nola lab rescue newsletter, spring 2016

whelmed by both the quantity ofdogs and their medical needs.Most suffered from some sort ofailment, with the worst experienc-ing deteriorating health problemssuch as arthritis, tumors, severeear infections, severe skin infec-tions, and degenerative jointdisease. TPAS put out a plea forhelp from rescue groups andalthough NOLA’s foster homesare chronically bursting at the

NOLA Lab Rescue

One of the worst things inanimal rescue is beingcalled in to assist animals

who have been neglected by peo-ple who shouldn’t have to be toldhow to properly treat the animalsin their care - other animal rescuegroups.

Unfortunately, a horrible suchsituation developed in February inTerrebone Parrish, LA. Thefounders/owners of a rescue groupwere found to have over 30 ani-mals on their personal propertythat were kept in deplorable filth.The animals had not receivedproper medical care, socialization,or enough food for years. The co-owners were arrested and accusedof 36 counts of animal neglect.

Interestingly, the organizationhas a facility that is open to thepublic that is staffed by volunteerswho were unaware of the awfulfilth and chaos that some of thedogs experienced. In fact, thisfacility is well-run and staffed byvolunteers and has facilitatedmany happy adoptions. However,the co-owners were careful toconceal the house of horrors fromtheir volunteers.

The seized animals weretransported to Terrebone ParishAnimal Shelter, which was over-

FINDING PERMANENT ADOPTIVE HOMES FOR HOMELESS LABS

www.nola labrescue .org Spr ing 2016

Making Room

(Continued on page 7)

Why JoinNOLA?

Our mission is toprovide:

• Permanent adoptivehomes for unwanted,abandoned or abusedlabs

• Medical care and fosterhomes for rescued dogs

• Education to pet ownersregarding spaying/neu-tering and responsiblepet ownership

• Public information aboutirresponsible breedingpractices and animalabuse in an effort to endboth

Your MembershipSupports:

• Vaccination, sterilization,heartworm prevention,and veterinary servicesfor all dogs

• Heartworm treatment• Rescue of canine seniorswith high expenses

• Orthopedic surgery forrescued dogs in need

• Transportation of HWneg, fully vetted dogsfrom the overpopulatedSouth to pre-approvedfoster and forever homes

RichieShowing off his lab-like qualities

Aubrey & ChloePerfection

NOLA News Spring 2016

Looking for Love? Adopt!

Stella

Wyatt

Andrea

Copper

Mollie Kosha

Pooched EggsLooking for a Special Treat?

Have a recipe to share? [email protected]

Get Ready! It’s about to get warm!

With warmer weather approaching, who doesn’t love a smoothie?Here is an apple/banana smoothie recipe your dog is sure to love.You can also portion out the smoothie by pouring into an ice cubetray, freezing, and then giving the bite sized treats whenever anyoneis feeling hot or hungry.

1 red apple (remember to remove all seeds)1 banana1 cup water1 cup ice

Blend and serve.

Spr ing 2016 NOLA News

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Summer is just around thecorner, which means it isvacation time. No one

wants to leave their bestfriend at home so we’ve donean internet search to makeplanning a bit easier for you.

Our 1st pick is Sanibel Island,Florida. It is located off thewestern shore of Florida inthe Gulf and is just a shortdrive from Fort Myers. It hasplenty of eye candy with thesugary white beaches, blueseas, and colorful exoticfoliage. Also located on theisland is the J.N. DarlingNational Wildlife Refugewhich is known for its abun-dant bird life. They feature an8 mile hiking/biking loop.Dogs are allowed on a 6’

Page4 All photos courtesy of Bring Fido

leash. Sanibel Island has acouple of dog friendly beach-es and several restaurantswith outdoor seating thatwelcome furry friends. Wefound 3 pet friendly hotelsand 13 privately owned vaca-tion rentals. Be sure to askabout weight restrictions,although most seem flexibleif approval is obtained priorto arrival. For more informa-tion about Sanibel Islandcheck out - http://www.bring-fido.com/destination/city/sanibel_fl_us/

You say that wind in yourhair and sand betweenyour toes doesn’t appeal

to you? Then how about atrip to Asheville, NorthCarolina? You and your 4-legged companion can roamaround 250 acres of land-scaped gardens at theBiltmore Estate and enjoylunch at one of severalrestaurants with outdoor seat-ing in Antler Hill Village.Another great hiking area isthe North CarolinaArboretum, a 434 acre natu-ral treasure with 65 acres ofcultivated gardens and ten

miles of hiking and bikingtrails adjacent to the BentCreek Experimental Forest.City dwellers might enjoy theBattery Park Book Exchange& Champagne Bar located indowntown Asheville. Theyoffer a selection of cham-pagnes, fine wines, sparklingwines, and coffees. Dogs arewelcome throughout theshop. There is really a lot todo in the Asheville area. Wefound 31 pet friendly hotels,51 vacation rentals, and 4campgrounds. More infor-mation about Asheville canbe found here:http://www.bringfido.com/attraction/city/asheville_nc_us/

Let us know when you areready to go…….we arepacked and waiting.

