I came to Labrador Rescue as I had been allowed to just eat and eat without exercise. I reached 68 kilos, I could not walk very far without collapsing, my poor eyes were encrusted and so sore and I had an infected chin which I used to scratch all the time. The vet said I would not live very much longer unless I could find a home that would monitor my food and start to give me gentle exercise.
Then those wonderful folk at Labrador rescue heard about me and I went to a lovely caring foster home near Great Yarmouth. I gradually lost weight and felt so much better. I had a thorough check with the vet and some medication was prescribed for my sore eyes, I soon settled in and everyone loved me.
In October 2011 there was a different atmosphere in the house a bit of anxiety yet happiness.I was told Pat Russell was coming to meet me and if she liked me she would take me home with her and that would be my permanent home. “Pat will be coming to meet you today. She will be bringing Bliss with her, a lovely gentle lady Labrador who was lonely after her best friend Honey had to be put to sleep as she had suddenly been very ill and could not be cured” I was a bit nervous but I had been assured I had nothing to worry about. Pat came in and I gave her a friendly lick..she just said what a lovely fellow I was and said what a gentle dog . Bliss came in and we all made friends. Pat said straight away that I would just be right for her .She made such a fuss of me. Pat had an old landrover and with some help I got into the back with Bliss .We had a lovely soft duvet to lie on and I settled in straight away. Once we arrived at Pat’s I inspected the house and found a lovely sofa obviously meant for me and I took up my position. Oh yes I thought this is lovely. Bliss showed me all around the garden and then the visitors came! The neighbours all knew Pat’s Labradors and knew a new one was coming. We had three neighbours come in and they shared the sofa with me. Everyone loved me and I was introduced as GENTLEMAN JIM.
Each morning we go down to join Gerald to go out with him and his terrier. Over the weeks I have been here we have gone further and further into the fields, I have lost weight and I now can keep up with Bliss when she hurtles off to the gate in the morning. I am very lively all the time and I feel very much at home now. I can rest my head on the arm of the sofa and watch the television. I am down to 42 kilos now and very lively, my eyes have cleared up and my chin is no longer sore. (The vet says that 40 kilos is an acceptable weight for a large male Labrador.) You will see by the photos the lovely life I have here the photos say it all. And many thanks to my lovely foster carers who put me on the road to good health. Love from Jim