Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Pond Boss I should never have looked at the pictures...

Let me start by apologizing for posting this but something is compelling me to help this poor creature. Seniors have a very special place in my heart and had I not seen the pictures I probably would have deleted this email.

Look at this face...







He is in the shelter here in Alabama where I am located. If I were not leaving for Germany on Monday I would take him in and try to find him a home myself. Transport can be arranged (Free of charge) to anywhere in the lower 48. I'm part of a network of volunteers nationwide who drive animals all over the place on weekends. I'd also be willing to kick in some food and supplements if he needs them.

Here is his story and the contact info for the person trying to help Mason. Anyone want to offer a sweet old chocolate lab a retirement home?

Hi ya'll,

I need your help. I try not to do this very often, but this poor guy has a special story and if it weren't for his amazing will to live and lovable disposition, he probably would have been put down by now.

Mason is a lovable 7 yr old chocolate brown Labrador who has been overlooked at the shelter too many times and has only 1 week left to find a loving home. He was left on the side of the road to die after being hit by a truck in the middle of the night. By the time he was found, he had a collapsed lung, was barely breathing and was paralyzed on his right side. He was almost euthanized to put him out of his misery, but soon after he was brought in, he took a liking to a volunteer and immediately started showing signs of progress. He made it through a successful surgery days later and to look at him today, you would never know the trauma he's been through. He walks perfectly and still runs around like a puppy. It's hard to believe it's the same dog. Sadly, the volunteer responsible for his successful rehabilitation had to leave him at the shelter when she moved away. Sometime later, while getting passed up time and time again for adoption at the shelter, he finally found a four-legged friend to play with who is now his best bud at the shelter. However, his friend is now he is being transported to another facility and due to the age restrictions, Mason cannot go with him.

This poor boy has made it through being struck by a truck, seeing his caretaker leave him and now will have to say goodbye to his best friend next week. People seem to pass by him at Petsmart simply because he has a few gray hairs on his nose, but they don't realize what a gentle, courageous and happy dog he is. He greets me every time I come into the shelter with a hearty bark and whapping tail, but he still can't find a home. The shelter has kept him as long as they can so we are in desperate need of a generous heart right now. Mason is smart, he takes care of himself, he obeys commands and most of all, he loves people, children and other dogs!

We found out he is heartworm positive, but he is obviously a strong boy with a will to live, so if you are kindhearted enough to foster him, I will pay for his heartworm treatment out of my own pocket. I will also provide food if cost is an issue. I would foster him in a heartbeat, but I don't own my place and my landlord won't allow it.

Mason has been through so much. Please don't let this sweet-natured and brave dog become another statistic. He deserves better than that. Please contact myself or Pat or Renee at the shelter if you can help save his life.

God Bless,


Jessica Schleider
719-930-5023

I just....got something in my eye.

Wow. I know what both of you mean. What a story and what a great face Mason has. Why the heck did you have to go and post that, Anna???!!! Wonder how he would get along with a 4 year old Chessie male . . .

I'm SORRY. He grabbed my heartstrings. I'm sure he would probably get along with your dog. If you want I can go to the shelter and do a temperament evaluation. Why don't you give Jessica a call and ask her what she thinks? We are on central time, so the night is young...

Even if it's just a temporary foster situation. It would be better than the alternative.

Very smooth hard sell, Anna!!! Man, I would love to have him, but our situation really just isn't conducive right now. I'll tell you what - if $ contributions would help keep Mason kicking for a longer period until a good, hopefully permanent option could be settled for him, I would contribute, as I'm sure would many others here. Heck, we might even get the cat people to chip in! Please explore that option and let us know - I am very serious about chipping in.

Same here as far as a donation.

I wish I could take him in but I'm stuck with one dog for various reasons.

What a face he has... But my dink of of home barely has room for one crazy dog! Let us know what you find out Anna.

I wish $$ could fix this situation but he needs a place to go and donations will not convince the shelter not to put him down. His time is up and the shelter manager has been hiding him for weeks and playing musical doggies. He is out of time.

You never know, who you know, knows. How about you fellows send a link to this post to a couple of dog loving friends and ask them to forward it to anyone they know who might help. It's a long shot but I have even found homes for dogs in Alabama in Canada through networking on the internet.

I've posted him here,on a local forum and on my facebook and I've sent out about 60 emails. I've got a lead on a lab rescue group in NC that is senior friendly.

He has a week. Surely someone will step up from somewhere.

I'll keep you updated on his status. Sorry to dump this on you but I know there is a strong dog loving community here and I'm desperate to help this noble boy.

I couldn't read the whole story, I can't handle that kind of stuff. I am at my animal limit, but I emailed the link to the thread to my Mom in Jax. who may know someone. We'll find him a home!

