Golden Rescue In Naples, Inc.

Skylar was picked up by Miami Animal Control and it was pretty apparent that he had been involved in a trauma. He was possibly hit by a car. He had a horrible, horrible wound to his back right leg. The shelter notified Golden Retriever Rescue South Florida ( GRRS) that because of the severity of his injuries he faced euthanasia. But that was not going to happen! The rescue was there within an hour to pick him up and get him to their vet. He smelled horrible. They assumed it was from being just plain old filthy from the streets, but when they removed the temporary dressing the shelter put on him the smell was overpowering - it was the infection in his wounds. Fortunately his leg was not broken, but unfortunately the wounds were very badly infected.

Golden Retriever Rescue South Florida has done everything they possibly can to improve Skylar’s health…and it has worked. Here is an update on Skylar with some new photos…happy photos of a handsome golden boy. Thank you to this special rescue that went above and beyond to help him. GRINinc’s Gifted Golden program is behind them all the way, we applaud the dedication of this rescue and therefore GRINinc has awarded the rescue a grant to cover some of Skyler’s medical bills.

Skylar update: He is doing much better. He is a love bug! If he is not wandering around with his tennis ball, he is laying his head on your knee or foot to get petted. We think he is starting to learn that he doesn't need to be afraid of everything in the world.. He has more energy than a 5 year old dog. His favorite activity after climbing into bed or onto the couch is rolling on his back in the middle floor talking to his tennis ball. Skylar is ready to find his forever home!

Queenie is a senior golden girl that found herself in a kill shelter on the East Coast of Florida. Everglades Golden Retriever Rescue saved her and brought her into their rescue. She was matted, dirty and flea bitten. She appeared to be healthy but she did end up with a "cold" and needed to be isolated for a couple of weeks. While at the vets she was found to have a splenic tumor which was removed. It was benign and now Queenie is in her new "forever home". GRINinc's Gifted Golden program awarded a grant to Everglades Golden Retriever Rescue to help offset Queenie's veterinary expenses.

Charlie was rescued by Almost Heaven Golden Retriever Rescue, WV. Charlie found himself alone in a shelter shortly before July 4th. Once out of the shelter, the rescue determined that due to the holiday, Charlie needed to stay in boarding for a few days. While boarding, Charlie stopped eating, and began throwing up - huge quantities of "debris" (blanket, a rug, who knows). He was rushed to the local vet - and a blockage of foreign "matter" was found via x-rays. However, Charlie was not a candidate for surgery as he had probably inhaled vomitus and had a raging, life threatening case of double pneumonia. Charlie went through many tests and treatments for his intestinal blockage and his pneumonia. He was one very sick golden boy. Charlie lost over 8 lbs. in less than one week. Charlie is now on his way to better health. Although still weak and not himself, the vet feels he will make a full recovery. GRINinc's Gifted Golden program issued a grant to help offset over $1500 worth of treatment and care for Charlie.

Courtney was on the run.....for at least two months until G.R.E.A.T. Rescue of NE Florida, Inc. finally caught her. She lived in the woods by a very busy intersection, surfacing daily for food that was left for her and also to roam the area. When first spotted, she appeared to have recently had a litter of puppies which were never found and it was apparent that she had some serious facial trauma/disfiguration which was causing her tongue to hang out. She was eventually captured by a cat trap. Upon entry into the rescue , it was determined that her problems were making it difficult to eat normally and she had to slurp food and water into her mouth and each time she bit down , she bit her tongue because of her bad alignment of her teeth. She also had a very bad respiratory infection. A Dental Veterinarian determined that she did have some previous fractures to her jaw and probably nerve damage. The only option was to pull her offending teeth to make her more comfortable. Courtney is doing well now and she was adopted by her foster family. They love her dearly ...they are dealing with some residual problems from her horrific past life. GRINinc's Gifted Golden Program awarded G.R.E.A.T a grant to help with the Dental Veterinarian's care. We are happy that Courtney was "captured" and we thank and applaud G.R.E.A.T for their devotion and perseverance to help Courtney start a new life.

