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Tahoe (Arrow): 2000-2013
We adopted Tahoe in December 2005 and he immediately became our running and walking partner. The vet estimated he was 4 or 5 years old at the time, but he had the energy of a puppy. Since joining our family, he ran over 4200 miles and walked another 4,000 with us at his side. Tahoe or T-Dog as I would call him was the most kind and gentle guy and our true best friend. We want to thank everyone at HOTLAB for the great job you do and the difference you make in not only a Labs life, but the families like us who find a wonderful family member. We miss Tahoe, but we know he is running in a much better place today and we will someday meet up for another walk and run. |
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Trudy: 1999-2013
One of the characteristics of our human brains is that we see patterns. A pattern may be meaningless. A pattern may be a coincidence. It may be as simple as the grouping of numbers on a clock. You may glance at a clock regularly, but your brain tends to notice numbers in a pattern more than just a random time. For about the last 10-12 months I had been noticing the time of 1:11. And I know that is just my brain remembering that I saw 1:11 because it?s easier to remember 1:11 than it is 6:41. So I tend to make more of a mental note when I see that 1:11.
I rescued Trudy in 2003 when she was 4ish. When the Lab Rescue picked her up from Town Lake Animal Shelter, she weighed 92 pounds on a 70-pound frame. She was also covered in thick mud as she seemed to have had a great time running through it around Town Lake while running around as a stray. She likely escaped her home at that time ? probably looking for food. But she was healthy (albeit fat).
I lived in Round Rock at the time and Trudy and I regularly went to Walnut Creek Park so she could run in the creek, swim in the deeper water holes and chase her tennis ball in the water. She was incredibly ball-oriented and all she wanted to do was run and chase. And eat. But the exercise helped trim her down. In no time she was down to 80 pounds and then 75 pounds. A couple years later, I rescued old Earl too. He was old but he loved going to the creek with Trudy and running around in the water. Earl passed away in 2008 at the age of 15ish.
The year before Earl passed away, my wife and I bought a horse ranch and farm east of Austin. The dogs loved running around in the open spaces. Trudy had lots of room to chase a tennis ball and we had a stock tank on the property were they occasionally went swimming. Trudy was pampered and my wife occasionally referred to Trudy as ?Princess?.
Two and a half years before Trudy died, she became rapidly and severely diabetic. We got her diagnosed and proceeded to administer insulin to her with every meal. She never minded a bit and always walked in to the kitchen after her meal and waited for her shot. Towards the end though, we had to routinely reduce her dosage. The vet said there could be many possible causes of that including a cancer burning through the sugar in her system. It became clearer that was likely the case in her last couple days. The night before she died, I made her a medium-well steak, which she passed up.
I always told my wife than when Trudy doesn?t want any food, something was seriously wrong. I called the vet the following morning to make her last appointment. I knew that the diabetes and cancer were battling inside her. They both won and I made an appointment for 3:30. I got home from work early around noon and saw just how bad she was doing. I immediately called the vet and asked if we could come in earlier. They said 1:00.
We got there and the vet saw her condition and made the same diagnosis we did. She administered Trudy?s shot shortly after 1:00. I glanced at the time when the vet said Trudy?s heart had stopped. It was 1:11. You will be missed tremendously Trudy. Say hello to Earl for us.
