Mallow Run Winery in Bargersville is going to the dogs on September 8 as it plays host to the 13th annual Labapalooza fundraising event for Love of Labs Indiana (LOLIN).
Celebrating 20 years in 2025, the Central-Indiana-based rescue helps labradors and lab mixes out of shelters to a network of foster families in Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan, to get them to their fur-ever homes.
More than 50 vendors will be on-site from 12-4 pm September 8, with proceeds from their sales going to aid LOLIN. “We have our silent auction and 50/50 raffle, which is a tennis ball drop,” said LOLIN President Meghan Montague. “You purchase a tennis ball with a number on it. One of our LOLIN dogs will select a tennis ball, which is always a hoot to watch, as you can imagine.”
So far this year, LOLIN has found homes for 111 dogs after placing more than 250 last year. But it hasn’t been easy. They face the same economic challenges rescues across the country are struggling with – rising costs for everything from vet appointments to medication to food. “We’ve been strategic for a long time,” Montague said. “We’re fortunate we have really good contacts that a lot of the manufacturers of vaccines and commonly used dog medications, flea and tick prevention, heartworm prevention and treatment. We’re able to buy those medications wholesale directly from the manufacturers. Still, inflation hurts everything – even when buying it directly, the prices got more expensive.”
Montague says the rescue relies on fundraisers like Labapalooza and donations to cover the sizable costs of vet appointments, medicine, food, and even behavioral training. “We’re very fortunate in that we very rarely have to say no because of cost,” she said. “We did a double hip replacement on a dog. We also had a dog with a genetic defect in her hips – we were able to say yes to her without even thinking twice because people are so supportive of what we do.” LOLIN also takes in heartworm-positive dogs, with donations and corporate support covering the lengthy treatment process. “We have a very well-tuned protocol for caring for dogs with heartworm in a way that kills off the heartworm and also keeps the dog as comfortable as possible during what is otherwise not a super fun treatment for the dog,” she said.
A team of dedicated volunteers and foster families work tirelessly to run the rescue. “Our volunteers are the backbone of this incredible journey, providing endless hours of love, care, and dedication to every dog that comes through our rescue,” Montague said.
For their part, Mallow Run Winery is no stranger to the rescue – the owners have fostered and eventually adopted dogs from LOLIN in the past.
Alongside wine for purchase and vendors selling food, drinks, and treats, adoptable dogs will be on-site with alumni dogs from around the region. “People travel from all over every year,” Montague says. “There’s always some foster families and past adopters from out of state who bring their pooches for the day.”
