Lilly

I was a stray puppy in Peoria when the good folks at MLRR rescued me in 2004. My parents call me the bionic dog because I actually have an artificial hip. Before the age of 2 I had three surgeries to repair my bad knee and hips. Since then I've been living an amazing life. I'm now about 7 or 8 years old and enjoy many adventures with my family. In the photo, I'm floating down a river in Montana. I have been a foster sister to a number of rescued Labs. I love going camping and traveling with my parents and my 13-year-old Lab sister. I'm a living testament to the innovations of medical technology and so very grateful to MLRR for finding me the perfect family, one that took a chance on a what seemed like a broken-down pup.

Kiko

After losing my last dog of 10 years, I really missed the companionship of a dog. I dreaded the idea of going through puppy-hood again, so I decided that I would adopt an older dog and save myself the hassle of house training and all of the other fun stuff that accompanies puppies...god love them. I'd always wanted a Lab, so searching the Internet, I came across MLRR and my new companion Kiko. When Kiko came to MLRR, he was heart worm positive and very thin. Luckily thanks to the treatment he received from MLRR and his caring foster mom Allison, Kiko is now a happy and healthy dog. I must say I was a little concerned about the fact that he was originally tested heart worm positive, but after doing some research I found that heart worm is definitely treatable and has a high success rate. In Kiko's case that's absolutely true as he was recently tested and found to be heart worm free. As for my choice to go with an older dog, I could not be happier with Kiko. From the first day he entered my home, he was a perfect dog. I could not have asked for a better companion. Kiko has also just recently completed his obedience training where he was a excellent student as you'll see from the attached picture. He's going to move on to advanced training were he will also be used and a demo dog for the class orientation. So...in short its safe to say that I could not be happier with MLRR and Kiko. I think its also safe to say that Kiko's pretty happy also, but I'll let you decide based on the attached picture. I will just close by saying anyone who has any concern about adopting a heart worm positive dog should not give it a second thought.
Thanks
Jeff

Maggie

We were searching for an addition to our home for almost a year to be a companion for our 10 year old chocolate lab Rocky and Sebastian the cat, when we found MLRR online. After going through the application process and meeting a few good dogs, we were introduced to Maggie. We knew instantly this was our girl. Although we had a few bumps in the road at the start - Maggie barked at everything and even at times at nothing - we all adjusted very well. Maggie seemed to be constantly in fear that we would leave her every time we left the house or took her to the park, which broke our hearts. With lots of patience, lots of walks, and lots of love, Maggie is now very comfortable and confident. Maggie is the social butterfly of the neighborhood. Every person and dog we encounter is greeted with a huge smile and sniff, followed by an uncontrollable butt wiggle. Some of Maggie's passions are rawhide bones, stealing Rocky's toys, sneaking into bed with us in the middle of the night, stealing little kisses when you'd least expect it, and FOOD! We feel so lucky to have made Maggie a part of our family, and cannot imagine our lives without her!
Thank you!
A.J. Ward & Janeen, and Rocky & Sebastian

Lindsey

I just wanted to send a quick e mail in response to the older lab adoptions. We adopted Lindsey, fka Tara, in May of 2003. She was between 3 and 4 and I honestly worried about adopting an older dog as I thought she might come with behavioral problems. Let me just say she has been the most perfect dog, and we love her very much! I would most certainly consider adopting a dog that was even older the next time! She came to us fully trained with basic commands, has never chewed anything, doesn’t eat food that doesn’t belong to her, doesn’t jump on people, is super gentle with the kids. She is wonderful and now my geriatric dog :). She has arthritis, which we treat with pain reliever and anti-inflammatory drugs. She has had too many bladder infections in the last year, so she is going for an ultrasound next week. So, she is now much older and much slower, but I love her more than ever! Her eyes are still the sweetest eyes I have ever seen!

The stories you sent touched my heart, so I felt compelled to share mine. I think Lindsey is my guardian angel, sent here just for me (she loves everyone, but a bit partial to me and I would have it no other way). I will miss her dearly when the time comes to have to let her go. I am so glad we found each other!

Thanks for writing the article... sounds like others have had wonderful experiences as well.

