wanted to talk about him behind his back we called him the Dwarf Planet) was found wandering with no ID and taken to the Downey shelter in January 2006, where he was rescued by SCLRR. His foster Mom Lisa kept him for several months and then we adopted him. He died of pancreatic cancer on 9-17-12 after more than nine months of symptoms and treatment. Estimated to be about four years old when found, from the beginning he had small seizures involving his face only for several years, but eventually his epilepsy developed into full-blown Gran Mal seizures in 2010. This hard-luck boy had the best of treatment, his own neurologist and internist, and caring general practice vets, as long as he was with us. Pluto was very affectionate and stoic, displaying all the best Lab traits and more. He pined for his foster family and - I am sure of this - never forgot his original human, who taught him lots of special tricks. We were constantly surprised by how much he knew and could do, almost like a circus dog. The hardest part was letting him go before his cancer caused him any pain. With this type of cancer, waiting until there is pain is waiting too long. And no, we didn't opt for surgery because this type of cancer always returns. Pluto was a great companion and never saw a tennis ball he didn't like. He accompanied us on fishing trips and to the beach, crashing through the waves to get that ball. He had his own swimming pool and swam every day except the last one. He taught us patience and unconditional love. Pluto, Champ waits for you by the window every day and we miss you more than we can say. |
 Zelda 2012-08-26: In Memory of Zelda (born: 1/3/02, adopted: 10/18/03, deceased: 7/11/12) You came into our lives on 10/18/03 and life was never the same after that day. Your made our house a home and you showed us love and devotion from the moment you walked through the door. You were always so full of life and energy, ready to go anywhere as long as you were with one of your family. You took such good care of us and watched over our home. Thank you for filling our lives with your wonderful spirit these past eight and a half years. I am so glad that you were found by the Lab Rescue and that they helped join us together as a family. Your tail was always wagging and you were so happy to see everyone--human, cat or dog. We had wonderful times together and you were the glue that held us together in the tough times. We love you and miss you all the time. THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES Zelda girl. Love, Jason and Jayne |
 Disney 2012-07-29: Disney was adopted in October 1999. We changed his name to Barkly, since he liked to talk (a lot). He was such a happy and affectionate guy. He liked to play with his lab sister, take walks and he learned how to swim in our pool (he was unsure of the water at first). We got him a swim jacket and he was very proud to wear it and paddle around the pool. Unfortunately, as he got older he started to have hip problems and was unable to get himself up anymore. We had to put him down July 19, 2012. Thank you to SCLRR for helping us find him and enjoy his lively spirit for 13 years. |
 Liza 2012-06-11: Sarah III was a two-year old rescue from the Riverside pound named Liza when I spied her at a Petco adoption clinic in Coronado. I went there specifically to try and fill the hole that was created a month earlier when my 14 1/2 year old yellow lab Sarah II was euthanized. I walked her around and while she was a little on the wild side, decided she was the one. And she came 'with issues' - she didn't like other dogs getting in her face. We weren't home more than an hour when my neighbors poodle stuck her nose through the fence and Sarah bit her. So much for getting to know you. (I did warn my neighbor before hand that she didn't like other dogs). Emergency vet visit. The next day I left briefly, leaving her in the fenced back yard. When I got back an hour or so later, there was a note on my garage door 'dog in garage' and discovered she had escaped and was running with a jogger two miles away when another neighbor found her. Invisible fence installation scheduled. On the 5th day we were riding down the highway returning from a bike ride along the bay, when she decided to jump out of the pickup at 50mph, luckily (for her) breaking the restraint and landing in the soft grassy median. Nothing but a scratched lip. On the 6th day I called SCLRR and said 'take her back'! That was 10 years ago. And she was my good and loyal friend and companion. To the very end, we would take walks around the neighborhood, so she could smell every bush and tree. Even when her back legs could hardly carry her, and when she must have been in pain from the arthritis. Our last morning together we took 2 walks, she ate steak for breakfast and lunch, and we sat outside on the front lawn in the shade watching the world go by until the vet came. A peaceful end to what was a wild beginning of our life together. Missing her, have another hole in my heart waiting to be filled. |
 Denver 2012-06-25: One of SCLRR's very first rescues, Denver was adopted in 1999. From his family: 'We are so grateful for having had him for 12 years.' |
 Tascha 2012-06-20: Memories of Tascha We got Tascha from Lab Rescue when she was 7 years old. She was perfect for us. We had lost our beloved Hannah, who we raised from a puppy, to Melanoma when she was 12 and we were desperately missing having a Labrador around the house. Geneva brought her to us from Victorville. When Geneva saw our 3 story beach house she said, 'I'm not sure she does stairs...' well, Tascha bounded up the stairs, got into Hannah's toys and basically did an audition for us! It was like she was saying,'this is where I want to be.' And so it was that Tascha came to spend 3 fabulous years with us at the beach. Heeling on her leash, (somebody took the time to train her beautifully), romping in the park and at the dog beach, swimming in our bay off her DoggyDocks, ( lab owners check those out, they are fabulous), enjoying the breeze and the views from our balconies, curling up by the fireplace and going bye bye with her new dad with whom she fell head over heels in love. About 8 months ago she started slowing down. Arthritis in her rear hips. Pretty standard stuff. We played around with the anti-inflammatories and had settled on one that seemed to be really helping when she came up with a severe limp on her right front leg 2 months ago. At first we thought she had pulled a muscle or taken a slider on the hardwood floors when we weren't looking. After a few days, when it wasn't getting any better, we took her to the vet. An xray confirmed the doctor's suspicion. Bone cancer. She said there was not much to be done and that it would be fast. Try to keep her out of pain. She gave Tascha about 2 months. When the pain meds didn't work as well as we had hoped, we tried 4 rounds of palliative radiation. Then I found a wonderful alternative vet. Tascha liked him a lot and would go in, lie down and let him do acupuncture on her. She seemed to be hanging in pretty well. We were trying to adjust to the fact that it wouldn't last long when out of the clear blue, she had a massive seizure. It left her weak and disoriented. She lost her bladder control. When she had the second seizure only hours later, we decided it was time to let her go. I called the alternative vet who was kind enough to come to the house for us. Tascha had a big dinner and greeted the vet with her tail wagging. It was a very peaceful, family affair. In our living room, overlooking the bay that Tascha loved so much. Our other dog, Lucas, even joined us to kiss her goodbye. We cried for days. We miss her desperately. She was such a bundle of joy. I swore that Tascha would never break my heart the way Hannah did. That I would just be happy for her that she found a good home and that our time together would be just that, a good time together. But there is nothing quite like the love that a rescued dog needs, gives and gets. She loved it here so much. It feels like we only just found each other. The whole thing happened so fast, it's as if she has been yanked away from us much too soon. It was two months to the day. Cancer sucks. Lucas is in mourning. So are we. Vicki Schultz |
 Twinkle 2012-06-03: In December 1999 we adopted our first baby, Indigo, from the Glendale Humane Society. Then in July 2000, we decided that she needed a playmatethat was when we discovered SCLRR. They were holding an adoption event at our local Petco so we decided to go and see what they had in stock. We met a beautiful yellow girl named Maizy and decided to put our name on the long list of prospective families wanting to adopt her. Indigo had other plans, thoughshe slipped out of her collar and ran up to an emaciated black labbie girl that was sitting so nicely at the front of the store with her foster mom (Elaine); the two of them immediately started playing together and Elaine talked us into taking 'Twinkle' home, just for a few days, to see how things worked out. Well, those few days turned into 12 years and we have never regretted a moment of that time. We re-named her Natasha and she was the sweetest, most loyal, easy-going, beautiful girl ever! Natasha and Indigo were inseparable and they brought so much joy to our lives. Unfortunately, Natasha was diagnosed with cancer in 2011, and given only a few months left to live. She was a fighter, though, and refused to give in and give up. Coincidently, we discovered that Indigo had a mass in her liver at about the same time, and because of her age and the risk of surgery, we decided to leave it be. After 12 good years with us, Indigo had her one bad day on April 6th, 2012, when the mass in her liver burst, and we knew it was time to say good-bye to her and send her off to the Rainbow Bridge. Natasha had been slowing down quite a bit by thenwith arthritis in her hips and the cancer slowly spreading through her bodyand with the loss of her best friend, she became quite depressed and began to show us that our time with her was growing short. Just one month later, on May 7th, 2012, the cancer and the loneliness finally got the best of her and we said our good-byes to her as well. Indigo and Natasha had a wonderful life with us and we are so blessed to have been able to bring them into their forever home and have them as a part of our family. We have so many happy memories that we will always cherish and, though we miss them deeply, they will live forever in our hearts. The Cook Family David, Peggy, Gemini & Zoe |
 Tonka Toy 2012-04-12: On Friday, April 6th our family suffered a tremendous loss. Our beloved Tonka lost his battle with abdominal cancer at the age of 15. We were blessed to have him with us for almost ten years after adopting him from SCLRR in the Summer of 2002. I was pregnant with my son at the time and Tonka and Thomas spent nearly every day of their lives together since! He was an amazing dog, typical lab- always smiling, always wanting to play ball, always wanting treats, always making everyone happy! The last few years haven't been easy on him. The walks have gotten shorter, the naps longer, the snoring louder, but occasionally we would still catch him up on the couch or trying to break into the cubboard for a snack! Two years ago, we noticed he was slowing down so we got him a kitten. It was unbelievable how those two bonded and how peppy Tonka became. Tonka even taught that kitty how to play fetch! Tonka was such a generous and loving soul. We are heartbroken over his passing but were so fortunate to have so many years with him. Thank you SCLRR for giving us the best gift any of us could have ever asked for, he will be in our hearts forever. Sincerely,
The Marrs Family
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 Sergeant 2011-11-08: It is with immense sadness to inform you Sgt. Digger lost his battle to Cardiomegaly (enlarged heart). We say his heart was enlarged due to his abundance of love and silliness. From the moment he entered our lives on November 19, 2005 he made us laugh every day.
Every day he was by our side as our best friend and our overall Supervisor on Duty of everything our days were filled with. Some say we should have called him Shadow, we were never out of each others sight..except for when he was guarding the bacon or the magic closet (he learned very fast where all his treats and presents were kept). But he would eventually come find us to check in. Giving us that look to follow him because he was guarding something good.
It was always a new and fun adventure with Diggies. He was the best gift ever, he just kept giving.
We gave each other so many hugs and kisses over the years and everyone meant more than the last. His big brown eyes always had so much to say.
