One of our adopters recently volunteered with the Shine A Light initiative, which seeks to raise awareness/ education in order to change perceptions about pitbulls. Their story about ALR Alum, was published today and we wanted to share with you:
CLICK HERE TO READ THE STORY!!!
You never know where you will find true love!
Cocoa Pixie has been featured on our Atlanta Lab Rescue Facebook page a few times recently with her swimming skills. This young lab mix loves the water! Her ideal family may live close to or love visiting the many lovely watering holes here in Georgia.
For more information on Cocoa Pixie don’t forget to visit her on our Available Dogs page!
Click this link for a video of Cocoa in actions: Cocoa Pixie 2
ALR Family and Friends,
In February of 2001, I did something that changed my life and possibly many of yours as well. I rescued a golden retriever that I named Teddy.
For months I attended adoptions, looking for a yellow female and each time got passed over for a “stay at home mom” with a pool and a house at the lake. Finally, after my fourth Adoption Day, they called about my third choice, a 2 year old red male, which wasn’t at all what I was looking for and I wondered why I had even put him on my list? The next day the foster called and we set up a visit. Reluctantly, I drove to Peachtree City to meet “Ash.” I had no intention of adopting him, but the foster told me there was another shelter dog waiting to take his space, so of course, I signed the papers and we headed home.
The first few days were a disaster. He was apparently a country dog and he was on a mission to escape my small fenced yard, which he did successfully about three times in the first two days. To make matters worse, he had no personality and wanted nothing to do with me. After 3-4 days of this, I decided he wasn’t the dog for me and I called the foster to return him. Of course there was NO foster available, so they asked if I could hang onto him for a day or two more. Well, the very next day Ash did a complete turnaround and he was here to stay. I changed his name to Teddy and he quickly became my constant companion and co-pilot. I was so excited about my rescue experience and this great new friend, that I decided I’d like to help more dogs like Teddy find forever homes.
Teddy became the “Ambassadog” to the 600+ dogs that came to live with us over the years, patiently sharing my time and his home with 4-5 fosters, often at the same time. He welcomed each new dog accordingly, taking it all in stride, which wasn’t the case with my other dogs, who made it their mission to keep them in their place. One by one my family and friends all found themselves with dogs they never knew they wanted, but soon couldn’t live without. The passion became a mission and we decided to start our own rescue in 2007. Since every dog in every shelter is described as a “lab” or “lab mix,” we decided to start Atlanta Lab Rescue. With lots of help and support, and by partnering with other groups around the country, we’ve pulled, transported and rescued over 2,500 dogs…and it’s all because of a slightly raggedy red retriever named Teddy.
About a month ago I found out that Ted had liver cancer (Original post date August 20, 2010). Monday, after a brief and very brave fight, we said goodbye to him. At home surrounded by friends he went with a smile on his face, wagging his tail. Teddy’s big goofy grin was hard to resist and constantly reminded me how lucky I was. My heart is truly breaking and I find it hard to believe how much this dog changed my life for the better. Someone gave me a book a couple of years ago called “Rescuing Sprite” by Mark Levin, a nationally syndicated broadcaster. The book talks about a dog he rescued named Sprite and how this dog enriched his life, it’s a must read for anyone who has rescued a dog.
This week we’ve taken in 6 more dogs (so far), including Laurel a yellow lab in Warner Robins shelter that has been so neglected she’s developed a skin condition and chronic ear infection that are literally torturing her. Our bank account has about $1000 in it which will barely cover Laurel ’s vet bills, and I’m told we can’t afford anymore dogs right now, but how do we say no to her or any of the other 5? Someday they too may change someone’s life…God bless all of you who open your hearts and homes to these dogs to foster and adopt and those who so faithfully support our efforts.
Thank you,
Becky Cross
Co-founder/Director Atlanta Lab Rescue
Will you consider a donation today? Please click on our Donate button to help care for another dog in need!
Prior to dedicating my life (it seems) to labs, I volunteered at Atlanta Humane Society, and as often as possible, 
I would spend 2-3 hours on the weekends walking dogs. The room that contained the “big dogs” had a chalkboard on the wall with all of the cage numbers on it and when you walked a dog you put an X by that cage number. This assured that all of the dogs got walked at least once a week. As you can imagine, there were the smaller, easier dogs and those that were not, and by the time I showed up on Sunday, you could bet that the dogs without the X’s fell into the latter category. In addition to the 100 pound rotties and pit bulls, there was always the crazy “Georgia black dog” (a lab mix…aren’t they all?) in kennel #1 that would leap 6 feet in the air when you passed her cage as if to say “pick me.” Somehow she knew that black dogs had to try harder. After several visits, I decided her shameless self-promotion should be rewarded and I took her home and added her to my “pack.”
Her name was Grace and I would soon come to understand how well that name fit her. 
The cough she had when I adopted her, never subsided, and after many visits to vets and specialists, an EKG finally diagnosed congenital heart failure and she was given 6 months to live. That was 9 years ago, and with a good vet and some experimental meds, she was able to live a somewhat normal life.
Normal for Gracie meant she would wake up every morning coughing for several minutes to clear her lungs. 
In addition, she injured her knee and elbow, which caused her to walk with a limp, but she was always the most animated dog in my house. Twirling and spinning with excitement when I walked through the door and often running into the furniture, when she anticipated a treat, you would never know she had ANY disabilities. She loved to eat and would sell her soul for marrow bones, which she would go and hide in the flower bed to eat. In the last couple of years, she had gotten less tolerant of my young fosters and in turn had taken on her “sister” Lily a time or two to prove her muster. Consequently, she was missing part of one ear and she had two large scars on her face, but her sparkly black eyes and spots of white dappling gave her an adorable puppy-like quality.
I lost “Crazy Gracie” a few weeks ago. Even with all of the other dogs, there is a strange silence in the house.
The “6 feet in the air” larger than life force of nature is gone. Despite the hand that life had dealt her, Gracie’s spirit and determination were a constant source of inspiration and a reminder of what it is to try hard and persevere. With love and deep appreciation for what the black dog taught me, we say goodbye….
Becky
ALR Director/Founder
