Author: Sujatha Avadhanam

Behind the Dog House: Stacy

Posted on by Sujatha Avadhanam

Ever wonder how a dog rescue runs when it’s 100% volunteer? It’s all because of our amazing volunteers! This volunteer spotlight, we chatted with Stacy, one of our long-time volunteers in Orange County.

Born and raised in LA, this southern California girl is all about dogs and has a heart of gold. Stacy lives in OC with her loving husband Warren and her furry baby Harlow, whom she adopted from Labradors and Friends last year. A proud momma of two grown-up kids and a loving mom-in-law, this kind-hearted, beautiful lady chats with us today about her life and volunteer work with Labradors and Friends.

Stacy and her L&F adopted pup, Harlow

L&F: Hi Stacy, tell us a little bit about yourself.
Stacy: I worked as a Deputy Probation Counselor for 16 years. My job was working with juvenile delinquents of ages ranging from 11 to 18, counseling them to encourage and make changes to their existing way of life. My job was all about working with children and young adults. At times it was a little challenging, as you want these kids to change, thrive, and have a better life. But they usually go back to the same environment and resist to change unless they really want to. Anyway, after 16 years of service, I retired from my job to raise my children, as they were young adults at that time and needed me more. We decided to give our full attention to raising them well at that hard age.

L&F: How did you get started with L&F?
Stacy: When I retired from my full-time job, I had more time on my hands than before, so I started volunteering at the OC animal shelter and continued to do so for 4 years. Not to upset anyone, but at that time they were putting a lot of dogs to sleep and it was frustrating. Then someone at the shelter mentioned about Labradors and Friends rescue and how it would be a great fit for me, as these animals are all rescued and just waiting to go home. It just felt right to help this wonderful organization, and it has been 4.5 years of volunteering with Labs and Friends. I couldn’t be happier helping this amazing rescue organization.

L&F volunteer dog walkers on a pack walk in OC

L&F: What is your role with L&F?
Stacy: I am a walking facilitator for L&F. Everyday I am there from 7:45 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the boarding facilities, rain or shine, all 7 days a week. I figure out who is coming that day to walk the dogs and match the people to the dogs. After I pull the dogs from the kennels in the back, we all start walking at the same time. We call it the “pack walk.” We take each dog for about 45 mins to 1 hr. We have a group of 20 wonderful volunteers devoted to walking these dogs. Any given day at least 4 people show up for daily pack walks, and during weekends the attendance is a little higher. In addition to being the walking facilitator, I also help with meet & greets at the boarding facilities, vet runs, and administering nonprescription meds. Prescription meds are usually administered by the people at the boarding facility.

L&F: What is the most rewarding and difficult part of your job?
Stacy: Well, it is very rewarding to watch these dogs find a loving home. And sometimes the dogs come to our rescue with severe medical issues like cancer, congestive heart failure where they had to be put to sleep. It is very sad and difficult when that happens. But most of the time it’s a happy story.

L&F: What does volunteering mean to you?
Stacy: It means everything. Ever since I was 15, I have volunteered whenever I could. Later, when I had kids, I volunteered at their school events. And now I am so happy to be helping these dogs get out of their kennels and get their daily exercise. When I wake up every morning, I know I don’t have to, but I choose to go to the boarding facilities to walk the dogs, because these dogs are getting out of their kennels only when we get them out. So rain or shine I show up every single day and hope for more people to show up. You are only as good as the people who support you. I would like to take this opportunity and give a big shout out to all my volunteer friends with big hearts who help these dogs. I couldn’t have done all this and continue to serve without all you wonderful souls by my side.

L&F: That’s wonderful!! Do you also help any other rescue organizations?
Stacy: Yes I do. In addition to Labs & Friends, I also help German Shepherd Rescue, Barks of Love, Wish for Animals at Dana Point. I pretty much help the other rescues in the same way as L&F.

Stacy and other L&F volunteer dog walkers

L&F: What are your hobbies and interests other than volunteering?
Stacy: [a big hearty laugh] O Boy!! You caught me off-guard. I guess dogs are my interests and helping them is my passion. I love dogs and get very attached to them. That’s the reason I don’t choose to foster, as I know I would be a foster failure. But I like to bring them home for a day away from the shelter, organize park lunches with dogs, or just drive them around to a bunch of parks around the area with a bunch of my volunteer friends.