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Jackson: 1997-2012
We fell in love with Jackson the moment we met him at Dick and Luanne?s property. He was about 1.5 yrs old and basically picked us! We decided to adopt from HOT Lab Rescue when our Lancelot got sick in 1999 with pneumonia. Lancelot was 12 yrs old so we thought he might not recover and it would be very hard on our 7 year old Lab mix, Buck. Lancelot got well and we ended up with ALL THREE of them until he passed in August 2001! That was a LOT of dog in our small house but it was also a lot of love! Jackson was a wonderful companion for us as well as Lancelot and Buck. His sweet nature was such a calming influence on our household. He was so flexible and congenial, nothing phased him. Buck passed in 2008. We had Jackson by himself for a couple of years until we adopted Zeke from HOT Lab Rescue in 2011. Jackson was happy to have a companion again and loved to snuggle with Zeke. His good nature made it difficult for us to determine how much pain he was in toward the end. It was so hard to say good bye to him in April 2012 but we know he is playing with Lancelot and Buck while waiting for us across the Rainbow Bridge. |
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Cody
Thank you to Margaret Huston and all of the wonderful volunteers at Heart of Texas Labrador Rescue. On January 1, 2001 we brought Cody home to Kingwood. He immediately became the light of our lives. He was the closest thing to the perfect dog that you could hope for or imagine. He did everything right (except occasionally go after other male dogs). One of the volunteers referred to him as "Our Big Yellow Fellow" and I frequently addressed him that way over the years.
In July 2002 my first wife, Betsy, succumbed to cancer. Cody was the one who saw me through the dark days that followed. He was my ever present companion and I don't think I could have survived without him. After a couple of years, when Susan came into our lives, and we had not seen her for a month or so, Cody gave his tacit approval. She pulled into the driveway, got out of the car, and Cody began running wildly back and forth across the yard, excited to see her again. Then I knew that it was OK to propose.
We became a family again, Susan, her dog, Rex, her Siamese cat, Tiko, and Cody and I. Rex and Tiko have been gone for more than five years. We found a two lb. cat, Woody, on the Greenbelt three-and-one-half years ago and asked Cody if we could keep him. He grudgingly gave his approval. They actually became fond of one another.
Last Tuesday, October 5, I took Cody to the vet because of labored breathing. The diagnosis was lung cancer. He quickly went down hill and we had to give him back to God last Sunday, Oct. 10. We know that this is not a unique experience, and that many of you have been through it, but our hearts are aching. He is such a wonderful dog. The precious love that he shared with us is beyond putting into words. And we were able to know it because of the people who make Heart of Texas Labrador Rescue work. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!
Susan & Hutch Stewart |
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Earl
Earl was my second rescue from the Heart of Texas Lab Rescue. He had been at the Rescue for over two years and was something around ten years old when he moved in with us. He immediately became the alpha over our younger female yellow Lab named Trudy (aka Twinkie). But they got along great. Earl didn't play much because of his age, but Trudy's compulsive ball-fetching wore off on Earl and he started to retrieve a large tennis ball. He loved swimming and you couldn't keep him out of the water. When we lived in Round Rock, we'd all go to Walnut Creek Park in north Austin so the dogs could run in the creek and swim in the deeper holes. Earl would get so excited, he'd bounce up and down waiting for the ball to be thrown. He always had a goofy walk, probably because of his arthritis, and it became even goofier when he ran. One of Earl's peculiarities was the way he acted in a vehicle. He absolutely loved to go places and couldn't wait to get in the vehicle. But once in the vehicle, he would pant, drool, whine and pace - maybe because of the excitement of the destination. He eventually overcame much of his vehicle anxiety and began riding much better. Going to the swimming hole 3-4 times a week probably helped. We always suspected Earl was a ranch dog. He was picked up after being hit by a car near College Station. While living in Round Rock, whenever a bus or delivery vehicle drove by out front, he would bark and try and chase after it. One day he even got out and stood in front of the unloading school bus barking at it and wouldn't let it drive off. So we figured he used to live on a ranch and would get all excited when the UPS truck came up the long drive to the farm house. Last year, we bought our own horse ranch east of Austin with a long drive up to the house. Earl was instantly at home. He loved roaming around the house and outbuildings keeping the critters away. A couple times, he even got too close to a pretty black cat with two white stripes. We have about an acre and a half fenced in so he and the other dogs could roam freely. He also liked chasing after the chickens, but I think they knew he could never catch them. When he would nap in the long grass under his favorite crape myrtle tree, the chickens would occasionally nap with him. In December 2007, we rescued a Lab-mix puppy named Sadie from Wisconsin (long story). Earl took an immediate dislike to the new intruder who had no manners and needed