By Janet Begley

Posted March 4, 2010 at 5 p.m. , updated March 4, 2010 at 5:28 p.m.

VERO BEACH - Nicholas Potvin, 5, lays with silver lab puppies outside of his home in Vero Lake Estates. The dogs used to belong to his grandmother who died last week. Potvin's family is trying to sell the AKC registered puppies to help pay for funeral expenses. Photo by Sam Wolfe/TCPalm.

Susan Beaudoin, 58, of Vero Lake Estates died suddenly last Thursday from undetermined causes, leaving behind her four adult Labrador retrievers and their silver and yellow puppies, according to her son Mitchell Potvin.

“My mom was an animal lover all of her life,” said Potvin, who also lives in Vero Lake Estates with his wife Laurie, and sons Nicholas, 5, and Jack, 5 months. “She raised all kinds of animals, from prize-winning chickens to pot belly pigs, but she really fell in love with the labs.”

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Beaudoin suffered from Multiple Sclerosis and had been prone to seizures, Potvin said, but the medical examiner had not released the cause of death as of Wednesday. Her funeral will take place on March 9 at 11 a.m. at St. Sebastian Church in Sebastian.

All of the dogs have championship blood lines and are registered with the American Kennel Club. The two adult females, Belle and Lily, have already found new homes, but the two adult males, named Bugsy and Bullet, still need to be placed with loving families, Potvin said. Both 2-year-old male dogs, one silver and the other yellow, are current on all their shots but have not been neutered. There is no charge to adopt the two adult dogs.

The seven remaining puppies from two litters were born at the end of December and are ready for new homes. They have been weaned and received their first shots, and are available for $750 each.

“When my mother died, she had $258 in the bank,” said Potvin. “If we could just sell the rest of the puppies and make sure they had good homes, it would make this so much easier.”

Kelly Wood from Bark Avenue Pet Specialties in Sebastian said that Beaudoin was a frequent customer, and she was shocked to learn of her unexpected death. Wood posted a message on her Facebook page, asking for her clients to consider adopting or purchasing one of the dogs.

“Sue was just in here last Wednesday,” said Wood. “She had bred labs for years and was a true animal lover. All day long, I just couldn’t believe she was gone. It just doesn’t seem possible.”

Down the street from Bark Avenue, reaction to Beaudoin’s death was also strong at the Hometown Pet Care Center, which provided medical care for her dogs.

“Sue was just one of our best clients,” said veterinary technician Buffy Solis. “She always took care of her dogs, and would want us to make sure that they all had good homes.” The animal hospital is also trying to assist the family find homes for the dogs.

It’s been an especially tough month for Potvin, 37, who also suffers from Multiple Sclerosis and is unable to work. His grandfather was diagnosed with cancer, and his own home is in foreclosure.

“This has been a rough month,” he said. “It’s almost unreal.”

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