L&F: Before we conclude this interview, tell us a little about your family.
Stacy: I live in Villa Park, OC, with my loving husband Warren. We have two beautiful children. Our elder son got married recently. Both my son and daughter love dogs, so we got them Yorkie puppies when they were young. Sadly, we lost the two dogs to old age last year. They both passed within the same week and it was a very hard time for us. Being surrounded with the friends from pack walk group helped me to heal and coming to these loving furry babies everyday, helping them walk did help considerably. This year we adopted Harlow, a rescue from L&F, and couldn’t be any happier. We love our Harlow.

Stacy and her family

L&F: On behalf of L&F, we would like to thank you for your service and support. We appreciate you and are so grateful that you are part of the L&F family.
Stacy: [a warm laugh] That’s good to know. Sometimes you know you just do your thing and leave. It’s nice to be noticed and acknowledged. Thank you!!

When There is Hope There Is Always A Hero or “Two”!!

Posted on by Sujatha Avadhanam
A Bonded Pair, Hope & Hero needs a caretaker or foster! Won’t you consider helping them get a new start?

On a chilly wet spring day in San Bernardino Robyn, a teacher by profession and an angel by heart, found a beautiful black lab roaming near her school. The dog was obviously lost and didn’t have any tags on her. It was evident that this sweet dog was a new momma as her milk ducts were full of milk. Sadly, Robyn couldn’t find her babies anywhere.  Yet she didn’t give up! Robyn brought this sweet momma food and tried to follow her everyday hoping to find the puppies. Everyday this sweet dog would be patiently waiting, on the same street corner, day and night with such hope in her eyes. She seemed to be waiting for her family to come back and pick her up…sadly no one did.

About 4 weeks later another dog started hanging out in the same spot. The two dogs bonded instantly! They kept each other company and endured the unusually cold and wet winter we had in So Cal this year.  Robyn, with her big heart started to feed both dogs. She new she couldn’t take them home, but still needed to help care for them. Everyday this sweet couple would stand outside the school greeting the students and other teachers who passed by. Soon this bonded pair won over the hearts of everyone at school. The kids and the teachers would buy them extra lunches and the kids loved how they would walk them up to class and to the corner every day.

With every passing day it was evident to Robyn that no one was ever going to come back for these two sweet souls. She feared with the school year coming to an end something would happen to both of them. She didn’t have the heart to call Animal control in San Bernardino. Why? Let’s just say we are thankful that she didn’t make the call. After everything they have endured, no one wanted them to go to San Bernardino City Animal Shelter. So, Robyn decided to make a plea on behalf of this sweet helpless couple and she did.  As luck would have it, we saw it! Immediately we mobilized the team and put in a rescue plan together. Everyone in the team was heartbroken after listening to their story and jumped right in to help. We let Robyn know that we heard her plea and were coming in to rescue the dogs. Robyn was teary eyed when she heard the news. With the promise of better life, we rescued this beautiful bonded pair the very same day.

As soon as we met this pair we knew they were special and we named them as such. Hope, because she never lost hope that someone would care and Hero, because he showed up to help protect her on the lonely, cold streets of San Bernardino. They were taken directly to our vet who ran blood work and fecal tests. Later they were bathed, given flea/tick meds, spayed and neutered, micro-chipped and vaccinated. They are both healthy and ready to go home now, preferably together, who can break up this love story? Originally Hope weighed about 80 pounds and was looking very thin and frail. Now she weighs about 90 pounds and looks happy, healthy and strong. Hero is a smaller guy weighing about 65 pounds.

They are technically not a bonded pair, but it will make all our hearts happy to have them go to a loving home together. They are kindred spirits who got each other through the cold and loneliness on a small street corner… The hopelessness and heartbreak they felt when they were left behind feeling cold and hungry is beyond any of our imagination. Now it is time for these sweet souls to want for nothing and have all the love and warmth they can handle and more… Both dogs are incredibly sweet, affectionate and light up with any attention. Any home would be blessed to have these two happy souls.

Please consider opening your home and heart to Hope and Hero. They are great with kids, good with other dogs, ride well in the car and are truly sweet pups. Our heartfelt thanks and regards to Robyn for being their Angel. We pray that they find their forever happy home and family soon. Please email us at dogs@labradorsandfriends.org for any further inquiries or fill out our online application at www.labradorsandfriends.orgto take Hope and Hero home with you. Currently they both are in Southern California. Thank You for taking time to read our Hope and Hero story.