Chipp was a 6 month old Golden, turned into the animal shelter by his owner. He was hit by a car, bandaged and sent home because the owner could not afford any further medical treatment for his injuries. The owners were hoping he would heal without treatment and unfortunately that was not the case. The shelter contacted Triad Golden Retriever Rescue who agreed to take responsibility for his care. Triad Golden Retriever Rescue decided he needed a second chance. He had nerve damage to the radial nerve and the decision was made by the veterinarian to amputate since he was use to not using the leg( the leg just dangled ) and he would be better off without it. The leg was amputated on March 9^thand he did wonderful. Chipp came thru surgery like a champ. He has progressed and is doing great and acting like he never had surgery. The doctor is very happy and pleased with the progress he has made. Chipp has been adopted into a loving family and he is fitting into his new family perfectly. Chipp and TGRR are our newest recipients for our Gifted Golden Grant program. We are honored to be there for a wonderful , caring rescue and a most handsome, sweet golden pup!

Life was perfectly normal for Miley, who was living with the same family since she was a tiny puppy; however, she had some allergies, which caused her to bite and scratch at her skin, making sores. Again, this is not at all unusual in Goldens, and once a proper food is discovered, the allergies are under control and the skin problems disappear. Unfortunately for Miley, her skin sores became infected with MRSI bacteria. (This is the canine version of MRSA.) Under normal circumstances, this infection does not cross species, but a member of Miley's family was on a form of chemo, which suppressed his immune system, and his oncologist was fearful that he would pick up Miley's infection before she was cured. Miley's tearful family surrendered her to Everglades Golden Retriever Rescue. Their vet told them that this infection is curable but it does take time and there are only a limited number of antibiotics that work towards a cure. Miley is now on one of the expensive antibiotics. Everglades Golden Retriever Rescue applied to GRINinc's Gifted Golden Grant program to offset some of Miley's veterinarian bills. She will remain in foster care and under the rescue's care until she is completely healed of this infection.

Last November, Everglades Golden Retriever Rescue received a call from another rescue group to come help Cody, a 7 month old, who was hit by a car, suffering a shattered pelvis and a break in the growth plate of the right femoral head. He had been left at an Animal Hospital by his owners, who could not afford the expensive surgery to repair his injuries. EGRR stepped forward and took him into their program. Cody is now living in a wonderful foster home while he undergoes extensive and expensive therapy. The therapy ranges from surgery to post op hospital care to intensive rehabilitation and physical therapy. Although he has been through so much in his short life, Cody is a real fighter and is doing remarkably well . It is going to be a very long time in foster care for Cody as EGRR does not want to release him for adoption until he is well on his way to being the golden he once was. EGRR has taken on Cody along with his very expensive bills to make sure this boy lives out a very safe and happy life. GRINinc's Gifted Golden Grant program is there to help them with the expenses.

Samson, a very handsome young golden ,was turned into Triad Golden Retriever Rescue of NC by his owner. At 7 months of age he suffered from a disorder of his cartilage which had already affected his shoulder joint. At this young age, Samson was limping and having difficulty with the normal activities of a young golden. The rescue decided to have a surgery done to improve his condition . The extensive, expensive surgery has been done and he is doing very well . He is in no pain. The problem now is keeping him calm. Now that he has no pain he wants to be a puppy. The Vet said it will be about a month to see if the surgery is a success. As of now everything is going well. He is putting weight on the leg. Samson is in a foster home that can help with the recovery. The foster family has expressed a desire to adopt him once the rescue releases him from their medical responsibilities. Lets hope and pray that this surgery will be successful and Samson can go on to enjoy a very long, happy, pain free life! GRINinc's Gifted Golden Program has generated a grant to assist Triad Golden Retriever Rescue with Samson's surgery.

Here's Albi, a stray that got picked up in Hendersonville, NC and immediately was rescued by Foothills Golden Retriever Rescue. Albi is estimated to be about 10 years old. He's had a ton of tests and medications to try and control urine leakage problems. Maybe that is why someone let this poor boy to fend on his own? Albi is a very
nice boy, does have some energy and friendly with all. He is very laid back and gets along well with children and other dogs. Albi is learning on how to play with toys...it appears he doesn't quite know what to do with him. Thanks to FGRR, Albi is enjoying life in his foster home! GRINinc's Gifted Golden Program was there to help with the large amount of veterinarian services to improve Albi's quality of life.

Nikki is a true golden.... Foothills Golden Retriever Rescue saved this old soul's life. Nikki is 10 years old. When she was rescued Nikki was in very bad health and still had health issues but she is doing better. Nikki is heartworm positive and she pants so heavily that it can be heard all over the house . She coughs and sometimes struggles to catch her breath. She has severe ear infections but that is much better. Nikki is on antibiotics, blood pressure medication. She was thought to be in kidney failure but special food and medications have improved that situation. In spite of her ailments, Nikki will retrieve a ball or Frisbee. She loves toys, treats, her bed and people. She appears to be very happy in her foster home . The foster homes said she is one of the best foster dogs they have ever had. They are very attached ...she is a wonderful dog who continues to overcome challenges. FGRR will continue to pay for her extensive veterinarian care and GRINinc's Gifted Golden program has awarded a grant to help them with her mounting vet bills. Nikki deserves to be comfortable and happy for however long she has on this Earth.