Summer Time = Vacation Time

Because we care

Dr. Gary Levy

Dr. Erin Ribka

Dr. Clare Guichard

Dr. Matthew Levy

Dr. Marlowe Ward

www.lakeviewvet.com / 482-2173

We promise to pamper you and your pet with compassionate, uncompromised

veterinary care and joyful client service.

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Spring 2016 NOLA News

The Winner - Trooper Bear!

Best in ShowThe best photos of your dogs

This Issue:I Love Snow!


Next issue: Spring Break ShenanigansSend responses & photos to [email protected]

Second Place

Third Place


seams, people were willing tomake the adjustments necessary togive some of these dogs a place torecover from their mistreatment.

Meet our new “labs”:

Coby is a blue pitbull mix.When he was originally “rescued”in 2011, he was a beautiful, happyboy. When he was seized inFebruary, he was blind, deaf dueto untreated ear infections, andalmost completely bald fromliving in urine and feces. NOLAhas sought specialist care for hisblindness, but unfortunately wehave been told that he is not agood candidate for surgery - aminimal amount of vision couldbe restored and it would fade in arelatively short period of time.This is another cruel blow for a

wonderful dog since he has beenhaving a hard time adjusting andit was hoped that restoring hissight would give him back his joiede vivre. NOLA isn’t giving up onhelping him learn to live confi-dently with his physical difficul-ties, and in the meanwhile, hisfoster family has been workinghard to help restore his exteriorbeauty. Coby loves sleeping on allof the comfortable couches andbeds that are available in his fos-ter home.

Richie was adopted by one ofthe co-founders 14 years ago.After he was seized in the crueltyinvestigation, his “owner” signedhim over to the shelter and choseto instead keep a younger dog thatshe had recently “rescued.”Fortunately better days are aheadfor Richie because he has a forev-er home in Vermont.

Aubrey is 13 years old andsuffers from bad eyes, bad knees,bad hips, bad ears, and bad teeth(boy did she need a dental!). Wedon’t know her prior history, butshe’s an easy, affectionate dogwho is so grateful for her niceorthopedic beds and good qualityfood. She is in a foster home inToronto and will have her ownhome when she’s able to travel -hopefully in June.

Chloe was once owned bysomeone who didn’t even realizeshe was lost for two weeks. Sheobviously wasn’t a priority to him.She was “rescued” from the shel-ter, which was told she was placedin a home with another seniordog. Instead, she was living infilth and her elder years were tick-ing by with no one to ease heraches and pains. Chloe is now15.5 years old and is arthritic, hasa couple of tumors, a week hindend and hip dysplasia. Despite herphysical challenges she is happy,willing to trot to the refrigerator toinvestigate every time it isopened, and affectionately staysnear her foster human. Chloe willbe moving to Canada where shewill be fostered by gentle, lovinghands until she crosses the rain-

bow bridge.

Betty White is a beautiful girlwho is about nine years old. Sheis housetrained, dog friendly, andloves people. Other than skinissues due to her poor living con-ditions, she is luckily in goodhealth. Betty White’s luck hasturned and she has landed a fan-tastic home in Toronto.

Mavis is not exactly a lab, butshe needed rescuing too. We esti-mate that she’s 14-15 years old.She is blind and arthritic, withappallingly bad teeth. This poor 8lb baby was probably terrified liv-ing in a house with more than 30large dogs, but she hasn’t let herscary past prevent her from takingadvantage of her new position.She loves to be held, to snuggle,and she’s even been brave enoughto explore the back yard at herfoster house.

As always, we are so gratefulto our fosters and donors whomake it possible for us to helpdogs like these.

(Making Room - continued from page 1)

50 Ways To Use Your Kong

So get on the bus, Gus, andset your dog free! Or, ifyou’re not a Simon &

Garfunkel fan, just pick yourfavorites.

1. Make your Kong a bowl!You can stuff your dog’s dailyfood allowance into a Konginstead, offering him much morestimulation and exercise thansimply gobbling it out of a bowl.Split your dog’s daily ration offood into 4 or 5 and place into 4or 5 Kongs. Now hide them indifferent places about the houseor garden.

2. Crate your Kong! Whenit’s time for Rover to have craterest, why not stuff your Kongwith peanut butter and Rover’sregular food, small pieces of

fruit and then freeze it?3. Play fetch with your

Kong! Give the tennis balls arest (they do wear down theteeth after all!) and use the Kongfor retrieving games. Kongbounces erratically and thathelps stimulate innate chaseinstincts.