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 Sammi 2011-11-05: Sammie crossed the rainbow bridge on November 4, 2011. She lived to be 12 years old and was so loved by her Mom. She was everything we love about labs, so sweet, obedient, loved to play ball, was up for anything especially a swim in the pool or romp on the beach. She loved cats and was that goofy lab that just made you laugh. She would grunt at you when she wanted to eat. From the day her Mom adopted her Sammie always wore a bandana and wore it proudly! She would parade around when she had a new bandana! She was a great dog and will be missed by all who knew her. |
 Jedi 2011-10-22: With a heavy heart, SCLRR must report that Jedi (nicknamed Bubba) pushed through a screen door last Monday chasing after a cat, ran into the street and was hit and killed by a passing car. He came into SCLRR in early 2011 at the tender age of 2 years old as a stray from a local shelter. He was rambunctious and a little mischievous, but he was loved by those that knew and understood him. He was adopted into a loving home in early May. His owner reports 'that he was coming around so well, fitting in, had a delightful personality, and we had bonded well. He gave many hours of joy to go with the challenges of his big, goofy, teenage canine soul.' Even though Jedi's time was sadly cut terribly short, we could ask for nothing more than that he be loved by an owner who truly understood and appreciated him for all he had to offer. 'Bubba', you will be terribly missed.
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 Abbie 2011-10-22: I cant tell you how sad we are today. After months of watching Abbie, our first SCLRR Lab, struggle with the nerve damage that was affecting her back legs, we made the tough decision to put her to sleep. It was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. I remember the first day we met Abbie at a SCLRR adoption event in Irvine. We took her for a short walk and the moment we stopped she leaned against my leg. I always felt that she picked us. Abbie was our first family dog and she won our hearts right away. We learned quickly that Labs are only happy when they are with the family because if she was left in the back yard for any length of time she would jump over our 6 gate to try to find us. She has been a loyal companion to the entire family for the last 10 years and there never seemed to be a problem that could not be made better by taking Abbie for a walk. It really is hard to put into word what she meant to us and how much we appreciate SCLRR for helping us find her. She will live on in our memories forever. |
 Justiss 2011-08-22: Marley, a(Justiss) was an amazing companion to our Corgi who played with him almost every minute of the day b he was always gentle with her. He was a loving family dog and always made us laugh. He would jump up onto our laps, not realizing how big he was! |
 Ruff Ryder 2011-06-02: We said goodbye to sweet Ryder today, when his pain could no longer be controlled. He spent 7 months in foster care with SCLRR. He started out supposedly a normal dog with just a growth on his paw. After a week in our home he suddenly could not stand up and was crying in pain. Xrays revealed severe elbow dysplasia and pinched nerves in his back. He was started on meds and did well for a while, eventually progressed to Adequan injections. A few weeks ago he had another severe spell and meds were once again adjusted. He improved for a little bit but then was having such severe pain every time he stood up that he was yelping in pain. At this point it seemed cruel to have him suffer any more. Through out his 7 months his tail never stopped wagging. Whenever he greeted us he had to have something in his mouth and would be frantic if he couldn't find something, and would resort to picking up anything . He loved car rides and walks. He could spot a lizard 50 feet away. He loved his crate and slept in it every night and often would go to bed himself if we stayed up too late. He met 7 of our grandchildren and was wonderful with all of them, including the 1 year old. He loved his food and would seek and discover anything that was left out. We could leave the door open and have no worries - he did not want to leave a place where he was so loved. He is very very missed. |
 Sasha3 2011-07-26: It was with a heavy heart that we had to put our sweet Maggie Mae (aka Sasha) to sleep on 6 July 2011 due to Lymphoma. Maggie Mae was a big girl, a giant lab. People's initial reaction to her was often intimidation. She quickly won them over. She was the kindest, gentlest most loving dog. Maggie Mae loved rides in the car, peacocks, some peanut butter in her kong, pears, to play keep-a-way, to dress up for Halloween and greet each trick-or-treater, and anyone who would pet her. She counted all the noses in our home each night before she went to bed. How blessed we were to have been able to share our lives with her for seven years. She will be in our hearts forever. |
 Lucky Lobo 2011-05-03: I do not even know where to begin. This boy touched every person he came in contact with! He was starved to death and SCLRR did everything we could to save him. For nearly three weeks he was improving but he was not able to overcome his condition. He was loving till the end! Dr.Schulman even commented on how incredibly trusting he was with everyone after all he went through! This sweet boy is a poster for us in rescue to prosecute those who abuse animals which is exactly what happened to this boy. SCLRR will help in any way we can with this. Rest In peace sweet Lobo. I'm honored to have been with you as you passed over the rainbow bridge! |
 Moxie 2011-06-18: Moxie had the Lab lean. She so enjoyed the company of people that she would lean against you to be petted. SCLRR rescued her from a terrible animal hoarder situation. She never lost the love of humans. We soon realized she had a tumor in her socket and acted immediately to remove it. This three legged girl remained a sweet and gentle soul. Unfortunately, she developed more tumors throughout her body that proved too much for her to overcome. Rest in peace Moxie, sweet girl. |
 Tia 2010-07-27: Beautiful little Tia came to SCLRR at only 4 months old. She had been sick most of her short life and the family could no longer afford her necessary medical care. When we first met her, she was underweight, severely malnourished, and her little belly was filled with fluid. During all this though, she had a constant smile on her face and wanted nothing more than to cuddle up to her people. It was discovered after a few days of treatment that she suffered from a congenital condition which wouldn't allow her body to absorb protein properly.We consulted multiple vets but sadly there was nothing SCLRR could do but let her go. She was born on March 14th and passed away on July 27th. She was only with us for a few days but she will be terribly missed. She went peacefully, surrounded by people that loved her. |
 Dalton 2011-04-25: Hank was the most loyal and loving dog that a family could ever ask for. He could make you smile with his antics and laugh with his gusto. He was handsome and strong - Hank will greatly missed by all his family and friends. Rest in peace sweet Hank. A fund has been created in memory of Hank to help other dogs to find dedicated and committed families that will never abandon these loyal dogs again. You can see Hank's fund on our sponsor page - the names of dogs that have been helped by this fund will be updated on this list regularly. |
 Lil Grumpy 2011-03-21: Sadly, SCLRR had to make the desicion to let Lil Grumpy go over the rainbow bridge on Sunday 3/20. We took him to an amazing specialist to save the little boy, but his little body just could not make it through a surgery to fix a possible liver shunt issue. He was just too comprimised and his body was shutting down. We say good-bye to you little guy - we love you and we know that you will meet up with your brother and sisters one day. Rest in piece Lil Grumpy. |
 Silly Boy 2003-06-13: Today, Sunday June 1, 2003 I had to say goodby to my beloved Silly Boy, who I adopted from SCLRR in 1998. He had lymphoma. Silly was my first adoptee from SCLRR and I want to tell you, I loved this dog more than anything in the world. He had the most beautiful face and the biggest round eyes of any lab I have ever seen. I miss him very much. Diana Holman |
 Sweet Sadie Girl 2011-03-03: It is with a broken heart and endless tears that we share the loss of our beloved Sadie on January 18, 2011, just weeks shy of her 14th birthday. In November of 2001, we adopted Sadie through SCLRR and she was a perfect match for our family, especially our daughters. This beautiful yellow lab was their show and tell surprise for their kindergarten classes many years ago and smiled the entire time she loved everyone and everyone loved her back. There was never a dull moment for all the years we had her Sadie was petrified of thunder and tried every possible escape, including ripping off closet doors to find safety. In her later years and suffering from dementia, she ate the lights off the Christmas tree. She was a great friend to any dog who visited and spent hours swimming in the pool and sitting in her red chair basking in the sunshine. The only thing bigger than her stomach was her heart. Sadie was a giant bundle of love, food and companionship. We will miss you forever, your family. |
 Roxie 3 2011-01-23: We were looking for a young, male, lab when we stumbled across the picture of Roxie 3 on the SCLRR site. We decided to take the drive to meet her just in case, and it was love at first site. She was the total opposite of what we had thought we wanted. She was a petite, 7 yrs old female and fit in perfectly with our family. She was the most gentle and kind dog, so intelligent and affectionate. We only had her a short time, but I am so happy that she was able to spend her last 4 years in our home. She will always live within my memories and heart...my sweet Roxie girl! |
 Maisy 2011-01-09: It is with a heavy heart and deep sadness to let you know that we lost our beloved Daisy April 28, 2010. We adopted Daisy July 2000. Daisy had the most amazing life with us. She was with us through the birth of our two boys (now 9 and 6) and many kitties. Daisy loved to swim in our pool and play in the lake at our house in Big Bear. She of course mostly loved to sleep in bed with us at home and have a little chat in the morning before getting out of bed. |
 Etta 2010-12-06: We adopted Etta in October of 2005, when she was about six years old. She passed away June 2010, after a two month battle with histiocytic sarcoma, which included surgery and two rounds of chemotherapy. Etta was an amazing dog sweet, wicked smart, clownish at times, and protective of her family (especially her kitty sisters.) Over the past four and a half years she became a Canine Good Citizen, passed temperament and obedience tests to become a pet therapist, and discovered she had a real knack for sorting out scents in canine nose work classes. Etta loved her life and her many friends. She taught us how to live in the moment. She gave us joy, and broke our hearts. We will always miss her. |
 Paxton 2010-11-09: I just wanted to let you know that we had to put Paxton down last week. Last January we had his little toe removed because of cancer, he made it until last week. The cancer had taken over his foot and he started to suffer. We were privileged to have Paxton for over two years and he was a great family member. His last 2+ years were filled with security, love and companionship! We will miss him. The picture of him is on our Idaho trip. Thanks for saving him for us! Mike, Tawny, Payton and Addison |
 Ty 2010-10-18: We adopted our beautiful yellow Lab Eli on the first day that we showed up to volunteer with SCLRR back in December 2001 when we were living in San Diego -- we had not intended to adopt since we already had 1 Labrador Retriever in our family. However, as soon as he sat in my husband's lab, licked his face and rolled over to get a belly rub, he was ours. And we were his. That was almost 9 years ago. At the time, it was estimated that he was 4 years old. We would have celebrated his 13th birthday tomorrow on October 15. Eli was an amazing companion, protector, confidante, playmate, mischief-maker. He accompanied us on a cross-country road trip to move from California to Washington, DC and then flew with us to relocate from DC to Naples, Italy, where were are currently stationed. He has stayed by my side for multiple deployments, three pregnancies and gotten up for each and every late-night feeding. He slept in bed with us until he could no longer make it up and down the stairs, and even then, we would carry him when he wanted to. He never complained, but there was a point when a cancerous mass was discovered and it quickly took over his body and there was nothing we could do make him comfortable. Our 3 three boys (ages 7, 5 and 3) slept on Eli's bed with him during his last 2 nights of his life because they did not want him to be alone. Eli could no longer get up and move, eat or drink. Eli was a member of our family. We love him very much. We thank God every day for the gift He gave us. We appreciate all the hard work that SCLRR did to get him to us by rescuing him from the streets of Orange County and delivering him to us on the island of Coronado. Thank you for all you did and continue to do! |
 Iris 2010-09-26: We are sending very sad news. Our dear sweet Luna dog is gone. She was suffering so much, so weak and could not breathe. We called the vet and she came to the house Friday evening, appropriately at the time of a full moon. Luna was with us and with her aunt and uncle and we gave her so many kisses and fed her lots of kibble treats. She was very peaceful at the end. We know it was the right thing to do. We will miss her more than we can say; she was a bright part of our lives every day. We adopted her from SCLRR eight years ago at about age 6 so she had a good long life. In her younger years she was the best hunter of lizards and gophers, and could dig a 6-foot-long trench to try for a gopher. She always knew when it was 5:00 and time for dinner. Every evening she got a bone and did a full-on happiness dance to celebrate. She hated water so would not swim, and would not fetch or put any toys in her mouth; maybe she was not a real Lab ! We loved her little personality quirks and funny little ways. We loved how she always checked her food bowl three times, hoping that some more food might appear. We loved her soft ears and bright eyes. She gave us a lot of joy and we will always keep her in our hearts |
 Logun 2010-09-25: In veterinary medicine, elbow dysplasia has not advanced very far. It is a difficult thing to fix due to how the elbow connects to the other bones. At the very young age of 1 year old, Logun had the elbows of a 15 year old dog. Logun was taken to three doctors, including an Orthopedic specialist and a CT Scan Center that was state of the art. It was determined he has severe arthritis in both elbows and has bone fragments floating in his elbow were likened to having glass chards in ones elbows. We could not let Logun suffer any more pain so we let him cross the Rainbow Bridge.