Sadie is a very sweet well adjusted dog. She came to Foothills Golden Retriever Rescue after living outdoors for 10 years. From what the rescue was told she spent all her years outside as a yard dog. Sadie is heartworm positive and suffers from severe skin issues. After extensive medical treatment for her heartworm disease and her allergies she is greatly improving and learning what its like to be part of a household! It did take some time and patience to get her to come in the garage, walk up the stairs and to walk through the door frame to enter the home. She does it all NOW without an issue. She loves to jump up in the foster homes bed and snuggle! Sadie knows many commands such as...sit, go lay down, lay down, shake and sit pretty. Sitting pretty is her favorite thing to do. Sadie is house trained. She loves the ball and squeaky toys. She will shred a stuffed toy in seconds. GRINinc's Gifted Golden Program helped Foothills Golden Retriever Rescue with Sadie's medical bills.

Waggy is considered a special needs Golden Retriever. His owner released him to Foothills Golden Retriever Rescue based in South Carolina. Waggy spent his time in an outdoor pen and when his elderly owners went into a nursing home he came to FHGRR. He showed strange behavior ...the rescue thought it was a medical issue... perhaps a seizure? Then they thought neurological issue...his strange behavior also prompted testing/lab work. FHGRR ran several medical tests and all came back negative. Waggy went into a foster to adopt situation and the strange behavior continued so a trainer was called in. Waggy is doing well now. The rescue is just not sure if it's an abnormality or just that he wasn't socialized and being penned outside probably the owners never saw weakness in his legs and his behavior. Waggy remains a "mystery" but he's with a very committed couple that adore Waggy and he's attending socializing/obedience classes and thriving... GRINinc's Gifted Golden Program was there to help with Waggy's extensive vet bills. We are very happy he is doing well and we thank Foothills Golden Retriever Rescue for taking in Waggy and going above and beyond to help this golden boy.!

The wonderful holiday gift/news is that Abby was ADOPTED by an older, but active couple who are fully aware of Abby's cancer and are willing and able to care for her. Abby quickly won her new dad over and even climbed into bed with him the first morning as Abby's mom still goes off to work. However, Abby's new mom is a walker so Abby gets nice long walks along the beach and in the woods surrounding her new home every day.

Abby is a lucky golden girl! She was rescued by Golden Retriever Rescue of Southern Maryland just in time. Abby came in with multiple lumps which unfortunately turned out to be mast cell tumors. All five are Grade II tumors and were removed. Can you imagine the veterinarian bills? GRINinc was there to assist GRR of Southern Maryland by awarding a grant to help cover some of Abby's vet bills. We know that Golden Retriever Rescue of Southern Maryland will do everything they can to arrest this mast cell disease so Abby can enjoy her life in a "golden way" . Currently Abby is in a foster home and will be watched very carefully for new lumps. She is not a candidate for chemo . The rescue is taking her to an alternative medicine veterinarian in the hopes that she can control this disease. We wish Abby and GRR of Southern Maryland our best.

Kodiak is a 5 yr old Golden Retriever mix. His life, so far, has not been easy. AS a puppy her brought into a group home and immediately tied outside and ignored. Kodiak had very little attention or interaction on a daily basis. A neighbor of the group home often fed him and gave him some attention. The good Samaritan eventually convinced his owners to sign him over to Neuse Golden Retriever Rescue in North Carolina. He was severely emaciated and matted. Kodiak had a large ulcerated tumor on his shoulder which was biopsied and removed. The diagnoses is a soft tissue sarcoma Grade III. Xrays were clear and all of the cancer has been removed. Kodiak received absolutely no medical care prior to coming into the rescue. Certainly the veterinarian bills are very high. Right now Kodiak is being taken care of a wonderful lady who owns a boarding kennel. He has a huge yard to run in and is loved. He may be a permanent foster dog for NRGRR because of his cancer. They will stand by him no matter what and give him a great life for however long he has. GRINinc assisted Neuse River Golden Retriever Rescue by awarding a grant to cover some of Kodiak's bills.