4. Play “Hide ‘n Seek” withyour Kong! Stuff the Kong witha few treats and hide it aroundthe garden or inside the house

dog to enjoy and when the icemelts, a stuffed Kong is theprize. Plug the small hole withpeanut butter or cheese and thenfill the Kong with stock, or fruitjuice and freeze for those hotsummer days when something

tasty and cold is just what thedoggy doctor ordered!

12. Play Kong Keep Away!Place some kibble inside theKong and play catch between 2people. As the Kong fliesthrough the air, the treats willfall out and your dog will loverunning between the two of you,chasing the Kong…and thetreats!

13. Play tug with your Kong!Thread 3 or more small or medi-um Kongs onto long piece ofrope, knot it to secure them andtie a handle at one end to dragalong. Use for chase or tuggames.

14. Take your Kong to thevet! Stuff the Kong with some-thing yummy and use it to keepFido’s mouth busy while beingexamined at the vet’s office.

15. Take your Kong to thegroomer! A stuffed Kong willkeep Fido’s teeth occupied whilehe is getting his nails trimmed

and teach a “find” cue to getyour dog’s innate hunting drivestimulated.

5. Take your Kong for awalk! Stuff with some peanutbutter and use it on walks toreward loose leash walking andto help your dog learn to heel.

6. Hang your Kong! Threadsome rope through the Kong andstuff with your dog’s favoritetreats. Tie the Kong to a tree orat a height just out of reach ofyour dog so he has to jump up toget to it. When he hits it, thetreats fly out.

7. Play the shell game withyour Kong! Purchase Kongs foreach day of the week. While oneis the in the dishwasher, you canbe playing with another! Buythree and play “find the treat”using some tasty treats underjust one of the Kongs. Mix themup and have your dog sniff outwhich one has the treats in it.

8. Kong Sushi! Roll theKong in raw egg or milk andthen roll in grated cheese, gratedcarrots or grated apples. Letyour dog enjoy a Kong sushiroll!

9. Bury your Kong! Stuff itwith something good and stinky,like fish, and then loosely buryit! Let your dog dig it up!

10. Chill out with yourKong! Puppy Kongs are soft andgood for gums when puppies areteething. Pop the Kong in thefreezer so it’s nice and chilly.

11. Make a Kongsicle! Get abig bowl, fill it with a stuffedKong and water and freeze it! Afun summertime treat for your


and ears cleaned!16. Make your Kong a tooth-

brush! Cover or squirt somedoggy toothpaste into your Kongand let your dog chew away.

17. Make your Kong intostuffing! Carefully unpick astuffed dog toy or re-use one yourdog has already de-stuffed. Placeyour unstuffed Kong inside andstitch the toy back together.You’ve now got a soft and cuddlybut super bouncy and very erraticfluffy toy to bring out that chaseand hunt instinct! This is a goodway to repurpose a Kong that iswell and truly worn out.

18.Turn your Kong into a distrac-tion! Once your dog understandsthat Kong = fun and tasty treats,you can carry one in your pocketand use it as a reliable distractionto aid recall, for proofing a stayor simply for getting your dog’sattention.

19. Take your Kong on vaca-tion! When taking a trip withyour dog, bring along severalKongs to entertain your dog with.It will help him be on his bestbehavior while you are visiting.

20. Have a Kongmelete!Grate some veggies and sauté orlightly steam them. Then scram-ble one egg with a sprinkle ofcheese. Spoon the cheesy egg andthe veggies into a Kong. Seal the

Kong with a small chunk ofcheese. Serve warm.

21. Road trip with yourKong! Prepare several Kongsahead of time and use them forentertaining your dog while goingon a long road trip. If you are fly-ing, let your dog have a stuffedKong to keep him busy while youfly.

22. Houdini Kong! Use astuffed Kong to stimulate yourdog with “Houdini” style games.For example, place it into acrate/cage and close but do notlock the door. Put the stuffedKong inside a box and looselyclose the lid!

23. Elvis Kong! Stuff yourKong with alternate layers ofpeanut butter and banana!

24. Thanksgiving Kong! Stuffyour Kong with pumpkin pie fill-ing (the kind that doesn’t havethe spices added in) and cookedsweet potatoes. Your dog willdefinitely be thankful!

25. Relax with your Kong!Make a cup of chamomile tea andlet it cool. Plug up the small hole

of the Kong and fill it withchamomile tea. Freeze it into aKongsicle. Your dog will enjoythe cool sensation and will chillout at the same time!

26. Take your Kong to work!If you are a lucky soul who canbring your dog to work with you,

keep a Kong at the office to helpmake the day go by more quick-ly!