Dennis Tehar took wonderful care of Logun in his last days on earth. He ate whatever he wanted, they went on a mellow hike (the doctors said this was fine) and got to overlook the San Fernando Valley and listen to music. RIP sweet Logun.
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 Roco 2010-09-20: Roco was a beautiful, loving boy who brought his family much happiness and joy. His lovely spirit will live forever. He will be missed terribly by his family and canine brothers. Run free sweet Roco. We love you buddy. |
 Chocolate Sundae 2010-09-19: We adopted Choco (aka Chocolate Sundae) in 2006 when he was a 'senior' dog at age 7. Sadly, he tore his ACL a few months ago, and began declining rapidly. We made the difficult decision to put him down this morning. He will be forever missed by us, and especially by our two boys (ages 2 and 3), who were not even born when Choco first came to us. We were so lucky to have had him for nearly 5 years. Thank you for introducing us to such a wonderful dog. Christine & David Bleecker |
 Emmylou 2010-09-04: Soon after we adopted EmmyLou, her name became Bailey. Bailey was one of the most loyal dogs I have ever known and was there for me through the toughest time in my life. I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma in June 2003 and Bailey was the best companion I could have ever asked for. She played a big part in my daily morale, which helped me get through my treatment. I have been in remission for almost seven years now and I miss Bailey very much. Thank you for everything you do for all of the wonderful dogs that are and have been in your care. Warm regards, Robert |
 Patty 2010-09-01: August 25, 2010. About ten years ago I was fortunate to adopt a female dog from your organization. She was a beautiful black lab roughly 3 years old and her name was Patty. She was a bit timid at first but it didnt take long for Patty and me to become best of friends. Patty was kind and gentle to everyone she met except of course cats which she loved to chase. Patty was such a social animal she loved fraternizing with dogs at the park, especially puppies and smaller dogs. Patty loved her daily long walks. Her friendly deposition and gentle demeanor lured everyone in which allowed me to meet lots of folks and other dogs too. That tail of hers always seemed to be wagging, and her smile was instantly contagious. She was a very special dog. I bought a doggy bed for Patty and placed it next to my bed but for some reason or another when I awoke every morning there she was in my bed cuddled up right next to me. She was such a sweet heart and loved to be loved. I enjoyed caring for Patty making sure she was happy, safe and loved. In return she provided affection and loyalty and that was undeniable. She was a wonderful companion. In the later stages of her life she developed syncope which slowly started to worsen in the last couple of months. Rather than compromise her quality of life with a battery of tests and medication I knew it was time to put my best friend down, my vet agreed. She was almost fourteen (14) years old. I held her in my arms when they administered the shot and that loving little dog managed to give me one last kiss before she slipped away. I was so sad but I realized that Patty had lived a full life and her presence made my life full as well. Patty, lots of people loved you and are so sorry to hear that youre gone. I am so sad now and will be for some time. Theres a huge hole in my heart and Im running out of tears. However, Im so glad to have spent the better part of ten years with you along with the wonderful memories of our time together. I know youre in a better place now. I want to thank SCLRR for bringing Patty into my life. She was a dear friend and I will truly miss her. Brian |
 Sweet Sam 2010-08-14: I adopted Sweet Sam from SCLRR 4 years ago. He was ten then and has been the most amazing low maintenance pet since. He was a loving, sweet, loyal dog with not a single bad habit. Sadly, I had to put him down this week. His back legs had given out a few weeks ago and after a very long difficult night Sunday night where he became very ill, I took him in early Monday morning. My heart is broken and I miss him dearly. I wanted to thank you for taking such good care of the labs you rescue and foster, and let you know that will soon start my search for my next lab or lab mix. |
 Jerry 2010-07-09: n March 15th we took Jerry in to the vet becouse we noticed a growth on the left side of his lower jaw. Our vet took one look at it, and had us bring back the next day to be operated on. The tumor was removed and set to tested. Saddly it was what we all feared most a very aggressive malignant melanoma. After much discussion with our vet and do the aggressive nature of the tumor he refer us to a speicalist. In converstion with vet we all came to the conclustion that if we tried radation and more aggressive surgry it would not improve his qualty of life, just prolong it, for a couple months at best. With that we made the very hard decision to let him live out his days being loved and playing with us. Three weeks ago the cancer was to the point the Jerry was in pain and no longer wanting to eat. Heartbroke we did the only thing left, and both took him to the vet for the last time. Jerry will always be a large part of our family |
 Scout 2010-06-21: We were very sad to have Scout die. Loved taking him camping, to dog beach, dog park & caring for him for the past 11 years. |
 Owen 2010-06-18: Memorial for Owen: There are good dogs and then there are truly 'best dogs'. The kind of dog that so easily moves with you as part of your life. Owen was a 'best dog'. He survived his past life, cancer, and intestinal surgery. We gave Owen a home and cared for him when he was sick; he gave us unconditional love. He put him down due to massive kidney failure on May 29, 2010. He was a retriever who did not retrieve, but liked stuffed sheep with no squeakers. Owen leaves behind a basket of stuffed sheep, his best buddy a mutt named Rudy, all the kids friends he stole pizza from, the caring team at Moorpark Veterinary Hospital, and his family who miss him.
Dogs are not suppose to go to heaven, because they do not have souls. People who proclaim this belief never had a Labrador Retriever as a loving member of the family. Vaya con Dios, Owen, 'the best dog'.
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 Dolly Girl 2010-06-03: Dolly Girl . What a Girl! Dolly Girl crossed the Rainbow Bridge on Tuesday June 1st. Her birthday was May 20th and she was 13 years old. For the short time she was with us we became quite attached. For sure each of those who came in contact with her feels exactly the same. As our son said, that's just the kind of pup she was. She was a lovely lady who loved her dinners and treats, rides in the car and people, especially people. On her walks whenever there was a group of folks she would want to head over to say howdy. She was on a real high over the past few weeks and on Memorial Day we gave her a bath, did some preening and took some pictures. So she goes home clean and leaves us with some neat memories. We are so happy that the last days of her life were enjoyable. That helps us with this loss. She really appreciated all of those who have looked after her since her arrival at Southern California Labrador Retriever Rescue, especially her foster mom Christine in Santa Barbara. A special mention must be made of the excellent care provided by Dr. Andrew Miller and the staff at Anza Animal Clinic in Thousand Oaks. Dr. Miller was always available to help and was so very caring, thorough and conscientious right to the end where we held her close as she passed peacefully.
