Sponsorship

About The Labrador Rescue Trust

The Trust rescues and re-homes between 600 and 700 Labradors every year in the South West of England. Unfortunately, quite a few of these dogs require extensive veterinary treatment and/or behavioural training in order for them to be socialised so that we can successfully re-home them. Veterinary bills and fees for animal behaviourists are ever increasing and this is why we need your support in sponsoring a Labrador.

Everyone working for The Trust is an unpaid volunteer, so you can be assured that all of your sponsorship money (less minor admin costs) will go directly to helping the Labrador you have chosen to sponsor.

What you get

When you sponsor a Labrador you (or your chosen recipient) will receive a Sponsorship Pack, which consists of the following:

A letter giving details of the Labrador that you have chosen to sponsor and outlining how the money will help him or her.
A photograph of your sponsored Labrador.
A small cuddly 'beanie' Labrador or a fridge magnet Labrador (the same colour as the Labrador you have sponsored).
A keyring.
A Labrador Rescue Trust car sticker.

After three months we will send you an update on your chosen Labrador.

All our sponsorship boxes are thoroughly
quality control checked by our willing volunteers!

How much will it cost?

Although we ask for a minimum donation of £25 to sponsor a Labrador, please feel free to increase this amount as you wish.

If you are sponsoring a Labrador as a gift for somebody else, you can have the Sponsorship Pack gift wrapped (with Labrador paper) for an additional £2.50.

Postage of the Sponsorship Pack (which is by Royal Mail 1st Class Recorded Delivery) will cost an additional £2.50.

You can pay for your sponsorship either by cheque or debit/credit card, details of which are on the 'Sponsor A Labrador Application Form'.

How to sponsor a Labrador

Sponsoring a Labrador is easy. All you have to do is:

Choose which Labrador(s) you would like to sponsor from the list of 'Labradors Who Need Your Help' below.
Fill out a 'Sponsor A Labrador Application Form' (making sure you let us know who the sponsorship is for if it is a gift). The Application Form is here:
Gift Sponsorship Application Form
Decide if you would like the Sponsorship Pack gift wrapped.
Send your Application Form and cheque/payment details to:
Sponsor a Labrador
The Labrador Rescue Trust
58 Marshall Square
Southampton
SO15 2PB
You can also donate a lump sum, or by monthly standing order. We are grateful for all donations and we are also able to reclaim an additional 28% from the Inland Revenue through the Gift Aid Scheme if you sign the relevant section at the bottom of the Application Form.

If you would like to set up a standing order to make regular donations, please download an Application Form For Regular Payments here:
Acrobat icon Regular Sponsorship Application Form

If you have any queries in respect of sponsoring a Labrador, please contact the address above, call 07791 519084, or email sponsorship@labrador-rescue.com.

Labradors who need your help

Rio

Rio is a 5 year old chocolate Labrador who came to The Trust after he was diagnosed with Diabetes. He had become lethargic and slow and whilst a trip to the vet provided the diagnosis, his owners were not able to afford his treatment. He had become withdrawn and was terrified of almost everything.

After many trips to the vets to ascertain the correct insulin doses, twice daily injections have been recommended and Rio’s blood sugar levels have now stabilised.

Rio was found a loving and caring family who were prepared to give him the time and attention he deserves. As a result and with the continued insulin injections, Rio is now enjoying life.

Rio's insulin and associated veterinary costs will be paid for by The Trust for the rest of his life and for this reason we need you to help sponsor him.

Jasmin

Jasmin is a 1 year old black Labrador who came to The Trust aged just 6 months. Following a period of lameness, at age 5 months she was diagnosed with hip dysplasia and she came into rescue as her owners were not able to afford the treatment. Also as she had been bred as a working dog, she would not have been able to handle the stresses and strains of a working life.

Jasmin has been having hydrotherapy treatment, which has resulted in a dramatic improvement in her mobility and muscle development. She is on pain killing and anti-inflammatory medication, but hopefully she can be weaned off these as her joints stabilise.

With a carefully managed exercise regime, combined with hydrotherapy, it is hoped that her joints will stabilise and she will not need to have surgery. The surgical options would be either a total hip replacement or an excision arthroplasty, both of which would not only be costly but would involve a long period of recovery. Jasmin will need to continue with her hydrotherapy until her condition can be re-assessed, to see whether surgery is necessary.

The Labrador Rescue Trust will continue to pay for the hydrotherapy and her medication for the rest of her life and relies on your help, through sponsorship, to ensure that she will always receive the best possible treatment.

Jack

Jack is an 8 year old yellow Labrador who has been with The Trust for some time.

He has osteoarthritis, which mainly affects one of his back legs around the knee joint. Although he does use all four legs, he limps on to the other back leg and his head “nods” slightly. His arthritic knee swings outward: the vet says it gives him a "John Wayne" style of walking.

