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Colorado

Denver

Safe Harbor Lab Rescue

David Adams

June 25, 2024

Dog Rescues & Shelters

Safe Harbor Lab Rescue

#100 in United States, #10 in Colorado, #9 in Denver
#3 in labrador

http://safeharborlabrescue.org

info@safeharborlabrescue.org

Service areas:

Golden, Colorado

Safe Harbor Lab Rescue was co-founded by Leslie Brown and Lauren Immel to honor the memory of Les’ first Lab, Tess. Part of the vision was to help senior Labs, Labs that may need hospice care, and special needs Labs all of whom have little hope of placement while in shelters. Leslie had many special needs Labs, including Owen who was born hydrocephalic and given no more than a year to live. Owen lived to the ripe old age of 11! Chocolate, a blind dwarf Lab, and Gypsy, a deaf and blind Lab mix were some of the others that followed Owen and began Safe Harbor’s legacy. After 30 years with Jefferson County Courts, Les retired to focus on Safe Harbor Lab Rescue. At the same time she went to work part time at Arvada West Veterinary Hospital, Safe Harbor’s first veterinary care provider and continues to provide care for our Labs.

Mission and Vision

Safe Harbor has been in continuous operation since its founding in 2002. Through October 2023, we have rescued over 4500 Labs. We are an all-volunteer organization with our work done by teams of volunteers dedicated to Lab intake, Medical Care, Foster Care, Transportation, Adoption, Website management and Social Media presence. Safe Harbor holds a current Pet Animal Care Facilities (PACFA) License issued by the State of Colorado. Our Mission To rescue, provide a high level of compassionate care, and successfully rehome stray, abandoned or surrendered Labrador Retrievers giving priority to those in Colorado.

Specialization

Labrador

Other specialization

Labrador Retrievers

Adoption Policy

Adoption Fees • Puppy to 1 year – $400 • Adult 1-6 years – $350 • Senior 7-10 years – $300 • Senior 11+ years – $150 If adopting multiple Labs at one time, adoption fees may be reduced. All adoption fees go towards the care for all our rescued Labs while in transition to their forever homes. The cost to prepare most of our rescued Labs for adoption greatly exceeds the adoption fee. Our largest single expense is the veterinary care we provide. Medical costs in 2020 were over $160,000. Application and Adoption Process • Due to the high volume of applications and the limited number of rescued Labs we have available, we will contact you if a Lab becomes available who, based on the information in your application and after review by our Adoption Coordinators, may be a suitable match. • You will receive an email confirmation that your application was received, and we will keep your application on file for three months. • Please note that many of the Labs who come in are already matched with pre-approved applicants. • Safe Harbor Lab Rescue is an all-volunteer organization and, unfortunately, we are unable to return phone calls and emails regarding your application status. We apologize in advance for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding. • If we are not able to place a Lab with you, we are not passing judgement. Our goal is to find the right match for each Lab’s unique needs and each applicant’s situation given the limited number of available rescued Labs. Because we are a rescue, we have no way of knowing when Labs will come into our care. • The more flexible you are with age, gender, color, health care needs, training, etc., the easier it will be for us to find a Lab for you. • Submission of your application does not guarantee placement of a dog. Some Things You Need to Know Placements Placements are made according to what will be best for the Lab. They are not a first-come first-served basis, but rather based on which family is the best match for the Lab. Many of the Labs who come into our care do not get posted on our website because they are matched with a pre-approved applicant who we think will be the best family for that Lab. If the Lab you indicated interest in on your application is adopted by another applicant, your application will remain active for three months and we will continue to try to match you with a Lab who may come into our program during that time. Unfortunately, we never know when Labs will come into our care. The more flexible you are with age, gender, color, health care needs, training, etc., the easier it will be for us to find a Lab for you. Other Requirements • Children living at home must be at least seven years old. o Rescued Labs have been through a lot and we do not know their background with young children. Older children are recommended based on data from the Center of Disease Control which reports that among children, those 5-9 years old have the highest rate of dog bite-related injuries in the U.S. Most commonly, children are bitten by the family dog when hugging them, handling them, or trying to take resources away from them. Our requirement is for the safety of the Rescued Lab and the child and to make the best match possible between Rescued Lab and human family members. • Applicants must be at least 21 years old. • All current dogs in your home over the age of one year must be spayed or neutered. • If you rent/lease your home, we require written permission from your landlord to keep a Lab before we can consider your application. You may fax it to 866.531.8258 or email to application@safeharborlabrescue.org. Other Considerations • We primarily place Labs with families in Colorado. We will, however, consider placing a Lab within a maximum 500-mile radius of Denver. We do not ship our dogs. • Many of the Labs who come into our care are strays and we have no history on them such as: are they good with children; do they get along with other dogs; how do they behave around cats and small pets; do they jump fences; are they housetrained, etc. We do our best to get to know them while they are in our care, but there will always be surprises – good and bad – as an adoptive family gets to know the new Lab in their life. • If you are unsure as to whether you can commit to one of our Rescued Labs for the rest of their life – Labs live an average 10-12 years or more – then please rethink your decision to adopt a Lab. Adoption is for the rest of the Lab’s life and our Rescued Labs have already had enough turmoil in their lives. Safe Harbor Lab Rescue is dedicated to finding the best placement possible for each of our Rescued Labs and our adopters. We appreciate your patience with our process. Our organization consists entirely of volunteers who work diligently to ensure each Lab finds a wonderful new home where they are a well-matched and a loved member of the family.

https://www.safeharborlabrescue.org/available-dogs/

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David Adams

June 25, 2024

Dog Rescues & Shelters

David Adams

About the author

David Adams is a man of many passions, but his love for dogs stands above all. He is not only a dog lover, but also the founder of an innovative platform called Sniffspot. This unique platform connects dog owners with private property owners who are willing to rent out their space for off-leash playtime. While the idea of Sniffspot was initially conceived by his wife, Rebecca, David has been the driving force behind its remarkable success, tirelessly overseeing its growth and development. David's dedication to providing safe and enjoyable spaces for dogs to play, explore, and socialize is evident in his unwavering commitment to Sniffspot. He strongly believes that dogs need ample space and opportunities to stretch their legs and have fun. As a result, he has worked tirelessly to build a network of private property owners across the country who share his vision and are willing to offer their space for the benefit of dogs and their owners. Despite his busy schedule, David always finds time to indulge in his passion for the great outdoors. He loves nothing more than exploring new hiking trails and embarking on thrilling outdoor adventures. Whenever he is not working on Sniffspot, he can often be found hiking or visiting multi-acre fenced sniffspots with his two beloved dogs, Soba and Toshii. He is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys the fresh air, breathtaking scenery, and the sense of freedom that comes with being in nature. David is based in Salem, MA.

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Sniffspot provides the best experiences and fun for you and your dog. Our dog parks are designed for the ultimate dog exercise. Our private spaces help you minimize distractions or triggers and maximize time with your dog. We provide off leash enrichment - exploration and activities you can't get anywhere else; wear your dog out for days. We make it easy to have playdates. Socialize your pup in a controlled, private spot - it's great exercise and it's fun for you and your dog.

Safe Harbor Lab Rescue

Mission and Vision

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Adoption Policy

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