Success Stories

Tanner, August, 2000

Car rides are fun, especially if you are a dog! Tanner is only eight months old, but he knows when it is time for a car ride. Unfortunately, he was allowed to ride free and unrestrained in the back of a pick up. He jumped out of the moving truck and broke his femur. This yellow male needed immediate medical care, but his owners were not able to get him fixed up, so he was signed over to the vet hospital. Tanner's new life began when a Southern California Labrador Retriever Rescue volunteer took him home as a long-term foster.

Tanner required specialized medical care. Orthopedic surgeons at Southern California Surgical Group evaluated this playful pup, and he received a very promising prognosis. The surgical group offered a discount on their services, and SCLRR picked up most of the remaining balance, but Tanner still needed a few more dollars to get him on the road to full recovery. LABMED was happy to help Tanner, and he is now recovering in Tustin, California. He should be available for adoption shortly after Valentine's Day 2001.

Since dogs cannot make responsible decisions on their own, we humans must take responsibility for our faithful companions' health and safety. This includes proper socialization and training (of both man and Lab). Tanner, like many Labs in rescue, was described as if he lived in the backyard and didn't get much attention. He was not neutered or housebroken. He was also fairly underweight with absolutely no manners. With all this said, Tanner's rescuer said, "He is such a sweet dog, he just wants to be with you and give you plenty of kisses."

Looks like Tanner's big break may be just that - the once in a lifetime opportunity for a new beginning.

Update: March, 2001

Tanner was adopted out to a lovely couple in San Diego with a Lab/Dal mix. Unfortunately, their dog became increasingly intolerant of Tanner (not at all his fault) and so they worked with SCLRR to find a new family. They checked two different families, before their parents told SCLRR they'd like to adopt Tanner, as they had been "babysitting" him while SCLRR was searching for another home. So, Tanner did find his forever home, and his first family was left with some appreciation for the amount of hard work rescue volunteers are faced with every day!