Oklahoma dog among contest’s final 10

An Oklahoma dog is one of 10 finalists in Rally to Rescue’s Doing More For Pets Rescue Stories Contest, and your vote can help the dog win.

Pearce, a 3-year-old black Lab, could win $5,000 in dog food, which his adopted family will donate to Lab Rescue OK.

Pearce is a true rescue. He was rescued by a couple who cleaned him up and tried to find his owners. When they couldn’t, they contacted Lab Rescue OK.

When Pearce first came to Lab Rescue OK., he had heartworms. While recuperating from treatment, his foster family noticed that his teeth looked bad.

Once the heartworm treatment was completed, he went back to the vet to get his teeth cleaned and checked out. It turned out that he had teeth broken off at the gum line due to being kicked very hard in the mouth or hit with a blunt object.

The vet said the damage definitely was caused by abuse.

The vet also removed a bullet from Pearce’s shoulder.

His teeth have been fixed, and the bullet is gone. Despite being kicked, beaten and shot, Pearce is a trusting and loving Lab, his owners say. He is living, walking proof of the forgiving and loving nature of dogs. Even though the people in his past have caused him so much pain, he wants only to love and please.

Pearce has now found the loving forever family he deserves with Darren and Kim Girdner on a 165-acre farm near Sallisaw that is home to two ponds, another dog and a boy.