Get some tissues ready before you read Teds story….
We were tagged many times in a post on social media just over 4 weeks ago on a Saturday afternoon, about a “supposed” old black labrador that had been found injured in Pleasley Woods, North Nottingham . Thoroughly wet through, sad, shut down, more or less given up on his life.
A couple of ladies who found him carried him into their car and took him to a local vet centre where he was scanned, but sadly no microchip was found. The vet centre gave him pain relief and as by law, called the local dog warden.
Seeing his sad sad photo, tears flowed down my face and I jumped in with both feet to try and give Team Edwards help.
We contacted Vets 4 Pets to offer our help explaining any vet care he needed, we would cover all of the costs.
Speaking to the dog warden, I asked instead of him going to local kennels, he would be more comfortable in a foster home in a warm environment, so offered our help.
Making a call to a new foster care family explaining his story, they quickly jumped at the chance to help us by saying yes to care for him if needed.
I prepared the Ted Mobile and hurried down to the vets hoping we could help this poor boy.
It was agreed with the warden that we could care for him adhering to the council rules incase an owner did come forward.
I was excited to meet him to spoil him with our care and experience and love.
My heart was broken into bits when the vet nurses brought him out of the back room into the reception area.
Wobbly as he had had pain relief, his head lowered and his little eyes dull I could clearly see, ….well, ……he certainly wasn’t a labrador.
What would Edward, want me to do? Turn around and say no sorry we can’t help on this occasion you re not a labrador?
I sat on the floor and tried enticed him over to me with special treats which sadly he totally ignored.
There was no life left in him. Nothing to give me.
We just had to help him, I had to give him a chance, so we picked him up and placed him in the Ted mobile on a comfy bed where he laid motionless with blood leaking from a mouth trauma.
The team edward trustees later said when I gave my explanation of what happened, they would have resigned if I had turned my back on him, a dog in such very desperate need. I did what any dog lover would have done.
Yes we may be a labrador breed specific rescue but…. In these circumstances… we have a huge heart and aren’t afraid to show it.
It was my decision not to take him to the foster family that afternoon , but to drive him, after a few phone calls, over an hour away to Minster Vets in Newark.
Emma the vet there was incredible, she came out to help me with him from the van. Once we weighed his fragile body he stood in her room and let her examine his injuries.
Together we decided to sort the best plan for him.
Full bloods, ongoing pain relief and intravenous antibiotics to start with along with a comfy bed and some food, it was best that he stayed in their care for the next few days at least where he could be properly assessed and everything he may need be at their fingertips.
Sadly he was not wanting to eat, or interact with anyone , I got calls throughout the evening to update me on his condition.
I had a very sleepless night.
Emma decided to operate on the Sunday to try and repair his mouth trauma , and x Ray his head and leg area. He had visible swelling and injuries across his face.
I visited Monday with an extra comfy bed and an array of different foods to try and tempt him to eat.
Emma explained about the operation having stitched up his upper and lower gums and lip, and had removed 2 teeth.
The vet nurses loved him and they sat on the floor with me having given him some laser on his sore joints. He was starting to look a little better.
Tempting him to eat would be our priority to enable us when we took him, to get medications into him more easily.
An update the next day with a delighted voice saying, he had started to eat and I drove over later that night to collect him .
Settling him into the foster home late in the evening he took it in his stride, as he curled up on one of our labrador fabric beds. I made sure we crumbled his medications enough so he took it with chicken and liver pate. The freshly chicken he loved.
He was now our “honoury labrador” and we all smiled as he happily took treats gently from our fingers. There you go…. I said ….Treat orientated, there must be some labrador in there somewhere!!! 😉
Stories to our inbox flowed all weekend about people who possibly recognised this boy.
Our main aim was to give this boy our all, to put him back on the road to recovery no matter what his past was or the life he had previously lived.
We didn’t need to upset ourselves any further with details.
We’ve called him Ted, we’ve wiped his slate clean from any past life he had and we look forward to a bright happy future for him.
Starting to feel better and starting to show his lovely character we booked him in for a spa afternoon with the very lovely Nina at Tiggyz Ltd , who gave her time for free to bathe him and pamper him.
Giving him a good diet, with plenty of supplements and keeping him on some pain relief, his eyes started to sparkle, and his coat shine. Seeing him playing with his new toys gave us such joy.
Thanks go to Lily Moffat (Lily Moffat Veterinary Physiotherapy) for giving her time and skills to visit him for a course of some massage and laser therapy which he has thoroughly enjoyed.
We believe Ted is around 10 years old and now the Council has given the permission for us to take him completely under our wing now a full four weeks are up, to legally own him and to be able to rehome him.
If we hadn’t have stepped in that day, this lovely boys future was definitely uncertain. All stray dogs have a 7 day period they have to do in council care incase an owner comes forward.
Due to his age and his health condition I honestly believe he would not have been here today.
Ted really was meant to find us that day.
A big thank you to Kevin the council dog warden for trusting us knowing he would get the best care ( labrador or not!)
So next , I want to personally thank the hundreds and thousands of people who saw and shared the Facebook post that Saturday 4 weeks ago.
To the people who went out of their way to enquire about him and donate money to our special rescue to help us with the care we are giving him.
As you all know emergency veterinary care for 4 days doesn’t come cheap.
I’m just so sorry we couldn’t thank you all sooner for your kindness. ( please forgive us we did have our reasons for this )
The messages of support and thanks we received , for rescuing this boy, showed us how many people really cared and how many people were upset and affected by the sad photos that were shown that day.
A huge thank you to our foster family. They opened their home and their heart to a dog that we really knew nothing about at a moments notice .
Sliding our hands through his short fur that first night with them showed many scars adorned his thin body.
This couple have done everything for this lovely boy and in returned he has paid them back with his loyalty love and affection.
Their daughter initially spent so much time with him house trining him and teaching him new command words
Thank you to Steph one of the ladies that found him. She was able to give us quite a bit of information and share her concerns she had on the day about his condition.
Michelle for helping me to liaise with the local dog warden.
Knowing Team Edward like these ladies do, they knew this boy would be safe in our paws.
The girls at Pets & Friends in Sutton in Ashfield who recognised our van and my team edward jacket, who had seen Teds sad photos shared , and saw me loading my basket with items for Teds needs.
They generously gave me lots of support and free samples to help us.
I hope we’ve shown in the photos below what a caring rescue we are who have given what we always give our rescues.
Each one gets our full attention, our time and our love.
It what Edward always taught us in his special rescue that he founded over 10 years ago. Even though Edward is no longer with us, all our work is his legacy ❤️🐾🌈
All the gifts that have been sent for Ted, all we can say is thank you from the bottom of our hearts. The kindness by so many that’s been shown is so overwhelming.
Ted is back to the vets next week for yet another check up. He has already put on 3 kilos and certainly enjoys his food.
We will be keeping our fingers crossed for finding a perfect furever home for him where he will be loved and cared for and cherished with our full Team Edward back up.
Ted so deserves a very special furever home offering him warmth comfort and stability where he will want for nothing.
We really hope we can make that dream come true for him for someone to love him just like we do, and give him the best life ever.
We are Proud to be known as “Team Edward Labrador Rescue”, the small charity with a big heart …. ❤️
This we prove with our dedication, our commitment and our time, over and over again.
Edward really will be so proud looking down from Rainbow Bridge on our honoury labrador our lovely foster family wanted named ‘Ted” ❤️🐾🌈
If you would like to support our special rescue please visit our website
www.team-edward-labrador-rescue.co.uk