10/21/2011 RIP Ivey On another very sad note, I am sorry to say that Ivey passed away. She apparently got pneumonia and was unable to recover due to her many maladies and weakened condition. It is heartbreaking indeed and a great sadness to all of us but sometimes, no matter how hard we try, some things are just too difficult to fix. Thanks again for being there to help. We are forever grateful and hope that you will find some comfort also in knowing that you made it possible for her to enjoy life even though it was cut short. She was a sweetheart and will be missed.

Judi Brown, President/Founder
G.R.E.A.T. Rescue of NE Florida, Inc.

Ivey found herself in a high kill shelter. She was on the "urgent list" and unfortunately passed over by many rescues as Ivey was in terrible shape and certainly a senior . Rescues cannot always help with the dogs that may cost them over and above in veterinary care. Enter G.R.E.A.T. of Jacksonville, Florida. Without hesitation, they pulled Ivey from death row and took her to their veterinarian. Ivey has multiple health issues and the vet thinks she is in her "teens" and she has had a very rough life. Despite the high veterinarian bills, G.R.E.A.T has stood by this precious girl with high hopes of improving Ivey's life. Her condition has greatly improved although there are a few medical concerns that need to be addressed like the poor condition of her teeth. Ivey will still need ongoing vet care but they are sure she will "rise like a Phoenix" as each day she becomes stronger and stronger. She just craves for people to just touch her and give her love and she returns her love ten fold. Ivey is in a loving foster home. GRINinc was pleased to award G.R.E.A.T. with a grant to help cover Ivey's extensive veterinarian bills. Ivey's story is what rescue is all about and Ivey is a poster "child" for GRINinc's GIFTED GOLDEN PROGRAM.

Maverick is a 6 year old golden that was left with a friend while his previous owners were moving out of state. They WERE supposed to come back for him....they never did. The friend was unable to keep Maverick permanently so he called Golden Treasures Golden Retriever Rescue. GT was right there to take in Maverick and find him a new home. Almost immediately, they noticed that he had trouble walking. Off to the vet and it was found that he had bilateral ruptures in his knee joints. Maverick has just undergone bilateral knee surgery and is recovering in his foster home. He has been through quite a bit ...the next home will be his forever home and he will never be left behind again. Maverick's vet bills are amazingly high. A Golden Rescue In Naples Gifted Golden grant was awarded to Golden Treasures to help defray the costs of this surgery.

Gypsy is a 7 year old golden who was surrendered to Neuse River Golden Retriever Rescue in Raleigh NC. According to the owners, her health was just fine although for the last 3-4 years Gypsy had been an outside dog and, obviously, not well taken care of. Once a volunteer with the rescue took a look at her she knew her health was compromised. Gypsy had been neglected, was very overweight and had a huge tumor growing between her eyes. As always, the rescue did what they needed to do to help this sweet girl. A biopsy indicated that it was a malignant peripheral nerve sheath sarcoma ..a very rare tumor that if untreated would be fatal. The rescue quickly set up a surgery to remove this mass. Because of where the mass is located, it could not be totally removed. There is a good chance it may come back. However if Gypsy is closely monitored and it is removed quickly upon return then her prognosis is good. So Gypsy remains with her foster family. The rescue is hoping to find a special forever family for her. This family, will of course, be made aware of her medical condition. If a special family does not come into her life, Neuse River will continue to monitor Gypsy and provide whatever care, no matter the cost, to her. Gypsy has been described as an "amazing dog with excellent house manners". She has lost 7 pounds and is thriving! GRINinc was honored to award Neuse River GRR a grant to cover some of Gypsy's surgery.

Golden Rescue In Naples Gifted Golden Grant program has awarded Golden Treasures Golden Retriever Rescue , Inc of Ohio four grants ( Barney, Ben, Bentley and Caramel) to help with the astronomical veterinarian bills that this rescue has recently incurred. Golden Treasures accepts special needs and senior Golden Retrievers on an ongoing basis. As with all our rescues that we have assisted with our grant program to date, Golden Treasures makes sure that they do everything they can to help the dogs receive the best care. GRINinc is proud to be able to assist with their mission.

We thank our donors ...without your dedication and generosity our Gifted Golden Grant program would not be successful .

This is Barney. He joined Golden Treasures Golden Retriever Rescue of Ohio at age 7 months, with severe hip dysplasia. The previous owners knew he needed help badly and couldn't afford it. Barney was in foster care until he was old enough to undergo the hip replacement. Yes he needed total hip replacement. Barney's vet bills were well over $4000. Now that the hip is healing and he's as good as new, the rescue will be be looking for a forever home for cute Barney!

