Rocky Mountain Lab Rescue May 2010 Newsletter

Happy May Days!!

May is an busy stressful exciting month every year for the Rocky Mountain Lab Rescue! That's because we have our annual Rocky Mountain Lab Rescue 5K Run/Walk at the Louisville Community Park (right next to the dog park). This takes months and months of planning, from many many people. Thankfully, we have always been lucky enough to get the Centaurus High School Marketing and DECA members to help out - and we have a great core of vounteers that always show up and make it a fabulous event!

This year is shaping up no differently! We have fantastic vendors showing up with lots of freebies, samples and coupons for you and your pup. The high school students always run a great kids area with face painting, paw painting and crafts. Plus, you can't forget the prizes for the runners and the raffle prizes for participants - we have gift certificates from Boulder Running Company, Petsmart, Applebee's, Old Louisville Inn, and the always desired Left Hand Brewery's Beer for a Year donation!! Plus many new faces will be there! Check out the website for a more complete list!

AND don't forget to sign up. The event will be capped at 250 runners. Last year 225 signed up (75 more than the previous year) so don't be late!! If you don't sign up, everyone is still more than welcome to come and enjoy the fair. All RMLR Alumni who show up to the RMLR Booth will recieve a special goodie bag! We hope to see you there!!!

May Dog of the Month: Chester AKA Chesterfield

Hello, I am Chester or as my foster parents call me Chesterfield which seems to suit my reserved demeanor a little better. I am only 1.5 years old, so yes I realize I have a lot of learning to do. I have a tall lean athletic build which my foster Mom says would be great for hiking or being a companion for a runner. I do need to stay on one of those leashes as I can get scared at times and I can really run if I think I need to. I REALLY enjoy being with other dogs so much so that my foster Mom says that my forever family will need to include a playful pup like myself. Watching what other dogs do is how I learn the ropes on what the people like me to do. Not long ago I was strictly left outdoors so it has taken me a bit to become comfortable indoors. I just want to make sure everyone is happy and no one is upset at me for doing something wrong. I love my crate and although I don't need it overnight, I do enjoy relaxing in it while my people are out. It gives me a safe place and also deters me from accidentally chewing on something that wasn't meant for me, remember I am only 1.5. Yes I am house trained, even though I can be shy I love attention from my people... I have recently discovered how nice it is to snuggle up on the couch right in between my foster parents. Indoors I am very quiet but outdoors is when you really see my personality shine. When my foster Mom comes out to play with us I get so excited I jump up and down run circles around her or just sneak up and walk right by her side. My foster Mom also says I may be one of the quirkiest dogs she has ever met but along with that I take the prize for being the gentlest. That's me Chesterfield, quiet, quirky and cute! But don't just fall in love with my devilishly good looks I will need lots of leadership, love and patience as I continue on my quest of being the best dog ever! Chester's forever home will need to include a canine buddy to help him learn the ropes and a securely fenced yard to run around in.

Check out more information about Chester and our other Labs for Adoption under Adopting

Upcoming Events

May 2nd - 8th is Be Kind to Animals Week
May 16th - 22nd is Dog Bite Prevention Week

Please join Rocky Mountain Lab Rescue and their foster dogs at the Counselors for Critters Annual Adoption event on Saturday, May 15th. Please check our events page for more information.

Then May 16th is the RMLR 5K Run/Walk at Caranci Pavillion/Community Dog Park 955 Bella Vista Dr. in Louisville, Colorado. Sign-in and sign-up (if spots remain for day of registration) will begin at 8AM, run will start at 9AM, and the fair will continue until 11:30am. 100% of the profits benefit the rescue. It's our biggest fundraiser of the year for the entire family! So don't be left out! SIGN UP SOON!

Please come visit RMLR at the Boulder Creek Festival over Memorial Day weekend. We will be joining the wonderful people from Dogswell at their booth. Dogswell (www.dogswell) makes premium natural dog food and treats in a variety of formulas. If you haven't checked their products out, you should! They are very rescue friendly and we hope to have volunteers and dogs at the booth during most of the festival. The festival is located in downtown Boulder along Boulder Creek. The festival stretches from 9th Street to 14th Street between Canyon Blvd and Arapahoe Ave. Visit our website for more information.

On Saturday June 5th, Colorado Animal Rescue Express (C.A.R.E) is hosting a wine tasting fundraiser from 4:30pm to 6:30pm. The event will be held at The Empty Bottle located at 1886 S. Pearl Street in Denver. A suggested donation of $20 is greatly appreciated. You can donate online at www.caretransport.org and find more information about the wine tasting. C.A.R.E. not only transports most of our out-of-state labs, but brings in dogs and cats for a variety of different rescues in Colorado, giving them a chance to find their forever homes. Please help us in supporting what they do!

