An extraordinary rescue dog, who earned 101 titles, recently peacefully crossed over the Rainbow Bridge. His talented trainer and human reflects on her special relationship with Good Grief Charlie Brown. RIP Charlie 2008-2023.
A Labrador Club has rescued hundreds of Labs by partnering with an all-breed rescue in the Northwest. Thirty-one years ago, the Puget Sound Labrador Retriever Association saw a need to save hundreds of dogs languishing and dying in shelters. They partnered with Seattle Purebred Dog Rescue and today continue to educate potential adopters about Labradors, responsible dog ownership, and responsible breeding including why it is not a good idea to let a pet Lab have “just one litter.”
The nonprofit Wolfwood Refuge, located in southwestern Colorado, takes in countless unhealthy and unsocialized wolves, and wolf hybrids that once rehabilitated can’t be released into the wild because they have been accustomed to humans and wouldn’t survive on their own.
Good Grief Charlie Brown, labeled as an untrainable dog at the Arizona Humane Society, finally retired at age 14 after earning 101 titles spread among 12 performance sports. He’s Judie Niece’s once-in-a-lifetime furry companion. Together they are an exceptional team!!
In 2017, two Colorado women applied their passion for recovering lost canines to form the nonprofit Southern Colorado Observation & Unification Team (SCOUT). They and about twenty volunteers tirelessly coordinate and search for dogs on the run, many of whom escaped from rescue transport vans, new forever or foster homes, vehicles involved in accidents or while on vacation with their humans in strange areas.
University of Washington handlers train ball-crazy canines to use their noses to not only identify wildlife scat that assists research of endangered species but also to halt the importation of threatened species and other materials into this country.
Founded in 2019, Southwest Oasis Lab Rescue saves hundreds of Labrador Retrievers and Lab mixes primarily in Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and even Mexico. This non-profit volunteer organization, that doesn’t have a shelter, takes in dogs that owners surrender and from shelters as well as those found abandoned in the desert or on the streets. After a checkup at a veterinarian’s office, the rescues are placed in foster homes before these needy canines find their forever homes.
I never imagined the length of time it would take to investigate and write a book about a rogue Labrador retriever whose life journey took many twists and turns, some bizarre, others shocking. But a goofy yellow Labrador inspired me to cross the finish line. The book, Heartbreak Kennel: The True Story of Max and His Breeder, is now published!!
One family’s love of dogs and interest in the dog show world has been passed down three generations. It’s meant more family time together and even helped fund a college and veterinary school education!
Evie Haskell, author and lover of rescue dogs, now lives with her family and two spoiled canines in the Pacific Northwest. Before they moved from Colorado, their beloved collie rescue died. Evie located a “purebred” border collie rescue, and only later discovered that the dog has no herding drive but loves to retrieve. So, she turned to DNA testing to find out more about her new family member.