Success Stories

Coco2, February, 2000

Late one night, Mid-Valley Labrador Lifeline in Oregon got a call from a woman who said that she couldn't afford to feed her dog -- a 10 year old chocolate Lab. The lady went on to explain that Coco had "come with the house" they had rented a few years back. She said the dog was upset because it wasn't being fed regularly and commented that her family was leaving town and would not be taking the dog. Some calls were made and a local breeder brought the family an emergency bag of dog food, but he wasn't able to get a look at the dog. Luckily a foster home was found the next day. There was a surprise in store for the foster mom! Expecting to find a thin, possibly starving dog, they found instead a rather ragged looking but extremely obese Coco. Instead of extra rations, Coco needed a diet!

But Coco did require vet care, some quality rations, and some TLC. Her collar had grown tight and rubbed the hair off her neck. Her coat was faded and dull. She had a tendency to flinch if her rear end was touched, although the vet exam showed nothing wrong with her rear. To top it off, her teeth were rotting and she had a small growth that was irritating her eye. Oregon's small rescue organization was able to fund the routine work and the cost of her thyroid tests and medication. LABMED stepped in to help with the surgeries. Coco recovered nicely after having three teeth pulled. With the removal of the growth on her eyelid, the redness in her eye soon disappeared. And after some weeks in a loving foster home, she stopped flinching -- and lost several pounds.

Coco is a cheerful old girl who gets along with everyone and everything. After a few months in foster care, Coco has recently found her forever home where she will be a cherished companion and an only child.