Ben came into Golden Treasures rescue a while ago. At the time he was over 130 lbs. with two bad knees. He also had seizures and was totally depressed. Ben has gone through quite a bit but one by one his problems are improving thanks to the dedication and efforts of Golden Treasures to make sure he is well taken care of . Ben had surgery on one of his knees, is now down to an average weight and hasn't had a seizure since within 3 months of his becoming a Golden Treasure. Poor boy recently needed extensive surgery to remove a Mast Cell tumor. Given his track record, we're sure Ben will come out on top. Ben will remain a permanent foster dog of Golden Treasures. The rescue will be responsible for his care for the remainder of his life.

This senior fella wasn't in Golden Treasures rescue too long before it was discovered that he had swallowed something that he shouldn't....a sock. Thankfully, the foster home noticed and rushed him off to the vet, where they had to surgically remove a foreign body to save his life. Bentley ended up having the best surgeon around the area to make sure he would come through the surgery just fine. After spending a few days in the hospital and great care in his foster home, Bentley is fully recovered. He is looking for his forever home and he promises socks will not be on the menu ever again.!

Bert is a senior golden boy who was brought into Foothills Golden Retriever Rescue , South Carolina. Upon arriving at the vet it was noted that Bert had a large growth in his mouth and he had a GRADE 1 infestation of heartworm disease. The priority of the rescue was to establish what the growth is and treat it appropriately. Foothills GRR spent many hours visiting various specialists to determine the best treatment for Bert. It was decided to excise the growth as completely as possible without putting Bert through major surgery and radiation. The surgery was done. The Acanthomatous epulis was not completely removed but the majority of it is gone along with a tooth!! Bert is doing very well. He completed his heartworm treatment and is now taking " walkies" with his foster family's dogs. They are checking his mouth frequently and so far it looks fine. He is eating well and is ready for a forever home. Bert is very laid back and likes nothing better than to just hang out with the foster family.

GRINinc's Gifted Golden Grant program assisted Foothills GR rescue with the large veterinarian bills that incurred from consultations through to the surgery. We hope that Bert will find that special someone who will adopt him and love him forever.....

Colby was found him in the middle of the road in Pickens, SC mid August during a rainstorm. He was drinking water from a ditch and was almost hit by several cars. After a brief chase, he finally laid down in a field and the wonderful good Samaritan fed him some treats. She picked him up, put him in her car and took him home. He was seriously malnourished and skittish. She called Foothills Golden Retriever Rescue, SC to see what she should do and they suggested that she "foster" him until something else was decided. She made an appointment with Foothills GRR's veterinarian who checked Colby the next week.

It was determined that Colby was 6-8 months old at the time and had a hard life for such a young pup! He had sarcoptic mange, ear mites, fleas, and several broken bones including his jaw, leg, and hips.

He is now roughly a year old and is a great young dog! Since August, he's gained weight and is a lot healthier! Colby currently lives with his foster-mom ( his rescue angel) , 3 dachshunds and a Jack Russell Terrier who are his best friends. He absolutely loves being outside and can smell water from a mile away! He enjoys car rides, hiking, and any outdoor activity. Colby had hip surgery on March 8th, which will provide him with a better quality of life that he ultimately deserves! Foothills Golden Retriever Rescue was there to help this young golden boy begin a new life. They have paid for Colby's veterinarian care since August . GRINinc's Gifted Golden program was there for this rescue with a grant to assist with Colby's hip surgery.

Rajah has found his ‘forever home’ and been adopted into a family where he will be cherished and well taken care of.

04/21 Breaking News - Rajah has had his eye surgery and can see! His foster mom says “Rajah was a little slow realizing he could see again. Today he knows he can see and is looking at everything in his new home including our cat. He has beautiful brown eyes and has to wear the E-collar for another week.“ GRINinc celebrates this fantastic report along with his Golden Retriever Rescue family.

3/11 Rajah went to the Ophthalmologist and he is an acceptable candidate for cataract extraction. Rajah is scheduled for surgery on April 19^th (pretty cool since his birthday is April 20^th) Once the surgery is complete he will never get diabetic cataracts again because he will have artificial lenses. We are excited and feel we are finally on the road to recovery. The Diabetes seems to be controlled .

