Meet Barb Roosevelt
I’m a full time English teacher with two
grown sons and a Lab-loving husband, Fred. Fred and I share our home
in New York with our black pack, Cassidy, Brewster, Gracie and Piper,
and I occasionally breed my Labs under the kennel name Araby.
I also dabble in showing and obedience, and I’ve trained two of my
Labs for therapy work.
My dad, a dog lover himself, taught me to love birds, bugs and all critters when I was a youngster. Because my parents preferred mixed breed dogs to purebreds, however, my early years were spent loving mutts – a word I use with the utmost affection.
While I still have a fondness for all dogs regardless of their heritage, Labradors have had my heart since 1978 when my first Lab, Bogart, joined my household. At the time, my three-year-old son was afraid of dogs because a Corgi mix had bitten him in the face. Bo’s good natured devotion not only cured him of his fears, it made me a huge fan of the breed. My home has not been without a Labrador (or several) since.
I volunteered to join Labrador Life Line because I believe I have an obligation to give back to the breed that has done so much for me. My life has been much richer because of my Labs, both those at the Bridge (Bogart, Hannah, Lucy, and Colby), and my current four Labbies. With any luck, my small part in LLL will give comfort to needy Labs and the owners who love them. It’s the least I can do.