27. Make your Kong a fruitbowl! Stuff large chunks of fruitinto the Kong. Add some shred-ded coconut (unsweetened ofcourse) and let your dog enjoysome Kong Ambrosia salad.

28. Pup-kin Pie Kong!Canned or freshly cooked pureedpumpkin, yogurt or cottagecheese (only use plain or natural-ly sweetened yogurt), cooked oat-meal, low fat graham cracker to plug the hole.

29. Bobbing for Kongs! Placea large bowl of water and a Kongor two into the bowl. Entice yourdog to fetch the Kong out of thewater!

30. Sock Puppet Kong! Placethe Kong inside an old sock andtie the end. This adds dimensionand a good throwing handle tothe Kong. Supervised play only.

31. Hansel and Gretel Kong.Place a trail of treats leading to astuffed Kong toy. Start with ashort trail then gradually increasethe length of the trail so itbecomes a rewarding hunt for theKong.


32. Give your Kong a BubbleBath! Use a stuffed Kong as a dis-traction while getting your newpuppy used to bath time. Havesomeone hold the Kong for puppyto nibble on while you give thebath.

33. Have an Easter KongHunt! Instead of hiding Eastereggs, stuff a Kong with somethinggood and smelly and hide it out-side, bring Fido out for a “hunt”.

34. Sleepy -time Kong.When teaching a puppy to sleep inhis/her crate at night, give yourpup a stuffed Kong to sleep with.That and a nice blankey with a bitof lavender oil on it will do thetrick.

35. Make a Kong Sundae!Plug the hole of the Kong with acookie or graham cracker piece.Layer plain yogurt (no sweeten-ers) and honey and a few piecesof kibble in the Kong. Freeze itfor a frosty delight!

36. Kong Krate Kalmer: Use aKong as an aid in crate training. Itkeeps dogs a lot calmer and canhelp to make them more comfort-able as you begin crate training.

37. Kong Puppy Sitter: Use astuffed Kong to babysit yourpuppy while you are busy aroundthe house and can’t keep an eyeon Fido. A stuffed Kong in a cratewith a puppy is your best puppysitter.

38. Take your Kong for a carride! If your dog isn’t so fond ofriding in the car, stuff a Kong withsomething yummy and bring italong. This will help distract yourdog while riding.

39. Klick n’ Kong! If you areclicker-training, use a Kongstuffed with peanut butter and

reward with it when you click!Click and a lick…does the trick!

40. Tummy Tamer Kong!Stuff the Kong with overcookedrice and some canned pumpkin(the kind without the spices) andgive to your dog to help settle thetummy.

41. Monkey Kong! Stuff theKong with some bananas thathave gotten too ripe for thehumans to eat. Pop it in the freez-er to make the pleasure lastlonger. Your dog will be “ape”over it!

42. Funky Monkey Kong!Stuff the Kong with some over-ripe banana and some of yourdog’s kibble. Funky Monkeys arefun to eat for breakfast lunch ordinner!

43. Karnivore Kong! Stuff theKong with some leftover meatyou had for dinner (make sure it’snot full of seasoning or barbecue

sauce).44. Omnivore Kong! Cut the

leftover meat up into tiny portionsand stuff it in the Kong with someleftover cooked veggies!

45. Beanie Weanie Kong! Saltfree canned green beans and tinypieces of nitrate-free hot dog (all

beef preferred) make for a funKong!

46. PEVA Kong! People forthe Ethical Treatment ofVegetables Kong! Kongs stuffedwith very well cooked veggiesmake for a fun snack. Cook theveggies extra well so that they areeasily digested.

47. Rabbit Food! Kongsstuffed with shredded carrots arefun!

48. GORP Hiker’s Kong!Remember the 70’s when hikersbrought along GORP (Good OleRaisins and Peanuts) on theirhikes? Well, raisins are not dogsafe, but Good Old Regular kibbleand Peanut butter (the kind with-out added sugar) make for goodhiking Kongs.

49. Chillaxin’ Kong. Plug thesmall hole of the Kong with apiece of banana or kibble, fill itwith some freshly-brewedchamomile tea and freeze. Letyour dog enjoy it when he or sheneeds to “Chillax”.

50. Happy Belly Kong! Mixtogether canned pumpkin, finelyshredded apple, a little bit ofground flaxseed, and the liquidfrom a can of salmon or tuna.Stuff the Kong and watch yourdog’s belly get very happy!

To read more positive rein-forcement training tips, and muchmore, please visithttp://www.mybestbuddydogtrain-ing.com/. Best Buddy DogTraining is located in Atlanta,Georgia.

Article written by RobinSockness


You can make the difference! Donations can be made online via our website at http://www.nolalabrescue.org/Donations.html

Will you help?

NOLA Lab Rescue432 Evergreen DrDestrehan, LA

70047

nola lab rescue newsletter, spring 2016

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