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 Chocolate George 2007-05-31: Chocolate George was an 8 or 9 year old chocolate male that came to Lab Rescue in 2005 from an LA County animal shelter. Brought into the shelter as a stray, George was a favorite among the staff there, including the ranking Lieutenant. This poor Lab was overweight and so dirty, though, it's no wonder he wasn't adopted by a private party. After an hour-long bath by his new foster dad, he looked absolutely handsome; George was adopted by a loving SCLRR-approved family in August 2005. Sadly, George was put to sleep for debilitating back/hip pain on 5/30/2007. He was a wonderful companion animal to his human, canine and feline family members. George was your typical friendly and loving Lab. He loved all people, and got along fine with the family cat and with other dogs. After a nice walk, George was content to just hang out with his adopted family. George was a wonderful companion animal. He was a very happy, mellow dog. His family and SCLRR will miss him very much. |
 Jordy 2010-06-01: With great sadness, we had to make the decision to put Jordy down just a few days after taking him in from the shelter. A request came in from shelter staff asking us to help this boy. His owner had dumped him at the shelter with the reason of his skin condition. He was in absolutely horrible shape, but was the friendliest guy - with tail wags and a loving look in his eyes. Even though we knew we might not be able to save him, SCLRR took this boy in and did approximately $2000 in tests and hosipitalization. Unfortunately, the tests showed that Jordy was dying with stage 3 cancer that had spread throughout his body. SCLRR could not save this poor dog, but we could give him a hug and send him over the rainbow bridge when his owner could not. Every dog should be allowed to pass away loved and safe. Rest in peace sweet Jordy. |
 Adonis 2010-04-20: We would appreciate it if you could add the following tribute to your Memorial page. We had to say goodbye to our beloved Dusty (AKA Adonis) today. 04/18/2010 Dusty (formerly Adonis) was the first of three wonderful Labbies we have adopted from SCLRR. We adopted him in September, 2000 when he was 11 months old. He was an owner turn-in due to being 'too energetic'. Dusty was a long-legged, fieldy Lab who was a born runner. He ran 4-6 miles with us every morning, always totally focused on running. He was all we could ask for in a dog - loyal, gentle, and always wagging his tail. He was big, healthy, and so athletic. About 18 months ago, he began to exhibit some odd symptoms. He would regurgitate his food and had an occasional stumble in his rear leg. After much research into his symptoms, he was finally diagnosed with mega-esophagus. About 6 months ago, what was originally thought to be arthritis in his hips, turned out to be degenerative myelopathy. His back legs were gradually becoming paralyzed. His weight went from 80 lbs. to 60 lbs. Even as his body was failing him, his happy spirit remained. He wagged his tail more than any dog we have ever known. With heavy hearts, we decided that it was time to let him go. He has brought our family nothing but joy during the almost 10 years we have had him. The dog who was 'too energetic' for someone else was 'just right' for us. We loved him so much, and we will miss him terribly. It's comforting to believe that he is now healthy again and running through the fields on the Rainbow Bridge. Thanks you SCLRR for the wonderful work you all do. Gail and Harold Garcia |
 Ozzy 2007-01-19: AVAILABLE From Nancy Chandler 4.1.10 I fostered Ozzy 3 + years ago and fell in love with him! He was the one foster that really tugged at our family's heart strings so we kept Ozzy and we became his forever home. He joined a houseful of other animals; two additional dogs and five cats. He became our favorite for his generous spirit, kindness, gentle demeanor and happy nature. Ozzy was always happy!! However, Monday we took him into the vet because he had been acting a bit off. We had no reason to be concerned; just one more vet bill, right Two hours later we had to have Ozzy put to sleep. He had terminal cancer and a hematoma located on his spleen as a result of the cancer had ruptured spreading cancer and blood throughout his body. We are devastated! I have followed other volunteers' stories of love and loss for their labs and wanted to share ours as well. We still have our other dogs and four cats but a very large hole will remain in our hearts forever!!! Please, love your dogs long and hard. Ozzy never let on that he was in terrible pain until his cancer was well along. Even then, he did not hesitate to roll over for his belly rub one more time and continued to wag his tail and walk around the park until it was his time. He just wanted to go home. I suppose, now, if you believe in God, he is home. God bless all of you that take care of these magnificent animals. Please pass on my story to the other volunteers. I know they would want to know about the loss of one of our lovely dogs, Ozzy.
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 Templeton It's with a heavy heart that we had to put our sweet Darwin aka Templeton to sleep today. His health had been deteriorating over the past year and we couldn't let him suffer any longer. We adopted Templeton in February 2005 and had almost 5 great years with him. We fostered many dogs for SCLRR and Darwin was a trouper through them all (even though he hated most of them lol). We will miss him tremendously but happy that he shared his life with us. I posted a little tribute to him on my blog http://themightyquinnw.blogspot.com/2010/01/our-buddy.html Amy and Don White
2005-02-11: See this smile on my face ? Well, that's me all the time ! My name is Templeton and I am a 7 year old yellow male who is happy and affectionate to everyone I meet. I like other dogs, big and small and am fine with cats too. My foster mom says that I am submissive. I love going for moderate walks and taking car rides. I am crate trained, housebroke, know basic commands, have perfect house manners and no bad habits. I am fine being left alone, but would really enjoy having someone to give me tummy rubs during the day. If you have been waiting for a dog with a temperament of gold, I'm your boy !
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 Nevada 2010-01-22: Nevada was a wonderful 9 year old, black female Lab who was adopted to a very nice family that loved her dearly. They only had her 6 short months, but loved her every day. Here is the email from her adopter: I thought I should let you know that I had to put Nevada to sleep last night. She was taking a nap yesterday and when she got up she took a couple of steps and fell over got up and took another step and fell again. After that she couldnt use her back end at all. I took her to the vet immediately and he took x-rays of her back and saw something on a couple of her vertebra. He sent me to Veterinary Specialist of the Valley. They took some more x-rays and thought she had cancer of the back bone. To be sure he took a ct scan and two of her vertebra were involved. One of the vertebra looked like Swiss cheese and the other had been about 1/3 eaten away and a tumor was pushing against the spinal cord. The vet suggested that the kindest thing to do would be to put her down. She had never shown any problems before yesterday. She was never in any pain which I find unbelievable. She was such a great dog. |
 Bernie 2009-11-21: From Bernie's mom; 'I am SO sad to have to let you know that we had to put Bernie to sleep Thursday night. ... we all took him to the vet Thursday night and held his head and said our goodbyes. Thanks for letting me have Bernie all these years!' Bernie was 5 years old when adopted by his SCLRR-approved family in September of 2000. He was a gentle 75 lb charmer who sat, stayed, heeled, and came (most of the time) on command. Bernie was very sweet, and loved to play with kids and other dogs. SCLRR had back surgery done on Bernie to relieve the pain of a herniated disk. Bernie went on to become quite the hiker with his adopted family. He will be missed. |
 Yenta 2010-01-18: renamed Lucy and adopted in March 2003. Lucy recently passed |
 Baily's Irish 2010-01-18: Baily, our 13 year old yellow Lab died about a month ago. We adopted her from SCLRR in 2002. |
 Ridley 2010-01-10: This is the email we received from the adopter. I'm very, very depressed & sad tonight. We had to put Ridley down at 5:15 this evening. He's gone & I can't stop crying. They found a huge cancerous tumor in his stomach & it ruptured today. Ridely wasn't feeling good at all, he just laid around & couldn't even get off his bed. I told Al we needed to take him to the vet, so we got there around 4:10. After xrays & a biopsy, the vet showed us the needle full of blood from the ruptured tumor. Oh Sandy, I know how horrible it was for you putting Ms. Keri down.....now Ridley. I know you loved her so much & I loved Ridley so much! Al, Courtney & I were there when he passed away. All 3 of us cried & cried. How am I going to sleep tonight? I am just so depressed & sad!!!! |
 Cole2 2001-04-27: Cole is a handsome and loving 4 1/2 yr old male who now weighs 77 lbs. (His birthday is on Halloween). He likes being w/ people, was raised w/ kids and gets along great w/ other dogs. He is friendly towards the two indoor cats in his foster home and usually pays no attention to them. Cole is affectionate and likes to receive it as well. He LOVES being inside and is happy to lay at your feet or sleep on your bed but is no couch potato. He is calm and well behaved when left alone inside for a dog that had been previously outdoors all the time. Cole is housebroken and is crate trained...he will get in on command. He rarely barks, and doesn't dig, chew or jump. Oh, Cole likes retrieving and water. He rides very well in the car too. He is fine on the leash w/ a pinch collar and will heel next to you, but might pull if he sees a cat or something that gets his attention and he is strong. He is a stocky boy and has a tendancy to get overweight if his food intake is not controlled. Cole has had some professional obedience training but could use a refresher w/ his commands. His foster mom is teaching him to take biscuits gently from her hand. He would be happiest in a home where he has free access to the home only because of his original living conditions. He is a wonderful dog who is looking for a loving lab savvy home. 11.15.09
I just wanted to share some very sad news in our family; Cole, our male Labrador Retriever passed away today after a wonderful 13 year life on this earth. He collapsed last Thursday, and after spending the night in the Veterinary ER, we discovered that he had cancer that had spread to his lungs. Over the next 7 days we cuddled him and cherished the short time that we had left. Jerry carried him from the family room to our bed every night, because he was too week, and after a rough night last night, we decided, and the vet advised us to let him go to a better place. We took the kids out of school, so that they could say their good-byes, and we were all surrounding him as he left this world and went into a more peaceful one.
Jerry and I adopted Cole when he was 4 years old, on Oct. 13th, 2001 from SCLRR, after being neglected and abused by his previous owners. He was so grateful to find such a loving home, and our other dog, Ellie, was happy to have a companion. Cole has been there for the birth of our two boys, several house moves, and lots of life changes, but that never stopped us from loving him with all of our hearts. He was one of the most loved dogs on this planet.
Ive attached a picture of Cole, in his younger years (Cole is the one on the left in the picture), as well as one today, right before we said good-bye. We will miss him very much.