to be taught some. She quickly learned her manners and her place with a couple lessons from Earl. She knew that Earl was old and not to play with him like she played with Trudy - very rough with lots of biting and pulling. Well, would wonders never cease? One day we looked out and the 6-month old puppy was playing tag and bitey-face with Earl who looked like he was enjoying the attention and wagging his tail. And the day before his stroke he got to do one of his favorite things. We took all the dogs back to the stock tank so they could go swimming. Unfortunately, Earl's health took a turn for the worse at the end of May 2008 when he had a moderate stroke. We weren't sure he would recover at all, but he did manage to rebound back for about ten days until other medical issues related to the stroke began to set in as well as the effects of the stroke. We suspect that he also suffered kidney damage and became diabetic (he appeared to have ketoacidosis his last couple days). Earl passed away June 4th, 2008 in our arms at 6 PM last night. Some of his ashes will be laid to rest under his favorite crape myrtle tree on his ranch... |
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Dixie
Dixie joined my pack in 2000. We think she was 9 at the time. She was one of about 50 dogs HOTLR pulled from a failed rescue in east Texas, and was originally named Babs. She had a scar across her muzzle because her first people thought she barked too much so they tied her mouth shut. I fostered her almost immediately, and the entire time she was my foster dog she never barked. She saved the barking until she had wormed her way into my heart and was mine. And she never quit barking, but it was just fine with all of us that she talked - she was so happy when she did it. Before life with me she had never been in grass, but soon learned the complete ecstasy of rolling around on her back in thick grass. She also never knew what dog biscuits were, and my other dogs were thrilled with this because they quickly hoovered all of the crumbs that fell from her mouth. She learned pretty quickly, though, and the others were bummed. Sh loved to swim, although I often had to "cheat" on throwing things so she could have the fun of fetching a toy since she was a slow and steady swimmer. In her later years she wasn't very mobile, but loved going for car rides because it meant we were going someplace where she could lie in the sun and sunbathe. The end came quickly for her - yesterday she stopped being able to walk, and other bodily functions had also shut down. I made an appt. for later today to have the vet put her to sleep, but she beat me to it by going across the bridge on her own terms this morning. Now I know she is swimming in a beautiful river, taking breaks to roll in the thick green grass, and barking to everyone about how happy she is. |
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Thumper
Here's Thumper. I picked her up a few years ago from the Heart of Texas Lab Rescue (HOT-LR). From the story I was told she was almost dead when HOT-LR retrieved her from her former owners. They said it took almost two years to bring her back to a point where she could be adopted. She's had a very rough life. It's sad to think someone would treat a dog as bad as that. She is a true Black Lab. She's soft, has shiny hair, big ears, wide beaver style tail and big paws. She had few of her teeth left but still loves doggie bones. Lately though her age has caught up to her and I don't expect her to be with me much longer. At least her last two or three years have been good.
Early this morning (04/07/06) I had to let Thumper go. I had the pleasure of adopting Thumper on the 11th of August, 2002. Thumper came from an abusive home and she had been in HOTLR?s care for some time before she was healthy enough to be released for adoption. At that time she was estimated to be around 10 to 12 years old. Thumper was an amazingly loving lab. She would rub her nose up against me much like a cat and walk on by, just far enough to have her behind in scratching distance. She also loved to have her ears and neck scratched. She would bounce on her front paws at feeding time and she would bark. This was the only time she would bark. She was very tolerant of the vet?s needle when that was needed. She had come down several times with forms of skin cancer which were quickly removed. About six months ago she came down with Cushing?s which caused her immune system to go crazy. Treatment with several medications helped, for awhile. Last night I was cleaning one of the lesions on her hind leg and I could see that her skin had now deteriorated to the point where it was no longer protecting the muscle under it. Pretty much Thumper had a large hole in her skin and I could see her leg muscle underneath. She snapped at me when I tried to clean the wound. This was the first and only time she had ever snapped at me. I knew she was in pain. This morning she and I visited the vet, her for the last time. The vet discussed the treatment options with me and asked me what I wanted to do. He never once suggested putting her down. I made the choice to let her go, he walked up beside me and said in a soft voice, ?I wouldn?t say it until you did, but that?s what I would do too.? I didn?t want her to be in any more pain. I stayed in the room through to the end and for a little while longer. I thank HOTLR for allowing me to have the best dog in the world. Thumper was cremated and I will be taking her ashes to the Sierra Nevada Mountains in late June to spread them near where I buried my first Black Lab, Mandy. I miss Thumper very much.
