Monterey Bay Labrador Retriever Rescue

Monterey Bay Labrador Retriever Rescue got its start four years ago when some longtime Lab rescue volunteers noticed that while a number of Lab groups served the greater Bay Area, there was something of a gap in Monterey and San Benito Counties. "It seemed like a good idea," recalls founder/CEO Judy Kreger. History's borne this out, as about 125 Labs a year have been finding loving forever homes through MBLRR ever since.

Members of the all-volunteer group—many of whom have rescued and fostered Labs for decades—travel to shelters around California in search of good-natured Labs in need. The group also accepts some owner-surrendered dogs. Quite often the dogs will need some medical issues addressed—and that, Kreger explains, is where donations to MBLRR go. "All of the money from donations goes to vet care," she says, adding that local vets have been great about offering the rescue discounted rates. "And our donors have been generous, so we’re able to handle whatever medical needs our dogs have, including major surgeries.

"Every week we receive a call from someone needing to surrender their dog, or from an overcrowded shelter needing us to take a dog before it’s euthanized," Kreger adds. "We respond to every call." Once rescued, dogs stay in foster homes until their new families come along—and get a lot of one-on-one attention from fosters who are longtime veterans of Lab rescue. Their stays tend to be shortish, usually about two weeks—MBLRR's dogs are in high demand for their nice temperaments and for the attention its Lab-savvy people devote to picking just the right home for each individual dog.

While the group's focused on serving the Monterey Bay area, you don't have to live there to adopt one of their dogs—just willing to go through the adoption process to ensure a good match, and able  to travel to Monterey to pick up your new pal. "We will adopt out to great families anywhere in California, as long as they are willing to come to Monterey to pick up their dog," Kreger says. MBLRR's web page shows recent adoptees with their new families from Larkspur to Laguna Niguel. If you're looking for your next companion, get in touch.

Photo Courtesy: Monterey Bay Labrador Retriever Rescue