Jill & Jerry Engen
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 Brawley2 2009-11-13: Bowie Kassai (AKC Sir Diamond Dog Bowie)Bowie's adopted name was Brawley, but he was too much of a lover for that name to suit him well so I changed it to something close but different, so as not to confuse the big guy. My friend and I went down to San Diego to check him and his brother Riley out to see if I wanted to adopt them. The second I laid eyes on the both of them I fell in love and knew they were coming home. They were both so excited! Bowie was always smiling, always next to me and always seemed to be the boss of Riley (he didn't know that Riley actually ruled the roost). As he got older he got bigger and stronger and leaner. He matured into a powerful, athletic Labrador and he weighed in at whopping 110lbs, no fat. He was also so obedient and intelligent, always listened to me with my commands, and loved to play with his brother Riley. We had many, many GREAT years together and I have so many wonderful memories of our road trips, such as out trips to Mammoth during ski season, they both LOVED playing in the snow. They loved ALL water coming from hoses, swimming in pools, lakes, the ocean even the shower! Bowie was diagnosed with Lymphoma cancer in January of this year, fought it off into remission for a good 9 months. I can't tell you how much more I appreciated and loved him when he was healthy again (and I already appreciated and loved him with everything I had before the cancer)! It came back a couple of months ago and it was an even bigger fight to get it into remission again. We struggled and he fought hard, but, it eventually got to him and I couldn't see my boy suffer anymore, I had the vet come to our house to put him down, so he was as comfortable as he could be. He is dearly missed by me and his brother Riley, we love you with all our hearts Bowie! |
 Marley Dear SCLRR, I adopted 'marley' a few years ago. I renamed him 'dawson'. He has been the light of my life, but he had a gastrointestinal bleed from his newly prescribed Deramaxx. The vet tried to medically manage him from friday 3am friday until about 2pm today. I chose to put him down, as his prognosis was not promised to be good. I am sad to have put him down, but he is not suffering. Thank you for giving me the privelage of having such a beautiful and sweet labraror retriever. I will not forget what a wonderful group you are. Respectfully, Rupa meena agrawal
2008-01-22: Yo Harley the 4 yr old yellow male lab. Tall, slender, fit and buff with 90lbs and not one ounce of flab. I love my crate, other dogs,and of course adults and older kids. I am housebroken, semi trained, but on the leash I kind of hit the skids. I am a tall, huge boy that needs lots of room about and around me. But I love to just hang around and I am very gentle just you wait and see. Oh drat not tested with cats! So if you want Marley, quick jump on your Harley and ride right over and pickup this rover. Another Hound brought to you by 'THE COMPOUND'
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 Gillis 2009-09-20: Sadly, SCLRR had to let go of the wonderful Gillis on 6/18/09. He was such a sweet, fun-loving dog and he will be dearly missed. SCLRR took Gillis into rescue from his owner who had spent nearly $3000 trying to figure out why he was vomiting, had no appetite and diarrhea. We did a lot more tests and were waiting for the results when it was determined that Gillis would need emergency surgery or risk going septic. It was the hope that the surgery would tell us what was wrong as well. Unfortunately, the surgery did not tell us anything and Gillis was now in need of a blood transfusion and his chances of survival were low. So, we made the tough decision to say goodbye. We so rarely lose our foster dogs and it hurts terribly to say goodbye to such a young wonderful dog. Please keep Gillis in your prayers as he crosses the rainbow bridge. |
 Takota 2009-08-17: Dear Friends, yesterday my beloved dog Takotah peacefully passed away in my arms during a magical ceremony in my yard. When a recent splenectomy failed to contain an aggressive cancer which then moved to his liver Takotah's months long and never-complaining fight needed to be brought to an end. He is remembered as the ever-smiling exuberant dog spirit who behind a sometimes fierce boy dog was the gentlest and most loving of beings. He brought joy and smiles to the many human lives he touched. He even managed to lighten up his dad who occasionally worries too much. A heartfelt 'thank you' goes out to those many of you who helped me through these difficult times with prayers and advice. Takotah remembered........ Ulli |
 Benny 2009-07-28: Dear SCLRR, We adopted Max from you around January 2000. Unfortunately we had to say 'goodbye for now' on June 13th, 2009. Max had osteosarcoma (a very painful, aggressive bone cancer in dogs) and though he did wonderfully after his amputation and chemotherapy, cancer returned in another leg. We gave Max a few treatments to help alleviate the pain, but eventually it became too difficult for Max to get around comfortably without keeping him on large amounts of pain medicines (he also had hip dysplasia with one rear leg to balance on, plus one leg with cancer in the front). Needless to say it has been a gut wrenching and incredibly difficult time for us but we are managing day to day. He was an incredible friend and hero to us and so many other dogs/dog owners dealing with this horrible disease. Thanks again for all the wonderful work you do. Max was a stray roaming around a park, and a wonderful SCLRR foster mom took him in her home. I am eternally grateful for her phone call as we were immensely blessed with a very special and true friend for 9 1/2 years. Tiffany
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 Curry 2009-07-24: Ezekiel (Zeke) passed away on July 13 2009 and lived a long wonderful life with us. We adopted him in 2003 from SCLRR and he was approximately 7 years old. I think he lived a very hard life before that. He had scars on his ears and his teeth were quite beat up from using them to survive. When viewing his xrays at his first vet visit I discoverd a pellet from a pellet gun lodged in his abdomen. But none of these things seemed to affect him after he became part of our family. He loved to go for walks and car rides. He did not like playing in the water and he never once fetched a ball. I think he felt like those activities were beneath him. He will be missed and always remembered.
Eric Dye
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 Meadow 2009-07-01: Dear SCLRR, We just lost our sweet girl whom we adopted 5 1/2 years ago from you. We say goodbye to our 'sweet old girl' Meadow as we affectionately called her. Meadow was the sweetest, most gentle dog ever. We rescued her from SCLRR 5 1/2 years ago and she was a great companion to dogs and humans alike. She fit into our family so easily. Her one passion was tennis balls, and tennis balls in the swimming pool was even better! Meadow was diagnosed with diabetes two years ago and went totally blind shortly thereafter. We were worried about how she would adjust, but she did so amazingly. She couldn't go after those tennis balls anymore, but she still loved her walks. She was loved by everyone that met her. We say goodbye to a wonderful friend.
Nancy Duffy
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 Covey 2009-06-25: 6-25-09 SCLRR had to put Covey to sleep today. He had a spleen tumor that probably weighs 6-8 pounds. He started urinating blood the day after we rescued him and we took him to a specialist that confirmed the tumor. Covey got along great with both male and female dogs and was extremely affectionate with humans. Because of his age and he was anemic, he probably would not have survived the surgery if we had opted for it. Even though he had only been with us for 5 days, he held a special place in our hearts. |
 Charlie Brownie 2009-06-12: From the Roberts Family: It was love at first sight when we first saw Hunter. He had the greatest personality and was incredibly smart. He also had a mischievous side to him we truly adored.
He was a Southern California Lab Rescue, but he really rescued us. He was 6 = when we adopted him and passed away two months shy of his 11th birthday. We didnt have him long enough, but he sure knew he was loved and loved us back deeply. That unconditional love. He will be in our hearts forever.
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 Golden Boy Oscar 2009-04-27: it has been to say the least difficult. It is with great sadness that I share with you the loss of my friend, companian and 'therapist', sweet Tex. He went very quickly as he started to bleed into his pericardium from a very large angiosarcoma on his heart. He was playing with me in the back yard on Sunday two weeks ago, on Monday passed on his dinner at which point I knew he was not feeling well,and was gone by Tuesday. He already had extensive metastasis to his lungs and there just was nothing we could do to give him more quality time. The only consolation is that I know he did not suffer and was in no pain when the end came. I was with him and held him as he slipped away. I miss him terribly - keep expecting to see him with his beautiful face and wagging tail when I come home from work or in from the barn. He was only with me for two years, but he was loved and he knew it. Laura |
 Bella Luna 2009-04-09: It is with great sadness that Bella Luna crossed the rainbow bridge this past week. She had a tragic recovery to her ACL surgery and could no longer walk without great pain and suffering. She was such a trooper through the surgery and rehabbing. She will be dearly missed. She was quite the spunky dog when she was first adopted and through much training and consistent leadership she transformed into a an amazing dog! She was loving and ready to play at every chance she could get. She loved the beach and her walks through the neighborhood. She was nicknamed the marathon dog because she helped her Mom train to run a marathon! Bella was a joy in every way.
Thank you Bella for all you taught me and for the love you shared!!
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 Meg 2009-03-08: It is with great sadness that we had to make the decision to put little Meg down today. Her hip dysplasia was just too far gone and left untreated for too long. It was not fair to the little girl to let her live in pain. She was a very special girl and we will always hold her dear in our hearts. |
 Tippy 2009-03-04: Tippy passed away this past Friday. We noticed last Wednesday that she didnt seem hungry which was odd for her she loved to eat. On Thursday she seemed a little lethargic but seemed to be doing alright. She wasnt as active as usual so we thought wed keep an eye on her. Friday she seemed real lethargic so I told my wife wed bring her to the vet on Saturday. I went home from work and she got up to greet me but went right back to her bed and laid down. When my wife came home Tippy had gone to a corner of the yard where she loved to lay down and when my wife called her she didnt get up so we went over to her. Tippy couldnt stand up so I lifted her and carried her over to her bed; her breathing was real labored and within a half of an hour stopped breathing all together. I brought her to the vet on Saturday and she will be cremated. We are sad to say the least over the loss of Tippy. In the short time we had her we gave her lost of love and attention and a good home to live in. |
 Briquette 2008-12-02: With profound saddness we wish to inform you of the end of life of our beloved Riley (formerly known as Briquette). She was put down at age 13 1/2 due to severe arthritis in her hips. She brought us so much fun, joy and love. When we adopted her at age nine we felt we would be lucky to have her for five years - she was seven weeks shy of that and how we would have loved to have her for seven more weeks. She had endured enough. Thanks to SCLRR Jim and Pat Eisele |
 Master Harley Bear 2008-10-03: Hello SCLRR, With great joy we adopted 8 year old Master Harley Bear Harley from SCLRR in July 2005. Harley was a gorgeous, tail wagging and happy chocolate lab. He loved everyone he met human and canine alike. Harley spent his golden years sleeping on the coach hanging with his best bud feline C.C., enjoying his nightly walk with his family and endlessly begging for food. He lived for Tuesday when he got picked up for Doggie Day Camp by Mutt Mates. On Saturdays he got to play with Daisy and Duke and sniff all the neat smells of the horses. He brought lots of joy and love to our lives the past 3 = years. On December 5th, 2007 he was diagnosed with stage 3 Hemangiosarcoma (cancer). He was a trooper through chemo and never lost his lab spirit even wagging his tail while they administered the chemo. He amazed all his vets living months longer than they imaged possible. Sadly on September 16th, 2008 he lost the battle against cancer and left a huge hole in our hearts. Kristin & Roy Young
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 Tess2 2008-09-23: We adopted a yellow female in 2001 from a lady in La Jolla (last name Goldman). We named her Becky, she was between 3 and 5 yrs old. We had her for over 7 years and loved her very much. She was diagnosed with cancer a year ago, we tried several chemo treatments, none were working. Finally, she wasn't able to walk on Saturday and we had to put her to sleep. We are so sad. I just wanted to thank you for bringing her into our lives. We live in Northern Cal now, so out of the area. Keep up the good work. Julie Williams |