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Rusty
On Valentine's Day in 1998 I drove from Houston to Austin to adopt a female yellow lab from Hot Lab Rescue. I had a hard time selecting a dog and wanted them all. But one particular dog, Rusty, smiled at me and I could not resist. Rusty looked different from the other labs, and was one of the yellow labs that HOTLRC picked up from a Houston puppy mill that was closing. Sophie, also from the puppy mill, joined us in June of that year, so I was doubly blessed.
Rusty came with a few phobias. She did not like going through doorways for instance. She would not go for walks. Her big daily adventure was to go down our driveway, turn right and go one house down, turn around and go one house the other way, and then head back up the driveway. One day I thought I had lost Rusty. She darted out the garage door when it was open, but I found she had only run around to the back door to be let back in.
It didn't take long though before Rusty made herself at home. Rusty was a sweet dog, always wanting to be petted, yet she behaved when I would tell her to go sit down. Since she came from a puppy mill I was very surprised to learn she knew how to "sit", and was especially surprised just within the last year when I found she knew the command to lie down. All I can imagine is that she was somebody's pet before landing in the puppy mill. She had not forgotten her training.
I think what learned most about Rusty is to keep a good attitude. She was patient, kind and usually happy. I loved to see her "snirkle" (which is what I called her cute smile).
Rusty is now in dog heaven making new friends. My husband, Sophie and I miss her a lot. |
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Buck
Just wanted everyone to know that we had to send Buck over the Rainbow Bridge Saturday morning. He was truly an amazing Lab. We adopted him from HOT Lab Rescue in 2000 when he was 9 years old. He grew ill after we had him for 6 months and we thought it was his time at that ponit. Our amazing vet, told us that he wanted to do exploratory surgery to find out what was going on. We were hesitant due to the fact that we didn't want him to suffer surgery and then to die days later. But the look in our vet's eyes told us to trust him. It turned out Buck had a torque (twisted) spleen and that was causing him to be ill. The vet removed the spleen and Buck led a wonderful life for the next 5 years.
I had tried to get him in the "got milk" ads due to his wonderful milk smile. Look at his picture and you'll see what I am talking about. He was a fiesty old man and kept up with the best of them for several years. He would greet us at the door and do this dance that looked like a bucking bronco. The last couple of years, he had started slowing down, developed cataracts and became more and more senile. He developed glaucoma which caused him so much pain that we thought it was best to let him go. His spine was fused causing him the inability to get around easily. He had other health issues as well.
I am grateful that HOT Lab Rescue allowed me to adopt such an extraordinary Lab and for Shandra and Judith for bringing him to Dallas.
Sincerely,
Dana Wichita |
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Cocoa: 1991 -2004
Cocoa came to live with us in January of 2001. She was the perfect companion to
us as well as our other dog Jasper. They quickly became inseparable. Jasper succumbed to illness in April of this year. Cocoa helped us get through that loss even though she was also deeply affected by Jasper's departure. Our precious "princess" passed away on October 16th, 2004. We take much comfort in knowing she has been reunited with her brother forever.