On June 13th one of our board members will be hosting a Silpada Designs jewelry party. More details are to come - but if you're interested it will be an open house and catalog orders will be taken. 100% of the proceeds will be benefiting the rescue. It's a great way to buy some nice jewelry for yourself, or as gifts - and support the dogs! Stay tuned for more information!

The Old South Pearl Farmer's Market is full of vendors and food and fun! Once a year, the market invites rescues to particiapte in the Pet Fair. On Sunday June 13th from 9AM till 1PM we will have our foster dogs and volunteers to answer questions at a booth. If you are approved to adopt and circumstances permit, you may be able to adopt on the spot and take a new family member home with you! We look forward to seeing you there! See our website for more information!

Success Story of the Month: Brinkley

Brinkley came to RMLR from Lexington, Nebraska. He was a sweet boy and his foster family immediately fell in love with him. Brinkley was adopted by Bing, just about a year ago. Happy gotcha anniversary Brinkley!!

Brink and Bing's success story needs no words - you can see how happy they both are adventuring across Colorado by all these wonderful pictures that we are sent as updates!

You can find more photos and videos of Brinkley's adventures on our facebook page.

Tag photos of your RMLR Alumni as The Rocky Mountain Lab Rescue on facebook today! We love seeing great success stories!

Ten Reasons Why NOT to Give Your Pooch Cooked Bones (from Dogster.com and the FDA)

The idea that it’s natural for dogs to chew on bones is a popular one. However, it’s a dangerous practice and can cause serious injury to your pet.

“Some people think it’s safe to give dogs large bones, like those from a ham or a roast,” says Carmela Stamper, D.V.M., a veterinarian in the Center for Veterinary Medicine at the Food and Drug Administration. “Bones are unsafe no matter what their size. Giving your dog a bone may make your pet a candidate for a trip to your veterinarian’s office later, possible emergency surgery, or even death.”

“Make sure you throw out bones from your own meals in a way that your dog can’t get to them,” adds Stamper, who suggests taking the trash out right away or putting the bones up high and out of your dog’s reach until you have a chance to dispose of them. “And pay attention to where your dog’s nose is when you walk him around the neighborhood—steer him away from any objects lying in the grass.”

Here are 10 reasons why it’s a bad idea to give your dog a bone:

1. Broken teeth. This may call for expensive veterinary dentistry.
2. Mouth or tongue injuries. These can be very bloody and messy and may require a trip to see your veterinarian.
3. Bone gets looped around your dog’s lower jaw. This can be frightening or painful for your dog and potentially costly to you, as it usually means a trip to see your veterinarian.
4. Bone gets stuck in esophagus, the tube that food travels through to reach the stomach. Your dog may gag, trying to bring the bone back up, and will need to see your veterinarian.
5. Bone gets stuck in windpipe. This may happen if your dog accidentally inhales a small enough piece of bone. This is an emergency because your dog will have trouble breathing. Get your pet to your veterinarian immediately!
6. Bone gets stuck in stomach. It went down just fine, but the bone may be too big to pass out of the stomach and into the intestines. Depending on the bone’s size, your dog may need surgery or upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, a procedure in which your veterinarian uses a long tube with a built-in camera and grabbing tools to try to remove the stuck bone from the stomach.
7. Bone gets stuck in intestines and causes a blockage. It may be time for surgery.
8. Constipation due to bone fragments. Your dog may have a hard time passing the bone fragments because they’re very sharp and they scrape the inside of the large intestine or rectum as they move along. This causes severe pain and may require a visit to your veterinarian.
9. Severe bleeding from the rectum. This is very messy and can be dangerous. It’s time for a trip to see your veterinarian.
10. Peritonitis. This nasty, difficult-to-treat bacterial infection of the abdomen is caused when bone fragments poke holes in your dog’s stomach or intestines. Your dog needs an emergency visit to your veterinarian because peritonitis can kill your dog.

WARNING ABOUT PRODUCT: Cocoa Mulch

Sold at Target, Walmart and most gardening stores

Cocoa Mulch is manufactured by Hershey's, and they claim that "It is true that studies have shown that 50% of the dogs that eat Cocoa  Mulch can suffer  physical  harm  to a variety of  degrees (depending on each individual dog). However, 98% of all dogs won't eat it."

*Snopes site gives  the following information:  http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/cocoamulch.asp*   

Cocoa Mulch contains a  lethal ingredient called  'Theobromine'. It  is lethal to dogs and cats. It smells like chocolate and it really attracts dogs. They can ingest this stuff and die.

Theobromine is in all chocolate, especially dark or baker's chocolate which is toxic to dogs. Cocoa bean shells contain potentially toxic   quantities of theobromine,  a xanthine compound similar in effects to caffeine and theophylline.

So just be on the look out incase your dog is known to wander and randomly eat strange objects. If you suspect your dog may have eaten cocoa mulch, we recommends contacting your veterinarian immediately or calling the Animal Poison Control Center at 1-888-426-4435 for expert advice.