 Greydon 2008-09-04: He was a very special dog and we miss him very much. He was happy even on his last day. He loved to play ball and swim in the lake. Mostly he just enjoyed being with us. We had to put him to sleep on August 17th due to very advanced Lymphoma. The steroid medication was no longer working and his liver was just too poor for chemo. |
Ellis 2001-07-18: Ellis was a mellow seven year old yellow Lab that had severe arthritis in his hips. Just as it appeared that no one would be interested in adopting him, a kindly 80 year old lady named Evelyn said she wanted to meet him. Evelyn took one look at Ellis, and started to cry---she said, 'I want him. I don't care if he has arthritis---so do I.' Evelyn adopted Ellis in 2001 and they were both very happy together. Ellis passed away in 2006 and, sadly, Evelyn passed away in 2008. |
 Sam-I-Am 2008-07-20: Memories from his family: We adopted Sammy from SCLRR in December 2005. He was already 10 years old and the sweetest dog we could ever hope to meet. He was afraid of so many things, loud noises, car rides, cats, hugs, and the list goes on. He got over being afraid of hugs. He got lots of hugs here. He was always a little leery of kitties. Who knows what happened to him in his previous life. He followed us everywhere we moved in the house or yard. He lived for tennis balls and swimming pools. He had the best dog buddy, our other Lab Maddie. Sammy passed away suddenly. Better for him. So very painful for us. He was a very old +13. He had arthritis and his back legs were weak. He could not chase the ball anymore or go for walks. He had a special bark for when he was stuck and needed us to come and help him up. We loved Sammy every bit as much as if we had raised him from a pup. I hope the last two and a half years made up for some of whatever happened to him earlier. He knew that we loved him and that he had a forever home here. We are glad that we got to know him even though it was for such a short time. He has left a 95 pound hole in our hearts and our home. |
 Onyx2 2008-07-08: We adopted our black lab Baxter from SCLRR 7 years ago. He was named Onyx when we adopted him and quickly became a well-loved member of our family. A few years ago we moved to Minnesota, where Baxter loved to run and play through all four seasons, but especially in the snowy winters! Baxter was also instrumental in helping to care for and play with our son Charlie, who is now 2 years old. Baxter passed away this spring due to a combination of an allergic reaction to an antibiotic and a congenital condition that we had not been aware of. From Moore Family
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 Lucan 2008-06-14: Lucan was a wonderful dog that was loved by everyone he met. He was allowed to become 40 pounds overweight and it took a toll on his poor heart and he passed away at his foster's home with congestive heart failure. Even though SCLRR was taking measures to correct his health - the damage was already done. He will be so dearly missed and we are so happy to say that he had some great times in his foster home before he passed away. He was loved and will always be remembered. |
 Re-home Deepo 2008-03-05: adopted Deepo 4 years ago from your rescue. He was the sweetest boy ever. Last Wednesday we had to put him down due to cancer. He gave us 4 years of true joy, he was 13. He went every where with us, he was our child. He will be missed so much 🙂 Liza |
 Bodacious 2004-08-08: Bodacious (Bodi) is a good looking, chocolate, male labrador. He is an obvious purebred (English style) and is approximately 80 pounds and 6-7 years old. He has a dark chocolate color and is in good health. Bodacious has a fantastic temperament - not clingy or attention hungry. This dog was obviously WELL loved (if not a little spoiled). He does know how to swim, so he will try to get into a pool. He loves toys and will carry one around every chance he gets. He has chewed some toys, but did has not done any digging in the yard, or gotten into anything. Bodacious is very quiet - NEVER barks when put in the dog run, left in the backyard or in his crate. He is friendly with dogs he meets. He has no aggression with dogs whatsoever, he could be placed as an only dog or with another mild-mannered dog. He is very comfortable being an only dog. He has good manners - housebroken, does not jump on the sliding doors, would not jump a fence (low fences OK), and does not fence fight with the neighbor dog, but will chase cats. It is obvious that Bodacious has had time in the house, however, he did jump up on one counter, but quickly got down when corrected - even perfect dogs have a devious side once in awhile:) He needs work on his off-leash skills. Very young kids would be fine - he is gentle, has never tried to take things from my hand and is very tolerant. He is great with babies. He is low to medium energy and would be a average jogging partner and a perfect dog for walks. He does not need a ton of exercise. He does not know how to play fetch - he has more fun with a game of keep away. Bodacious needs to be placed with a fmily that has a kennel run or a gated side yard, not because he isn't good outside, but because he has a sensitivity to fireworks and thunder and can become very anxious if not safely contained during these scary noises. He is a couch potato for the most part, but will do laps around the yard with a toy and loves to swim. This dog does not need a lot of space - he is very low key and might even do well in an apartment/condo set up. He is a good dog with higher than average manners - he will make an excellent addition to a family with young children. An online adoption application at www.sclrr.org, and a quick home visit by a volunteer are required before adoption. |
 Martin 2008-02-14: Martin came to us as a stray from a shelter. He was a two year old, chocolate male. He was placed in a foster home with a warm bed and loving family. The first day in his new home he had Kennel Cough and severe diarrhea. He was at least 15 pounds underweight too. We started him on two different medicines for his KC. We had a hard time feeding him. He was offered different types of food, but threw up the first days. We started him on a medicine to calm his stomach too. He tried to eat, but would stop after the first bite. He was given cooked rice and the same thing happened. We tried cooked chicken and again, he would grab one bite and then couldn't take another one. We tried everything, people food and treats too. We just wanted him to get some calories into his system. He seemed like he was very hungry, but just couldn't eat. He was starving. He wanted food so bad and would try it, but just couldnt get it down or keep it when he ate. His teeth and mouth looked okay. By the third day his breathing was getting worse and he was drinking a lot of water. A vet visit with X-rays showed a LOT of fluid in his chest cavity. The amount of fluid in his chest was so severe the vet couldnt see anything else. It was decided to hospitalize Martin until more test could be ran. We did a fluid tap and had it analyzed. The fluid had blood in it, which is not a good sign for a dog this young. Concerns for cancer, organ problems or a major chest trauma began to arise. We had a complete blood test done which didn't confirm anything. During this entire time, he was getting skinnier and you could see he was just so hungry. All tests pointed to a severe internal problem, most likely trauma, and cannot be cured. Martin will be sadly missed by all those that knew him.
All vet visits, hospitalizations and medicines are paid for by donations and adoption fees. All of us who help the labs are volunteers and receive no money to foster or take in shelter dogs to be evaluated and adopted to new families. SCLRR is a non-profit group dedicated to helping safe Labradors Retrievers and find them new, loving families. We are very sad when a dog cant be saved.
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 Rolex Last week week Monday we lost our best friend Buddy to cancer. We adopted him from you back in December of 2000. At that time he went by the name Rolex. We have had 3 other dogs prior to Buddy and as always its hard losing them but this one hurts the most. He was the best dog we have ever had. We never knew what his first 3 or 4 years of life was like but his life with us was filled with lots of love from us our friends and family. We are a big water ski family and have a place on the lake and buddy always was with us and loved it. He touched our lives and we will never forget him and thank you for finding him for us. 2000-12-21: Rolex is a handsome 4 y.o. black male. He is a smart, sensitive, personable dog. He is housebroken and has been taking obedience classes, where he has learned sit, heel, stay and down. He is excellent with children and likes both men and women, but particularly seems to respond well to men. He tends to be dominant with other male dogs, but gets along with females. There are cats in his foster home and he will leave them alone inside the house, but will chase if they run, so a cat household will require further socialization(a no cat household is even better). His foster mom describes Rolex as a beautiful soul and a wonderful delight. She would like to adopt him herself and is reluctantly giving him up to another good home. Rolex is a good dog who will fit well into a loving household. |
 Otty 2008-02-11: On Sunday, January 13th we had to say goodbye to our beautiful Otty. His passing has left a gigantic hole in our home, lives and hearts. Tears of sadness flow daily. He was 94 pounds of love and such a regal gentle soul who could be the best ever Doofus ! Oh, how we miss our constant companion. When arising in the morning, going to bed, entering or exiting the shower, cooking, eating, vacuuming, coming in from work or play, watching TV, going up or down the stairs, going for walks, working in the yard, He was truly a lovely 'speed bump.' Even at 12 years of age, just the mention of 'goodies' or 'go,' or 'is it that time?' would send him into great 'springs' of anticipation and joy. And that 'WAGGY's' a constant, even under anesthesia. Just looking into those great warm loving, trusting eyes could melt the hardest of hearts. None can come close to our wonderful Otty. |
 Moonlight 2008-01-10: Hi, I adopted a black lab named Moonlight (Renamed Cooper) from your organizations Oct 2, 2005 and I just wanted to let you know that he passed away over the holidays. Some of you may remember him. He had some pretty severe separation anxiety issues when I first got him but after some training and tons of love he got much better. He was such a wonderful soulful dog that touched many people's hearts. I bonded with him more than any other dog I've had and I am heartbroken over the loss. He was limping last July and things just got worse until we thought he had a slipped disc in his neck. After acupuncture for months and many painkillers, I decided to try and fix the disc only to find out when the surgeon did some exploring he found a large tumor wrapped around his spinal cord. It was not surgerical because it had wrapped around his spinal cord. He lost the ability to walk about 3 days prior and my only option was to let him go. It was a terrible loss but I wanted to thank your organization for bringing him into my life. I don't know if I'm ready for another dog just yet but if I do I would be very interested in a puppy. Please keep me in mind if you get any puppies needing a loving home. Carrie Oyer 818-943-7866 |
 Clara 2007-10-26: We adopted Clara from SCLR in March 2001. She came to us an anxious, emaciated dog who was terrified of men and boys and escaped every chance she could. She became a trusting, loving dog who was my constant companion. If I wasn't home she'd look in the office for me. She lived for car rides (even hitching a ride from a stranger on one of her early escapes), belly rubs, and dog treats, and forgot about escaping. She had an underbite that gave her an occasional goofy grin and a cute lower lip. She was calm and patient and loved by all. Clara was diagnosed with Cushing's disease in 2004, but we managed that and were looking for some alternative treatments when we discovered she had an acute form of leukemia. She battled the disease bravely, but we had to put her down in May 2007. We are heartbroken and miss her very much, but grateful for the 6 years we had with her. Thank you to SCLRR for bringing her into our lives, Leslie |
 Hughes 2007-06-27: It is going on two years that I have had Desi (Gatsby when you had him) and I love him dearly. He helped our heart when Ricky (Hughes when you had him) went to the rainbow bridge! Although he was just with me a year, Ricky helped enrich my life. Ricky was shy, frightened and yet happy to be an integral part of our family. We worked the entire year trying to bring him out of his shell. One very sad day September 16, 2005, during a walk, I tripped over some tree roots and dropped his leash. Being in a public park with lots of people and his leash clanking behind him, Ricky was scared beyond belief. He ran ... and ran ... and ran ... boy could he run! His collar snapped off when he was tangled in a tree and I spent almost two weeks looking for him to no avail. He was found by a good samaritan and taken to a local animal hospital on September 29. Thanks to the microchip SCLRR embedded in him, I was contacted by the vets office and was able to see Ricky. He recognized me immediately and I'm certain was thrilled to see me again. Unfortunately, he was badly broken and after taking him to a specialist in LA, we I found out he had a ruptured bladder, a shattered femur and numerous other internal injuries. On September 30, I held his head in my hand as he traveled to the Rainbow Bridge. Ricky will be missed always.
Although Desi came into our life immediately, Ricky will ALWAYS hold a very special place in our memories. He was well loved.