Denise Pankau

Jake

Of the 5 labs we have had in our family over the years, the last two were adopted as older dogs. Emmitt was a guide dog that came into the vet clinic I worked for at the time with a blown ACL in his left knee. Because he was a working dog, his person could not afford to be without their eyes for the 6-8 week recovery period needed for the knee repair. Like to true lab lover that I am, I asked if I could have him. Well, nothing came of it for a few weeks, and just as I forgot about the black lab that I offered to take in, he appeared at the clinic for me one day when I went in to work. He was 6 at the time, but with the bum knee, that he proceeded to blow again a few weeks after the first surgery, and his old soul, he seemed more like 7 or 8. Either way, Emmitt was an amazing dog with such a calm presence and wise countenance. Emmitt passed away last September at home from old age - he was 13.
Jake was our most recent addition - for those of you thy follow the dogs in MLRR, Jake was the 11 year old yellow lab rescued from deplorable conditions at his breeder. Many of you may have seen the story already... A colleague of mine had asked me to look at a lab up for adopting on the website - I hadn't been on the site previously. While scrolling through the dogs, I noticed a dog that looked awfully familiar. His name was Jake, he was 11 and he had been rescued from a breeder in the western suburbs. I thought to myself "could it be him?". You see, my husband and I knew Jake well. He was related to our dogs - Casper's brother and Montana's dad! The folks at MLRR were kind enough to hear our story and agree that Jake belonged with us. This was in February or March. When he got to our house, it was as if everybody remembered each other. Instead of the normal doggie greetings, they all just looked at each other and went to lay down - my three senior citizens! We had Jake for only 2 months when he started falling over, not being able to keep food or water down or open his eyes. We made the tough decision that we are faced with at some point to not prolong his suffering - the diagnosis was a brain tumor, and the prognosis was bleak. We loved Jake like we had raised him, and we still miss his giant presence. But while the time we have with older dogs is shorter, the time we had with Emmitt and then with Jake was more rewarding than I can put into words.
There is something about the old dog's wisdom and quiet dignity that brings me a sense of calm and purpose. So while many people may overlook the 10 year old dog that needs a home in favor of a younger dog, I will always open my heart and my home to be in the presence of these animals. The older dog that needs a home has more often than not seen more than their fair share of hardships, and I feel that it is the least I cam do for them to give them a quiet, safe and loving retirement - no matter how short that may be.
thanks,
Sara

Koko and Cookie

Hello! My name is Katie and I’m 10. That's me in front of the couch. I had some medical issues crop up that my vet indicated were caused by separation anxiety. (My “boy” got married and moved out, and my cat, my Lab companion and my Dad all died within just a few months of each other.) Mom decided it was time to find me a new companion. Not having adequate time to devote to raising a puppy (they can be a lot of work!), she decided to adopt a dog closer to my own age. Best of all, she adopted two new Lab friends: KoKo (age 5) and Cookie, f/k/a “Bean” (age 8-10). They came to MLRR as a team and the staff determined they should remain together—lucky me! We hit it off famously! My new “sisters” came with very nice manners, so it didn’t take me long to teach them the ropes. The shelter and MLRR discovered KoKo had a thyroid issue. Due to their quick actions and Mom’s diligence in administering her meds, KoKo’s missing fur has fully returned (except the tip of her tail). She will soon graduate from obedience school. (Cookie will be in the next class.) Because they’re both so bright and already knew many of the basics, they’re sure to graduate with honors. Cookie is very food focused, but she is quickly learning that she no longer has to worry about when she’ll see her next meal. The girls have been great on their leashes, they love it when we go on car rides and we all have to take turns cuddling with Mom. Thanks to MLRR and Mom, I’m now back to “normal” and acting much younger. The three of us “Labbies” are now inseparable, so this adoption was clearly win-win-win!

Bear and Sadie

Seven is the New Four
After putting the last of our three labs down in December, we knew we wanted another lab. As a volunteer for MLRR for several years, I constantly checked the website weekly to read about the available dogs for adoption. We have a 5 year old daughter who grew up with our last dog. Although she was a very large black female (120 lbs), my daughter had been very comfortable with her and was always well protected! However, my daughter was very fearful of other large dogs who came near her face or jumped on her. So I knew we needed a dog that was a bit more on the mellow side, had some training and did not mess with baby dolls or stuffed animals so that she would be at ease with a new dog in her home. We thought a two or three year old housebroken lab who came from a former family environment would be perfect for us.
Back in March, I was a volunteer for MLRR at the Arlington Heights Family Pet Expo. I made the joke to my husband before I left that maybe I would bring home a birthday present for myself! He just laughed. Well, not only did I fall in love with one, but two of the foster labs that were in our booth that day. Their was a male and female pair that had been raised together as puppies and their former family had to surrender them after 7 years. I can't even imagine the pain they had to go through to give them up. Bear and Sadie were well behaved, had good manners, were friendly with all dogs, people and especially children. After a few hours, I called my husband to come to the show and bring my daughter. After spending 10 minutes with the loveable pair, my daughter said "Mom, let's take them home." Of course I was concerned about taking on two older dogs after just putting my last lab down at 10. But our hearts were telling us that these were the two dogs to complete our family.
Bear and Sadie have been with us since March, and it was the best decision we ever made and the best birthday present I ever got. They have made themselves right at home with our family and all of our neighbors. The kids on the block come over just to give them hugs and kisses because they are so gentle. They are full of energy, love to play and can't wait for their evening walk.
We see many mature dogs come through MLRR and are looked over just due to their age on paper. I strongly encourage you to read their descriptions closely, take the time to talk with their foster moms and get out and meet them. At this age, they were housebroken, trained, walked on a leash, did not have to break them of any bad habits, and could be left alone while we were at work. What more could you ask for! If we didn't know their ages, and had to guess based on their activity level and personalities, we would have guessed much younger. No matter their age, they have provided us with constant laughs, smiles and unconditional love!
Kelly, Rob and Sammi Bear and Sadie's Family