An X-Ray of his knee joint showed deterioration of the joint with some secondary boney growths. Operating is no longer an option, so he takes an anti-inflammatory, Previcox, every day for pain relief and a dietary supplement, Seraquin, to help maintain cartilage.

Jack also suffers from epilepsy, but his fits are well-controlled with an anti-convulsant drug, Epiphen. Dosing Jack with all his pills is never a problem: they go down whole with his food in one 'Labrador style' gulp!

Thanks to his treatment and the hard work of his family, Jack still enjoys life despite his medical problems. His medication and associated veterinary costs will be paid for by The Trust for the rest of his life and for this reason we need you to help sponsor him.

Jazz

Jazz is almost 8 years old and came to The Labrador Rescue Trust when his owners couldn’t afford to pay for his allergy treatment and because they did not have the time to devote to getting him well. Despite having veterinary treatment for several years, Jazz’s allergy problems have become so bad that he has severely thickened skin in several areas and he was in a very poor bodily condition with a lot of hair loss and with both skin and ear infections when he arrived into rescue just days before Christmas.

With a lot of time, dedication and specialist veterinary treatment it is hoped that Jazz will be able to lead as normal a life as possible, although he will always suffer from allergy problems including an intolerance to house dust mites and store mites (which are sometimes found in dried foodstuffs), moulds, peanuts, chicken, yeast, milk, cedar, sycamore and timothy grasses.

The Labrador Rescue Trust will continue to pay for his medication for the rest of his life and relies on your help, through sponsorship, to ensure that he will always receive the best possible treatment.

Please visit Jazz’s Diary to read more about Jazz and his condition.

Sandy

Sandy is a 10 year old yellow dog, who is on permanent foster care.

His owners no longer wanted him when his health began to fail due to diabetes. When he came into rescue, they went out and bought a puppy!

Sandy was found a loving and caring foster family who adore him. However, shortly after he was re-homed he spent 5 days at the vets being assessed for the correct level of insulin dosage. While this was happening, his foster family practised giving an orange injections.

With much trepidation Sandy’s fosterers gave him his first injection while he was having his dinner – they did such a good job he didn’t even notice! Sadly, shortly afterwards they realised his sight was failing, but with the companionship of Barley (also a rescue), Sandy is coping wonderfully.

Sandy's insulin and associated veterinary costs will be paid for by The Trust for the rest of his life and for this reason we need you to help sponsor him.

Bobby

Bobby is a six month old black Labrador who came to be re-homed on Christmas Eve 2007. He began to limp after exercise, so the vet decided to X-Ray Bobby’s front legs. There was no obvious damage, but he was referred to a specialist, and it was recommended Bobby had complete rest for 2 months with no walks or romps with other dogs; so his new family reluctantly returned him to The Trust for fostering as they already had a Labrador.

At the end of February Bobby visited the specialist, who on seeing Bobby suspected he was suffering from Elbow Dysplasia. He carried out an arthroscopy and operated, using keyhole surgery, to try to repair the damaged elbows. Needless to say this was a costly operation, approximately £1400, but worth it to give Bobby the quality of life such a bright, fun-loving and intelligent dog deserves.

Your sponsorship money will pay for this operation and any medication or therapy Bobby will need in the future.

Bailey

Bailey is a 7 year old black Labrador, who came into rescue in 2006. At the time he had acute dermatitis and had had surgery in 2005 for a cranial cruciate ligament problem in his left hind leg. This gentle, friendly giant now has a loving home, and, with the help of homeopathic remedies under the supervision of a homeopathic vet, his skin condition has improved.

Sadly, last year Bailey developed problems in his right back leg and had to undergo another cruciate ligament operation. Bailey also suffers from arthritis all over his body and does find getting around quite difficult at times.

Your sponsorship money will help to cover the cost of this expensive operation and pay for regular medication, such as the Rimadyl, which Bailey will have to take for the rest of his life.

Bonzo

Bonzo is an 8 year old chocolate Labrador, who came into rescue after leading a sad life with his brother. Both dogs were kept indoors with very little exercise, which has resulted in Bonzo becoming obese. In addition to his weight problem Bonzo has a malformed elbow and very bad arthritis.

A loving home has been found for Bonzo with a World War Two veteran who was looking for a companion. The Labrador Rescue Trust has undertaken to support Bonzo by paying for his medication which includes Seraquin, Rimadyl and a costly course of injections, as well as a special obesity diet, all of which are helping Bonzo to lead a more active and happy life.

Money raised through your sponsorship will ensure that Bonzo will continue to be supported in his new and healthier life.

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THE LABRADOR RESCUE TRUST