Moving Puppies for LRROF

 

Helen and I are loosely connected with Labrador Retriever Rescue of Florida. Some years ago we adopted Jodie from Pat  and LRROF. Six months later we adopted Coco from Pat. In the following years we became the citrus County liaison for LRROF. As such, we would check the living arrangements for a possible adoption, arrange to pick up a dog given up for adoption, or pick up a dog from an animal shelter. More about that later.

Yesterday, Helen and I were privileged to participate in the relocation of four 5 week old puppies. At 5 weeks, they are not really old enough to leave Mom, so I don’t know what transpired. They hadn’t had any shots and had to avoid contact with other dogs and they were going to be fostered in homes without dogs until they get their necessary shots.

We met Cindy in Ocala and transferred the four cuties to our car for the ride south. They were taken from somewhere to Tallahassee. Then Tallahassee to Lake City. Cindy got them in Lake City and met us at Sam’s club.We drove them to Land o’ Lakes where we met Pat and Lewis.

Four healthy, happy female Labs, very alert and lively.

They gave us no trouble at all. What an excellent adventure for us.

This little cutie was keeping Helen company in the back seat. I was keeping my eye on both of them……….we have yellow and chocolate labs…..but no black ones. How long does it take for Helen to bond with a puppy? If pressed………how could I refuse?

Here is Helen, holding on to more than her share. The other folks are fostering two until they are old enough to be adopted. Pat and Lewis were taking the other two to a home in Odessa.

 

Helen didn’t end up with a puppy, but she did get a pot of beautiful flowers from Pat for Mother’s day. It was a very nice and generous gesture, but the real gift was a couple of hours with the pups.

 

Now, a little background on animal shelters and puppies. Most shelters are under funded, understaffed, and under everything. Especially further north in the state, they do not have funds or staff to give pups the necessary shots or care for them for weeks until they can be adopted. Hence, puppies are generally “put down” as soon as they are turned in. Helen and I were picking up a Lab in a northern county and a man was dropping off a basket full of mixed breed puppies. The shelter manager told him that all she could do was put them down. It was at this point that we had to leave and we don’t know if the man left the pups or not.

Back in 2010, we had to go to the Lake County Animal Shelter to pick up a dog that was going to be “put down” in the afternoon. we got there in the morning and were told that the dog was still there, but there was a complication……..she had a litter of pups the evening before. We took Sandy and all her pups. Our family room became a kennel for the second time and we raised the puppies from one day old to eight weeks old, when they were all adopted. During their stay, LRROF had all their shots done. Later Sandy was spayed and treated for heartworm. Helen was absolutely steadfast in keeping Sandy, the mother. So, Sandy is still with us today.

Sandy and part of her brood, September 16, 2010.

Just some of the high points in our lives.

 

Later.