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 Demi 2007-05-01: Demi didn't make it. He has been sick of and on for a month, even on medication, changing recently to a very high temperature, loss of appetite, weakness, severe sinus congestion and neurological symptoms. Today his temp was still high, wasn't even lifting his head, was stiff legged and wobbly with curled toes and spalyed toes. He was twitching constantly. He wasn't eating. His chest xrays were negative, showing his lungs clear, so pneumonia was ruled out. His Distemper titer was low, consistent with having a vaccine recently, which he did, but not indicating Distemper, although he had the classic symptoms. The vet agreed with our decision and indicated it might have been a fungal infection. She said that either way, it was bad and that he would be left with neurological damage if he survived at all. There were some very odd things about Demi, leading both us to suspect that this dog had been turned in by the owner because they knew there was somethng wrong with him. He didn't ever hold his head above his body when standing, at different times, we both suspected hearing and/or sight loss, etc. His owners dumped him at the shelter, but at least with SCLRR he had people that cared about him, tried to help him and freed him from his ugly illness and if survived, from a poor quality of life. Demi was a sweet boy that deserved better. |
 Luke 2003-01-19: Luke, later named SHAIN, was a very obedient and well mannered dog. He didn't seem to enjoy being alone and welcomed attention from humans and other pets. He had wonderful manners and was definitely a people dog. He wanted to be near us at all times. He had such a wonderful personality, always trying to please us. He was what most Lab lovers wished they had. We loved him as our own son. Shain lost his battle with cancer on Monday, August 19, 2002. We let him go so that he would not struggle or be in more pain. Even in his last moments he let us know that he loved us with his looks and tail wags. He had to be put to sleep - one of the hardest things we ever had to do. We still miss the presence of our beloved Shain. We will never forget him.
Thank you to Allyn Ritz for all the help in arranging for the adoption of Shain and her heartfelt sympathy, she and others from SCLRR share with us during our grief. Also thanks to all the rescuers at SCLRR.
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 Paris 2007-05-31: Thank you so very much for the work that you do. We adopted Paris in June of 1999, and subsequently changed her name to Cleo. She was a wonderful addition to our growing family. She watched over our two boys as if they were her own puppies. Everywhere they went , she went. She eventually became the neighborhood dog, loved by and loving all of our friends and neighbors. She used to go around to our neighbors' houses to check on them several times a day. She loved to swim, play with the neighborhood kids and be with the family. Sadly enough, after eight years, we had to euthanize her due to cancer, among other health problems. We dearly miss her but are very grateful for the years that we had her. Again, thank you for giving us another member of our family with lots of fond memories to remember for a lifetime. Sincerely, Ryan, Marian, Joey and Ben |
 Noah2 2001-03-12: Noah2 was put to sleep in November of 2000 after serious illness. He had been adopted and loved by his SCLRR foster mom, but he had so many serious health problems from which he could not recover. He will be missed. |
 Naomi 2004-11-09: 11-8-04 Hello- My name is Tami and I was blessed to adopt Naomi (who was renamed Ellie) in June of 2000. It is with great sadness that I write this letter to your organization, our family had to put our beloved Ellie to sleep today. I am so thankful to all your volunteers for matching Ellie with our family. Ellie was my very best friend and I will miss her forever. Thank you so much for rescuing her out of the shelter on her last day. She had a remarkable life with us, she had constant love & attention and not to mention 2 other dogs to play with. She loved to be around people and loved to eat! She was so loved........ Please post Ellie on your memorial page, I feel it only fitting that she has a place to be recognized as the most loved dog in the world. On a side note, I wanted to let you know that adopting Ellie was the best thing that ever happened to me and my family. When we are ready for another dog we will only think of adopting from SCLRR. |
 Mujik 2003-07-20: Mujik was adopted but had an unknown neurological problem which resulted in some facial paralysis and temperament problems.
He was a happy, cute little guy who was adopted by a wonderful family!
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Wesley 2001-03-13: Wesley died of distemper shortly after his adoption in August, 2000. |
 Dusty Rose 2000-10-30: Dusty Rose was placed with SCLRR after someone had found her as a stray. After adoption, she was unfortunately struck and killed by a car---she had slipped her leash and bolted out the front door.
It's so important to teach your dogs to come when called so they will be
protected from this type of accident.
It's so sad when this happens.
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 Fiona2 2001-01-04: Fiona2, an 8 month old female Lab mix, had contracted distemper while in the shelter. We could not have known that when we pulled her. Fiona had to be put to sleep less than a week after being rescued, to end her suffering. She was a really sweet and happy little girl. Andy Lesser |
 Austin3 2001-03-12: Austin3 was rescued from a shelter, and had what appeared to be simply kennel cough. It turned out to be distemper and, just one week after being rescued, Austin passed away in the middle of the night at the veterinary hospital. This little guy was a real cutie. We think he was about 10 months old, given his activity level and very large feet that didn't match his little body. He was remarkably well behaved and patient, and he had such a beautiful solid black shiny coat. He had a promising life in front him---cut short because his previous owners never got him routine vaccinations. |
 Barney3 2001-06-21: Barney, a 10 year old male, was put down this morning while in rescue. His arthritic hips had gotten progressively worse since May and he was no longer able to get up or walk any longer. He was also battling a lung infection for three weeks which was getting worse despite the antibiotics. He passed quietly and peacefully with lots of strokes and a farewell hug from his foster dad who loved him. |
 Clover 2001-06-29: SCLRR had foster dog Clover just over a year. She was as fat and round as a pot-bellied pig when we rescued her from the shelter on St. Patrick's Day, 2000. Quite a character. Fostered by a succession of SCLRR volunteers, Clover was made as comfortable as possible while her tumors grew and cancer progressed. Clover would bond with her new caregiver instantly, but never forgot the former person who cared for her. Always wagging her silly lab tail. |
 Branford 2002-09-10: Branford was a really sweet, active young pup, barely a year old when we took him from the shelter. He had such a wonderful personality we had people waiting to adopt him once he got over his illness. Unfortunately, the illness was distemper, which affected his central nervous system and brain, and he had to be put to sleep - one of the hardest things I ever had to do as a fosterer. I still miss the cutie. |
 Bradley 2001-11-30: Bradley was a big male lab with a gentle disposition. He was very thin and depressed when first rescued from a shelter. After coming into foster, he became a happy boy who liked nothing more than hanging out with his foster mom and playing with his foster brother and sisters. He also loved car rides and was a very good boy when left in the house with the other dogs.
Bradley lost his battle with cancer on September 2, 2002. Although he was with his family less than a year, he was the luckiest boy around. He will be missed.
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 Herschel 2002-01-26: Herschel -renamed BEN - lost his battle with nasal cancer on Monday, January 15th. We let him go so that he would not struggle or be in more pain. Even in his last moments he let us know that he loved us with tail wags and kisses. We loved him dearly and cannot imagine our lives without him. Even Cody is sad these days without Ben to play with and nuzzle with. Ben was the craziest, happiest Lab that we've ever had share our lives. We wouldn't have missed having him with us for all the gold in the U.S. Mint. Thank you to SCLRR for saving Ben from the Long Beach A/S near the beginning of their work to save Labs. Particularly thank you to Eric, Carolyn & Larry for their special help with the big chocolate whirlwind that was Ben.
Thank you to all the rescuers who see the worth in Labbies that others have
disposed of like a used Kleenex. Your hard work enriches the lives of many
families and so many Labs.
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 Bristol 2003-08-11: Bristol was diagnosed with lymphosarcoma shortly after coming into foster care with SCLRR. He was a wonderful dog, as all who met him know. On Sunday, he was very lethargic. Monday, his neck was very swollen and I thought it was a spider bite or something. He was having trouble breathing. The vet took fluid samples and sent them to the lab, and we got the diagnosis of lymph gland cancer, today.
This came on very suddenly. I am very sad, he was such a dear old dog.
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 Cielo 2003-08-11: Cielo was a wonderful 6 month old male. He was very loving and eager to please. When SCLRR got him from the Riverside Shelter he was timid, and very quiet. After he was in foster, it turned out he was a lively and energetic puppy. He generally didn't jump or bark and was very well mannered, knowing sit, stay, and down. He loved to playing ball and fetching sticks. He was wonderful around children. He was a people dog, and wanted to be near his family at all times.
Tragically, Cielo contracted symptoms of distemper shortly after being adopted and passed away soon after.
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 Beethoven 2004-07-25: Note from the rescuer- Beethoven is an elderly gentleman that was aged as 5 yrs old at the shelter. He turned out to be considerably older than that. He's a doll that loves to swim in the pool and to play ball with humans or with dogs. He has tooth infections which we will take care of and some arthritis. If you have a family that would like to give this guy a loving home for the last few years of his life, send them to sweet Beethoven. LouVon Note from the adopter- We had to finally let Bee go on Monday morning. He had an incredible rebound from whatever had him down last February. Earlier this year, Dr. Zambrano told us Bee was in advanced liver failure. She said his time was limited. He still looked good, and he ate well and wanted to play. He had a long list of health concerns, but he was a stoic lab, waiting for the next retrieve. He lost his play drive 3-4 weeks ago. He was getting really picky about his food during his last week, but he always ate. Monday morning he was having what looked like a seizure, so we took him in. He wasn't able to get up or walk when propped up. His rear was paralyzed. I really don't know how aware he was in the end, but he was able to walk in the exam room. Please forward this to any who were involved in his rescue. He had close to two years in a home, something that would not have been possible without SCLRR. He was an excellent dog. Please tell everyone to not pass up the seniors just because of their age - they make great comapanions! -E |
 Tonto 2005-12-09: **Sept., 2005 SCLRR, I lost my beloved and fearless Tonto this week. Simply chasing a ball inside my gated property, his leg got caught in a gopher hole and broke his hip. We think he fell on a rock and ruptured an organ. He died on the way to the vet. The shock of his death has sadden neighbors friends and family. LUCY is my 7 year old Black Lab, and I think she mourns the loss of Tonto more than anyone else. Her hero and partner. My heartbreaks when she lets out her low howl cry for him. Thank You. Ramon In Memorial this DEDICATION To Tonto, My fearless and brave wonderful friend and my light in the dark. |
 Max3 2003-08-11: Max and his littermate Molly were a warm, wonderfully affectionate pair of senior Labs. They shared great affection for their humans and for each other. Easy to care for, they were a very rewarding pair to tend to. Max and Molly were SCLRR's only 'permanent foster dogs.
We are thankful that Max was able to live out the remainder of his life gracefully and comfortably in the home of an SCLRR volunteer, in the company of Molly, who remains in the bosom of her foster family.