-Cathy |
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Charlie: 1987 - 2000
Charlie was a gentle and loving soul that wasn't in the sound body that
he so richly deserved. Charlie was taken to the Vet by his owner to be put
down due to bone cancer and being heartworm positive. Charlie was a definite love
and the Vet just couldn't tolerate the thought of putting him down. At
her own expense, she treated for heartworm and removed the cancer. Charlie
was approximately 12 yrs old at the time and remained at the clinic for
several months. After the time at the clinic, Charlie came to Austin to
be a permanent part of the Heart of Texas family. It was accepted by us
that because of his age, Charlie would be a part of our family until he
died. Charlie never found his forever home, but his last 6 months were
possibly the happiest of his life. Charlie was a trooper, and whether
it was one of his good days or bad days, he loved "messing" with the goats
and playing with the other dogs. As Charlie's cancer returned rapidly
thereafter, and his bad days were out numbering his good days, it was
decided that this "loving old man" had been through enough and the difficult
decision was made to release him from his failing body.
We all loved you Charlie. You will never be forgotten. Be young and healthy
again, until we meet again and all cross the bridge together.
Updated by DP
March 16, 2000 |
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Sweet Molly Brown
Molly Brown was a female chocolate lab we pulled from a Dallas/Ft.Worth area animal shelter. She was about 3 years old when we got her on March 25th, 2001. Unfortunately, while she was in the shelter, she contracted kennel cough and distemper. She didn't have the strength to battle the disease anymore. She passed away on the morning of April 10th. Please light a candle or say a prayer for sweet Molly Brown, now at Rainbow Bridge.
I absolutely loved Molly and it kills me to know that I couldn't save her. She was so adorable. The things that she did that were adorable was a sign of her disease. She would stick her lower lip out...it looked like she had a fat lower lip. But in reality, she was sticking it out for better ventilation for her lungs. At times, she moved her lower jaw and it reminded me of those 'singing bass' that they sell at Christmas time.
No matter how sick she felt or that the mucous in her eyes was so thick where she couldn't see me, she would still wag her tail for me. Even on her last day and as weak as she was, she would thump her tail for me. It broke my heart that I couldn't save her. She was such a deserving girl! I hope I never have to witness such a senseless death. If everyone vaccinated their dogs, then these dogs wouldn't have to die.
Sincerely, HOTLR Volunteer and Loving Foster Mom |
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Tyler
'"My name is Tyler, and I'm a yellow Lab. When I was about 2 years old, I wandered into a yard in Houston one Saturday morning. Ann, the lady next door, took me in. I had infected ears, a bacterial infection, wasn't neutered, wasn't housetrained and I had very bad knees. After I got rid of the infections, Ann took me to HOT Lab Rescue, then she decided to adopt me.
Rescue had me neutered and treated for heartworm. Ann had my right knee fixed so it didn't hurt any more. But Ann's older dogs were upset by my rambunctious behavior, and she and I never bonded, so she reluctantly returned me to Rescue. They fixed my other knee, then fixed the right knee again.
Eventually I was placed with a nice family and lived with them and my favorite little girl for nearly a year. Then I slipped out an automatic gate and was hit by a car. I loved my family so much that I tried to follow them, and this terrible accident happened. Then I went to the Rainbow Bridge.
Ann still cared a lot about me and was devastated when I died. Almost 2 years to the day after she found me, she found a little yellow Lab/beagle mix who apparently had been dumped because she was pregnant. Ann named her Mila (the Russian word for "sweet"), had her spayed, housetrained her and helped her overcome severe separation anxiety. She made the move with Ann and her two older dogs back to California and is now very happy. (I arranged for Mila and Ann to meet that early morning, because I knew Mila needed a good home ). I went through so many medical procedures, and I wasn't able to enjoy my "forever home" for very long. But at least my last year was a happy one, and I helped another Lab find her forever home.