Anna someone might be more inclined to adopt Mason if they knew he came with a few $ from us.

Anna, my wife works for the Humane Society here in Omaha, NE. I'm going to ask her to get the word about about Mason and see if she can tap into some of those resources.

My girlfriend's mom works with a rescue in northern Alabama. I forwarded the info to her. She may be able to help as well.

As for the donation money, should we take some sort of poll to see what we can raise to go along with him so people would know? I know the heartworm meds are pretty expensive, or was that covered already? I know you said transport would be covered.

I'm speechless. Your generosity is overwhelming. Thank you so much. I'll let Jessica know that monetary help is offered to offset his medical needs. I will provide food and other meds if needed.

Those of you forwarding and networking, thank you. All it will take is just one big sap like me(or ya'll) to open up that link, see that sweet, gentle, regal face and be hooked. Let's keep our fingers crossed.

Jessica has gotten a few leads on last resort offers which may buy us some more time. Thank God. Nothing concrete yet but she is working on it full steam.

I think the shelter has an arrangement with a local vet to provide treatment at a reduced price. I'd definitely pay for at least half. I think it is around $200 but it could be less. Jessica has also offered to pay for it on her own, but she is not wealthy. Any help would be appreciated.

You are all so very special. Thank you for your selflessness and generosity. I'm sure Mason would give you a big lick if he knew how many people are trying to help him.

Anna, do you have a specific link I can direct people to? I've just been forwarding on the message and photos. A link would be great!

Use this link. It's direct to this page. Thanks so much!

http://www.pondboss.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=189936

Haha, I meant if there was a direct link to a page set up for Mason. That's what I thought you were referring to. It's cool, I can send them here too.

Sorry there is not a direct link that I know of. Whoops! Just remembered there is one on a local ambulance chaser's site.

The pictures are not as good but it does have the story.

http://www.rickeystokesnews.com/article....unning-out-6181

I was always told that heartworm treatment was very expensive. We had a dog long ago that went thru it. We rescued our old cocker, Toby, from my son and his, at the time growing family. They didnt treat him as they should have. He had heartworms for a long time.
We were told by a nice vet just to keep him on a little stronger dose of meds and he would be OK. That was about 7 yrs. ago. He is now nearing 13. Even with a congenital heart defect, they didnt get him down. I cant keep him out of the pond for a swim, when we go down to it.
Dont let the heartworm be an issue.

Also recently adopted 2 juvenile choc labs. They aare the sweetest animals there is...they think they weigh about 3 lbs.

Yes Labs are total sweet hearts! That dog just looks like a big baby!

Anna,If Mason (Ithink thats his name) is fixed and you take care of the heart worm problem, I'll give him a good home with 4 other dogs.We live of 5 acres with a pond and 2 of our dogs are approx. the same age.

Call me today 10/30/09 between 5:00 and 7:00 pm at.
Also I need to know if he has had all of his other shots too! He will love it here with the pond and my golden retreivers plus a 15 month old St Bernard puppy we took in 6 weeks ago.

Also, if everything(fixing,heartworm,and shots) are taken care of, there is no need of money donations. He will have a happy rest of his life here.

My wife doesn't know yet I've invited another orphan in yet but she loves dogs too!

One more thing, all of our dogs are indoor dogs so they don't freeze in the winter or overheat in the summer.

Oh my goodness! What news to wake up to! It's hard to type and cry at the same time. The screen keeps getting blurry. There is not anything I can say that would adequately express my appreciation. You are a lifesaver and a Godsend. Thank you. I will call you today and will also have Jessica call you.

It may take a couple of weeks to arrange transport. In the meantime we can get his HW treatment started and get him fixed if he is not already.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Burger your vet was right. There is a slow kill method that simply uses regular old heartguard and some inexpensive antibiotics. You can also use the liquid 1% ivermectin for livestock from the feed store for the treatment and as a monthly preventative. It's what I use monthly since I have a herd of dogs and the cost is around 30 cents a month per dog!

I think the slow kill method would probably be best if we are going to transport Mason. If they have the conventional treatment at the vet, they must be kept confined for 6 weeks. The slow kill method does not require it and is also much gentler on the dog. I'll provide all the meds with complete instructions. It takes approximately 1 year to complete the treatment but that is just giving weekly doses mixed with food. Not a hard program to follow.

http://www.dogaware.com/heartworm.html

Hooray for Mason! Three cheers for hang loose!!!
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I nominate hang loose for "PB member with the biggest heart" winner for the month of November. (edit; heck, the rest of October, too!) You have set a high benchmark, hang loose. Nice job, man.
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Please...please keep this thread updated with pics and stuff from here on in.

Outstanding!

You know, this is a great shining example of the power of people, not to mention the power of Pond Boss.