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 Maverick2 2004-10-16: Maverick2 aka Max was brought to SCLRR at the tender age of 11. Fortunately for him, his adopters (we call them his angels) were more concerned about the quality of his love than the quantity of years he could give them. Max spent the last year and a half of his life in luxury with the knowledge that he was completely adored. At the age of almost 13, Max took his last breath with his adoptive parents lovingly stroking his head and telling him it was time to cross over the Rainbow Bridge. SCLRR is thankful to his adopters, Karen and Bob Teffenhart, for seeing past his age and looking into his heart and giving Max the perfect ending to the story of his life. |
 Nestle Kiss 2005-05-12: Nestle Kiss (renamed Koko) When I adopted her, I knew that she had knee and elbow dysplasia (all 4), but loved her immediately 🙂 Last week she began crying in agony and stopped eating. We went to urgent care and had several vet visits this week. They figured out that she had diabetes, along with probable liver or pancreas cancer. Poor thing lost 13 pounds in 6 days. The pain wasn't stopping and she was miserable and weak. She couldn't hold up her rear end and kept falling over. She started clinging so hard to me during the last 2 days, like she was afraid of what was going on in her body. She was almost 10 and had so many health problems that her poor little body couldn't handle it anymore. She stopped smiling, which broke my heart. As they were about to put her down, I was crying so hard, and she kissed my face, as if to say 'it's okay mommy, it's time'. In the end I realized that we actually 'rescued' each other, two old broads hanging out, having some fun. Cindy |
 Dylan 2003-06-21: Dylan was a loving, loyal, and obedient chocolate lab mix with graying whiskers; he was about 11 yrs old when taken into rescue by SCLRR. His foster mom called him her living rug as he loved to be around the family and sleep next to the bed. He enjoyed slow walks, belly scratches and oh, those tennis balls! He was wonderful with kids of all ages, and even cats. A favorite indoor activity of Dylan's was to lie down by an open front door and view the world as it passed him by. In spite of his having arthritis, a family adopted Dylan, yet had to return him to SCLRR a year later for incessant and intractable barking. While back in foster care, Dylan was diagnosed with anemia and kidney failure. When his health declined precipitously, he had to be humanely pts. |
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Canela 2003-07-20: Canela was a 7 month old sweet bit of chocolate female lab that her owners didn't have time for. She wasn't healthy and also had very severe hip dysplasia which caused her considerable pain. Unfortunately SCLRR had to put her down in her best interest. Canela wasn't with us very long at all, but she touched the heart of everyone that saw her with her gentle, sweet temperament. |
 Sterling 2005-04-12: Friends at sclrr, Just to let you know that Sterling passed away this last Friday, April 8, 2005. He was a sweet, wonderful companion and will be greatly missed. sincerely, Tony Embrey |
 Tilly 2006-03-12: Tilly a.k.a. 'BONES' - 11/25/05 Everyone who had visited 2nd Chance Rescue these past 2 years met Bones. She came to us via Lab Rescue in October 2003, terribly emaciated, with a thin coat, bad hips and breathing problems. She was estimated at 10 years of age. We wanted to make sure that her remaining days would make up for the neglect she had suffered. We affectionately called her 'Bones' because we count count every one in her skinny, old body. Over the months she gained more than 20 lbs and her coat became lush and shiny. Her eyelashes grew back and she would flutter them at anyone who came close. With pain meds, an orthopedic bed and lots of loving, she blossomed into a wonderful dog that gave us great pleasure. She became our official greeter. Any new foster dog met Bones first and, if they treated her with the respect she deserved we knew that eventually they would fit in to our temporary pack! Of course we should have called her 'Lola' because whatever Lola wanted, Lola got! We enjoyed her quiet company and loved her very much. Sadly by Thangsgiving she could no longer support her weight, her hips had finally given out. Our kind vet came to our home and Bones died in the place where she spent most time - on her orthopedic bed surrounded by those who loved her. Rest in peace, sweet dog. |
 Mia 2003-10-25: Mia, a 5 yr old female, had a bad case of kennel cough when SCLRR rescued her from the shelter. She was very sick and her foster mom took her to the vet. Unfortunately, Mia had a very bad case of pneumonia, and had to be PTS. |
 Molly2 2003-12-20: Molly and her littermate, Max, were a warm, wonderful, affectionate, and inseparable pair of senior Labs. She and Max were SCLRR's longest (and only permanent) foster dogs. Molly2 developed cancer and crossed the Rainbow Bridge in early December, 2003, a few weeks short of having lived in her foster home three years. She was reunited forever with Max, who had preceded Molly over the Rainbow Bridge in February, 2003. |
 Downey 2004-01-07: Downey, a 6 yr old male, was rescued by SCLRR from a shelter in the Inland Valley. After only one week in his foster home, Downey had to be pts due to cancer. At least Downey was safe and warm during the last days of his life. Kim |
 Jennie 2004-03-16: Jennie was a young yellow female that recently had a litter, then she and her 'brother' were dumped at the shelter by their owners. She was a nice young girl that had a short, tough life. Several days after her rescue by SCLRR, Jennie became very ill. Distemper was confirmed when she started having seizures early one morning. All we can comfort ourselves with is that she did have a few days of happiness at her SCLRR foster home, romping in the back yard and lying on the sofa. We miss her. Carolyn |
 Bailey 8 2004-06-20: Bailey was turned in to his vet because he had diabetes and needed insulin shots 2 times a day. At Bailey's SCLRR foster home, they called him 'The Happy One.' We don't think Bailey ever had a bad day or met someone he didn't like. He always loved to play with his toys. Bailey passed away in his foster home from severe complications. |
 Prince 2007-06-02: Prince was a handsome eight-year-old purebred, AKC registered black male Lab with champion English bloodlines. He was very people-friendly, loved to play, and only wanted to please. His dad will never forget the time Prince walked into the kitchen, carrying a 12-pack of soda in his mouth---Prince was so happy! Prince was turned over to SCLRR after his owners received several tickets for the dog's excessive barking---Prince was never allowed in the house and was never taken out for walks. Originally brought to an SCLRR adoption event as an owner-listed dog, his SCLRR volunteer didn't have the heart to return Prince to the home where the dog wasn't wanted. That volunteer fostered Prince, and eventually adopted him in December, 2002. Prince was pts in March, 2005 due to intractable pain from bone cancer. His adoptive family loved him very much, and Prince's paw prints in cement in the back yard still remind them of him, every day. |
 Sweet Candy 2004-09-20: Sweet Candy became apart of our family on July 1, 2004, where she was renamed 'Cami'. On August 16th, 2004 we were devastated to find out that she was suffering from chronic kidney failure. Our vet told us to enjoy her for as long as possible and with much pleasure we did. On September 20, 2004 we had to let our sweet Cami go. We miss her very much and hope she is able to play like a puppy should. Thank you Michelle G. |
 Leonardo 2004-10-17: Leonardo, a Chocolate male Lab, was only 9 months old when he passed away due to distemper. He was the sweetest, most well behaved puppy anyone could ever meet. He had the cutest floppy ears and his front leg was just a bit crooked, but it all add to his adorable personality. He was a delight to have around and it was always wonderful to wake up to his 'smiling', gentle face. He never had a chance to be adopted, but he was VERY loved by his foster family. He will always be in our hearts. |
 Pilgrim 2005-08-13: Pilgrim was one of nine pups born to a 2 yr old purebred lab that was dumped at the shelter a week before she was due to have her pups. Luckily, he didn't have to be born at the shelter because he was taken into rescue and into a loving home. His little innocent life had to end at eight weeks due to a genetic liver failure condition. Pilgrim's short life was fun and loving. He will never be neglected, ignored, abused or unwanted. He will never end up in a shelter. He will never know what it's like to be unloved, homeless or unwanted. The only thing little Pilgrim knew of life is what he was given - kindness, safety and love. |
 Olin 2007-02-25: Olin passed away from old age and will be missed. |
 Simbo 2006-05-17: Sadly Simbo passed away from a liver ailment in May 2006. He was loved so dearly by his family and he will always hold a special place in their hearts. He was only with them for a year and they were devestated at only getting this short time with him, but they take comfort in the fact that he died in a warm and loving home. Simbo will be missed and his memory will live on with his family forever. |
 Dusky 2005-07-13: Dusky was a sweet and petite 2-year old black female lab. She was a real sweetheart who would lick your hands, and maybe even your feet, if she wanted to be pet. She would run right up to you and immediately sit down so that she could get her ears rubbed or pet. She was a little bossy with her foster brother Darwin, but never wanted to leave his side. Dusky quickly became part of her foster family and it was very hard to let her go. But, she was adopted by a wonderful family and had a new doggie brother and sister, Bailey and Corky. She would follow Bailey wherever he went. She quickly became part of her new family and was very loved. Unfortunately she was hiding a case of distemper and had to be put down three weeks after she was adopted. It was a tragedy that a dog this sweet and beautiful didn't have more years to brighten the lives of those that loved her. |
 JP II 2005-06-03: JP II was a 1 year old, black, male Labrador Retriever. He was the most incredible and loving dog! He was gentle, sweet, well-behaved, and loved to cuddle and to play. He was an excellent swimmer and great with kids and other dogs. We fostered him for a while and fell so much in love with him that we adopted him. He became such a huge part of our family in such a short time. His kidneys suddenly gave out on him unexpectedly and despite all of the vet's efforts to save JP II, we were unable to save our beloved friend. We miss him more than words can say. We know he is in heaven now with the man he was named after, Pope John Paul II! Rest in peace our beloved friend, JP II. JP II, we love you!!! |
 Bernadette 2005-02-17: Unfortunately, little Bernadette was given to us sick with a terminal illness by an uncaring backyard breeder and she didn't make it. She went to the Rainbow Bridge today. |
 Woodruff 2004-04-07: Woody was a sweet and playful male around 3-4 years old. He loved everyone he met and everyone he met ADORED him. Woody's story is a sad one because his original family took him to the shelter because they had a baby and didn't have time for him. Unfortunately Woody's vaccinations weren't up-to-date and he developed distemper. We at lab rescue hope Woody's story will serve as reminder that vaccinations are an inexpensive and easy way to save a life. If you or someone you know needs information on what vaccinations your pet needs, please contact your local vet. Your local animal shelter can also usually advise you on low-cost shot clinics in your county as well. |
 Keona 2003-07-22: Not all SCLRR stories are success stories in typical use of the word. However, even less-than-successful outcomes for one dog can sometimes lead to something good for others, please use Keona's memory to help others know that animal abuse and neglect is a crime and that loving touches and kind words are necessary to raise healthy, happy pets. Keona's foster family will forever remember his sweet kisses and great smile despite his difficult beginnings. |
