Success Stories

Charlie (the 2nd), July 1998

Charlie's case is unlike any other we've encountered so far. Charlie is a 5 year old chocolate male, released to the West Milford Animal Shelter due to severe skin problems. When he arrived at the shelter, he was severely neglected and scratching constantly. He had lost lots of his hair, had sores on his legs and underbelly and his ears were full of yeast. But despite his discomfort, Charlie exhibited an extraordinary temperament toward adults, children, and other animals, which encouraged the staff to go the extra mile and apply for LABMED funding on his behalf.

Vets who examined Charlie determined he was suffering from allergic dermatitis of unknown origin. A course of medicated baths and other treatments improved Charlie's condition somewhat, but without more information about what exactly he was allergic to, Charlie remained virtually unadoptable. LABMED voted to fund allergy testing for Charlie, in hopes the results will provide the key to successful treatment of his condition, and allow the shelter to place him in a home that understands his special needs.

Update: September, 1998

An update on 'Charlie the 2nd' from his new owner: " Please accept my sincere appreciation for your very generous donation to fund allergy testing for Charlie. Now that we know he is allergic to cats, oak trees, and dust, we can stop asking "maybe it's grass, food, or something else" and work towards minimizing his exposure to these things. He is currently undergoing allergy shots and we are optimistic he'll have a good response. The LABMED organization played a key role in saving Charlie's life and should be commended for the extraordinary work you do.

From a very happy and loved lab named Charlie - THANK YOU SO MUCH!"