Unconditional Love
There are many pet rescue options available in the Miami Valley, from publicly funded shelters to private organizations. None are quite as unique as Laber of Love Pet Rescue. The not-for-profit organization was officially founded in 2019 by Joe and Nicole Laber. Their mission is to give old or sick pets a place to spend their last days or months so that they do not die without knowing they’re loved.
The couple was initially aided by Shelby County Animal Shelter Warden Kelli Ward, who made it possible for them to help several shelter pets by fostering them through their difficult times. The Gazette recently spoke with Nicole and Joe about the difficulties in providing care for shelter pets in their older years. Their journey actually began with a one-eyed Shih-tzu named Chewy, who was having a bad time. “Laber of Love was started right before the pandemic, in 2019,” Nicole said. “We began an animal rescue when Joe was on the radio in Sidney, and we asked people to bring in a pet of the week. That’s when we found Chewy and he needed a lot of care. He came to the Humane Society in rough shape, and they had to remove an extremely infected eye in order to save his life. Chewy showed us what rescues and shelters had to go through and how much money they invest in dogs in order to make them adoptable. After that, we became involved in fundraising, and haven’t stopped since. Chewy inspired everything we have done for pets in the last 20 years.
“I saw a lot of pets come in who needed help, including medical attention. We decided to find homes for them, so we pulled people together and formed Laber of Love. Most of the pets are really old, and they won’t make it out of the shelter any other way.”
Fundraising is a big part of the organization. If you follow Laber of Love’s Facebook page, there’s barely a week that goes by without a notice for a fundraising activity. It can be anything from a Dine to Donate event at an area restaurant, to a bake sale. “We’re always doing fundraisers to make people aware of our mission,” Nicole said. “We’re getting ready for our annual Celebrate a Past Pet in September, where people who have lost a pet can celebrate their memory. Also, our next Mystery Dinner Adventure is coming up on October 25.” Laber of Love utilizes sponsorships and partnerships with many local organizations and businesses, such as PayPal, Kroger Plus, Chewy, and Amazon Wish List.
“Most of our local sponsors come to us and renew year after year,” Nicole said. “We have sponsorship levels, and we get advertisements on all our social media, along with monetary donations from products sold. Over 90% of what we take in goes right to the pets because we don’t have buildings to maintain. Some of our fosters actually pay for things, but we pay an average of $2500.00 per pet. Most of what we got last year came from donations.” Proceeds from sponsors and donors go toward the most important component of Laber of Love—Fospice care, a hybrid of foster and hospice. This program opens homes and hearts to a pet in need of a comfortable and loving place to live out the rest of their life. Fospice families ensure that the pet’s needs are met, both emotionally and physically while ensuring their dignity and peace.
“We’re always looking for more foster homes,” Nicole said. “We get our pets from the shelters, and we don’t take owner turn-ins or strays. The shelters contact us when they have eligible pets, and we take them when their time is running short. It might be for the weekend, it might be longer. They might stay in foster homes for the rest of their lives, but they’re not up for adoption. I screen the homes very carefully so we can make good placements. We don’t take them out of the foster home they’re in unless there’s a problem. We figure they’ve already had enough pain in their lives, and we want them to be happy for the time they have left.” When the end comes for the foster pets, the Labers are there to help the families get through it. “It can be very difficult and it’s not for everybody, but this is part of my heart. We provide quality of life, then give them that final gift of euthanasia. I know the foster parent can’t make that decision alone, and I’ll go with them to the shelter.”
Despite what could be a bittersweet ending, Nicole and Joe put a positive spin on their mission. “It’s not causing more suffering, it’s ending their suffering. It’s letting them enjoy the life and time they have left. We give them that gift then let them go. With the right care, the right medication and treatment, some pets can live two or three years.”
To learn more about Laber of Love or to become a Fospice Family, visit their website, laberoflovepetrescue.com. You can also follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Questions can be directed to laberoflovepets@gmail.com.