I will never forget the people who helped me, and I know they will always remember me, too. |
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Darsi
I sometimes think it is ironic that our Vet tells me that Darsi viewed the world in black and white, because I don?t believe I have ever seen the colors of life?s spectrum more clearly than when I watched her live life. Darsi taught us to see love with unconditional brilliance. Her love was that of a pure soul, always there to greet you at the beginning and end of each day. Like the golden rays of a morning sun, her love revealed the hidden treasures of the night and filled our hearts with gentle warmth. Darsi also showed us how to enjoy life more. She retrieved every moment that life threw her way and was always willing to bringing back her joy to share with us all. Only Darsi could convince the symphony of the birds to leave their peaceful tunes and join her in a rousing rendition of Looney Tunes. During her last days, Darsi showed us the power of optimism. Even as cancer invaded her body, she continued to smile showing no signs of slowing until the very end. We will miss her dearly, but we will always know that the colors of life?s rainbow are never black and white because we?ve seen life through the eyes of our beloved Darsi. |
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Jake: 1990 - 2003
Jake was a dog who gave new meaning to the term "mild mannered." He was an exceedingly sweet chocolate Lab who died in his foster home on May 4, 2003.
I was on phone duty in September of 2001 when Jake's owner called about him. She had adopted Jake from Dick and Luanne about 6 years earlier and she loved him dearly, but she had been in a bad car accident and could not take care of him any more. We took Jake back and he lived in the Geriatric Room for the next year or so, with Moose, Thumper, and Maggie. He sure liked that doggie door! All he wanted was to sit and be petted or brushed. He was a big, loveable guy. Over time, his three roommates found forever homes, but when the Appyland Kennels closed down Jake was left all alone. We took him home and he lived with us for seven months until he died of natural causes at the age of 13.
We think he enjoyed his time with us. He loved to go for walks and we had to restrain him so he didn't overdo and get too tired. His arthritic hips slowed him down, but he insisted on climbing the stairs every night to sleep at the foot of our bed. With some dietary supplements, his coat became a gorgeous chestnut brown and he seemed happy. The highlight of his time with us was when we took him to the HOTLR Reunion and he surprised us by jumping into the lake and swimming like a 2-year-old. He even tried to retrieve a post that was sticking up out of the water! He loved seeing all his old volunteer buddies at the reunion and meeting new friends.
Over the next four weeks, however, he slowed down more and more. He stopped wanting to go for walks. One Saturday we came home from shopping and he did not greet us at the door with his big brown nose. We found him on the living room floor, unconscious and breathing hard. We stayed with him until he died early the next morning.
We miss his cheerful face. Strange how such a quiet dog can leave such a vacant spot in a home. Lucy, our adopted HOTLR dog, misses him too.
Janet Smith
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Maggie: 2003
Hi- My name is Allison Ricketson. My husband Corey and I adopted the 13 year old dog Maggie last year from HOTLR. I just recieved the newsletter today, and read about the passing of Jake. I got to meet Jake when we were adopting Maggie and he was such a sweet dog. I wanted to inform you that Maggie also passed away from natural causes, ironically also on May 4th. Corey and I were out of town for a wedding and my mother-in-law was taking care of Maggie and our other lab, Dixie. Maggie passed away while we were gone, and we never got to say goodbye. She was such a sweet dog and I am so glad that we could give her a good home for that last year of her life. She was always a happy dog, especially at mealtime! We certainly miss her, but we know she is in a better place where she doesn't have arthritic hips or shortness of breath. We are thankful that we had a chance to have Maggie in our lives and we thank HOTLR for that. Thank you. I have enclosed a picture of Corey, me, Maggie and our black lab Dixie. |
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Brandy
Brandy Brandy adopted us when we visited Luanne back in 1997. At the time Brandy had just arrived after being used and then discarded by what could at best be described as a puppy mill. A sad moment to say the least but one that turned out to be one of the happiest for my wife and I and for Brandy as well. Little did we realize the amount of love and attention that Brandy would shower on us over the next few years or the the amount of love and affection we would have for her as well. Little did we realize the strength of the bond that would develop between us and the level of sadness that we would feel when the time came for Brandy to cross the bridge. A love magnet, a consummate shadow, a friend to the very end and, above all, a member of the family who will forever have a place in our hearts and a memory that will not fade. If there is truly a heaven for friends like Brandy I hope that we will one day be worthy enough to visit it and see Brandy again! |
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