Hello there,
After spending many months on petfinder looking at the adoptable dogs, our house is finally complete and we have moved in! Whew! I had stumbled across this website a couple weeks ago and forgot to save it to my favorites, now after racking my brain I have found you guys again! Don't worry you are now saved on my PC!

We are ready for a dog....not sure about the cats, but we say yes! I was amazed to find out that any black large breed dog is very difficult to adopt and are often the first to be pts...so we are looking to rescue any black lab. Actually would be willing to take any lab, but since the black ones are hard to place, they would be our first choice.

However, this is where the problem comes in...as much as I would love to adopt an older dog, with our 5 (rescued) cats, I think a puppy would be better suited for everyone in this house.
I am very familiar with the Jackson Co Animal Control in MI and their policy regarding selling to class B research dealers...and am also unfortuantely familiar with the number of animals in the Mephis pound...any chance if a lab puppy came available we could provide transport????

I have checked the mileage from Fargo, ND (where we live) to Jackson, MI and it is around 11 hours...which is a do-able road trip for us. Mephis is another story.

Just looking for any suggestions....yes, I would adopt from our local shelter, sure would be easier, but the puppies go fast (huge surprise huh? :) ) and there sure aren't a lot of black labs that I have seen. Just hoping to give some guy or gal a second chance in life.

On a personal note, and I will make this quick...we insist on spaying or neutering, for you cat lovers, if there are any out there :) , we don't declaw and our cats are indoor only! Yes, they do wear collars...but that is just incase of an accident or emergency. All of our pets are utd on shots and fixed. I don't think there are many breeders on this website, but if there are any who are thinking about emailing me...please don't. We are not interested in the least little bit! Our dog will forever be with us and will only be a rescue.
I am more than happy to answer any other questions that you may have.
Thank you so much in advance!

Can you believe no one is adopting him?
This is Jesse. He is the last of Casey's puppies. All his brothers and sisters were adopted quickly....very good apps very easy...they all looked extremely pure. Jesse here has some white and looks JUST like his beautiful mommy.

Casey has the sweetest temperment and at 12 weeks it seems my little Jesse here is following right in his mom's foot steps. I just can't believe no one is applying.

Anyone wants a puppy let me know!

Have you looked at this thread??? Jesse is a pup :) Transport can always be arranged -- there are tons of people on this board that are willing to help

This is Jesse. He is the last of Casey's puppies. All his brothers and sisters were adopted quickly....very good apps very easy...they all looked extremely pure. Jesse here has some white and looks JUST like his beautiful mommy.

Casey has the sweetest temperment and at 12 weeks it seems my little Jesse here is following right in his mom's foot steps. I just can't believe no one is applying.

Anyone wants a puppy let me know!

http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL740/2932841/5924466/92727771.jpg

http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL740/2932841/5924466/92727761.jpg

http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL740/2932841/5924466/92727791.jpg


Let's see if the pictures turn out on this post

Yup, Casey's pup, Casey, and I just got two dogs in. Then Linda has a couple...we'll definately get you hooked up! :)

I have some older black labs, but no pups.......:(

You sound like a very responsible pet owner. Good for you for wanting to help in some critical locations. There's a special place in Heaven for you!!

I think Casey's pup is just adorable. And I love the little white toes.

How nice to hear someone who wants a Black dog and only wants a rescue dog. Very refreshing! :ibow :ibow

Oh Linda - how sad for the folks moving overseas... I don't know if I could handle giving up my dogs. :tissue:

Thank you Linda and Tracy for the kind words...I like to think that there are more of us out there, but sometimes I start to wonder...then I look at the friends I associate with and remember that though we can't save them all, we sure do try. There is a poem I read many many years ago about a little boy who was walking on the beach throwing the beached starfish back into the water. A man walked up to him and said "why are you doing that, there are so many of them, it doesn't make a difference." The young boy picked up a starfish, threw it back into the water and replied 'It made a difference to that one." So, I try to live that story...knowing that no we can't save them all, but the one's we do, has not only changed their life forever, but has also bettered ours.

Thanks everyone for the posts...Jesse IS adorable. I will think about him. I am truly haunted with the knowledge about the MI animal shelter, so I would like to try to save one of those guys. There is a black lab puppy that was added last night to their petfinder website...no picture, but they say she is being housed with the kitties at the pound. Even better for us!!!!!!!!! I tried them today about some questions I had, but it is just an automated machine. Guess I will have to wait until they post more info on her.

Anyone in MI that could pull for me??????? She has until the 21st.

What about Dani??

Jackson is about 2.5 hours away...email Kristen Mason...she is a volunteer there and can help you out with suggestions on pulling and stuff. She is the only in that I know we have at Jackson.

Her email is: kkmason03@yahoo.com

Please just remember that if you adopt from a rescue you are still saving a life! You are opening up room for the rescues to bring in another dog from a high kill situation. So don't worry, a saved life is the same either way :) Plus, I don't know how dog saavy you are, but you could potentially get in a puppy who is very ill or very undersocialized if you adopt right out of a high kill and you need to be prepared for that. Not trying to scare you off at all, just making sure you thought of all the angles :)

Sherry,
Thanks for the advice. Thanks to my rescued felines, I am aware of the problems that they can have with an unknown history...knock on wood, we haven't had any major issues. Even though I would not consider myself dog savvy, I am almost there. A lot of research sure helps. I have made several phone calls to the shelter today, I found pressing zero MAY get me to a real person. However, no luck with a human voice today so tomorrow I will try again.
I do have a PM into some one who pulls for Jackson AC, maybe they would be willing to do a temperment screen on her, we will see. But I thank you for your advice. I try to think of potential problems and solutions before they happen. Taming a feral cat was my biggest accomplishment and was a success, not easy, but was successful...oh look, there she is sleeping on the bed in the sun as we speak! If taming her didn't scare me off, I don't think I am scared of much. So, no you didn't scare me off :)

I rescued Sammy (my newer lab) out of a shelter, and I had some problems at first.

But I didn't give up on him, and no matter WHAT he did I showed him love and affection and LOTS of bad habits.....such as couches are for sitting on! Beds are for sleeping on! And Momma's laying on the couch need loves!

He is adjusting SO WELL now. Three weeks tomorrow, and he is a completely different dog than the emaciated, terrified little dog I brought home. He is not longer afraid of coming in the house, no longer afraid of riding in the car, he knows his name, and he's learning lots of commands. :)

You could also try contacting Sue Fitch, who is a volunteer in Jackson MI for the dogs at Jackson County Animal Control.She is also on the Michigan Dog Rescue List. Sue's email address is:
sue@mgbiz.com

-Marion
mariontl@telus.net

I honestly believe that "rescued" animals can be the most loving animals in the world. We have two cats that are "rescued" one from the humane society as a kitten, and another that was found underneath my sister-in laws car as a kitten. Both follow us around and love to either sit on your lap an purr or sit next to you and purr. That being said I will always look to "rescues" for my pets....