GOLDEN RETRIEVER RESCUE OF SOUTHERN MARYLAND contacted GRINinc about a dog they recently brought into their rescue in hopes that we could assist them with the very costly but necessary veterinarian care they have given to a gentle golden soul.
The dog's name is Rajah...a handsome 6 year old red boy who was near death when they finally got him from his owners. Rajah was diagnosed with diabetes at some time in his recent life. His owner's gave him up because they couldn't afford his medical care. Thank goodness they called Golden Retriever Rescue of Southern Maryland just in time. Rajah was just clinging to life. By the time Rajah had made it to the rescue he was within a day or two of going into a coma and dying from untreated diabetes. Once he was relinquished, the rescue got him to an emergency/trauma hospital where he spent a couple of days being rehydrated and given IV antibiotics and insulin.

He's now with his foster family playing tug of war with his canine companion despite being unable to see. Rajah developed cataracts due to untreated diabetes and is currently blind. Rajah continues to have repeated blood work to try and stabilize his diabetes. The combined emergency care and the multiple blood studies has cost this rescue over $3000. Once Rajah is stabilized on his twice daily insulin injections and new diet, he will be evaluated for surgery to restore his eyesight. The rescue is raising funds for this expensive surgery. Once Mr. Rajah is healthy, he will be available for adoption. Rajah's veterinarians have high hopes that 2011 will be a wonderful year for Rajah. GRINinc's Gifted Golden program was there for Golden Retriever Rescue of Southern Maryland and Rajah. We applaud rescues who are dedicated to helping the seniors and special needs goldens. They are aware of the expense but are there for these sweet dogs....never a hesitation and GRINinc is there for them.

We will keep you posted on Rajah's progress. Thank you to all our dedicated, generous donors who make our Gifted Golden program possible to help Rajah and the many others that are in need of support and care.

Back in early July, a member of Everglades Golden Retriever Rescue came out of her office and found a note on her windshield. The note stated that the family needed to find a home for their Golden Retriever. She called the phone number and was told that they had been given the dog as a puppy, but the children don't play with her. They would like Goldie to have a home with a family who will pay attention to her and love her. They also mentioned that she had allergies that they couldn't control. Goldie does in fact have horrible skin. She has spent her life living in the yard, exposed to the elements. That means heat, humidity, rain, bugs, and who knows what else. EGRR is starting Goldie on a course of medicated baths, antibiotics and antifungal drugs. She also requires a special food to avoid the many known food allergies. Not much can be done about the environmental allergies other than making sure that Goldie is indoors with air-conditioning (of course...nothing but the best for our goldens!) Goldie visits the vet often for a refill on her current medications or a new medication to help keep her allergies, itching and skin infections under control. Goldie also visited a dermatologist and, as suspected by skin testing, she has both food and environmental allergies. EGRR has spent a lot of time and money with the goal of improving Goldie's quality of life. GRINinc is very supportive of EGRR's willingness to take a dog like Goldie into their organization fully knowing the expense and often frustration of dealing with an allergy dog. Goldie is a lucky girl and GRINinc wishes her the very best for the rest of her life!

UPDATE: Goldie has been adopted by her foster family and is doing very well. Her allergies are under control now and she will have a forever home of love and care. GRINinc is pleased to have been able to contribute to her medical costs.

Meet Golden...yes a Golden Retriever with the name of GOLDEN!! In his senior years, Golden found himself looking for a new home. He had a history of seizures and his family could not financially take care of him. Enter Everglades Golden Retriever Rescue ..... they took Golden into their rescue and proceeded to give him his basic veterinary care and more. The investigation of why he has seizures began and many expensive tests were done. Ultimately Golden needed to be on two medications for his seizures. EGRR supported Golden for those many months while he remained in foster care. EGRR applied to GRINinc's grant program for financial assistance. GRINinc was proud to assist with the extensive medical bills for this wonderful senior boy. After all, this is what our Gifted Golden Grant program is all about!!! After being in foster care for months Golden found his forever home.

His new family says ... Golden is so easy to have around. Some dogs fill a space and add their unique energy. He slips in, takes a spot, sits back and surveys the situation. All he sends out is gentleness and love, grateful for any attention and content to be part of the pack.

Stevie, named after Stevie Wonder by Golden Rescue South Florida, is a survivor. He came into their rescue with several other older goldens. All were in deplorable condition. Stevie was heartworm positive and also had severe glaucoma. He was in tremendous pain, he was undernourished...he was in very bad shape. They were not sure he would make it however he had a very strong will to live. Step by step the rescue chipped away at his problems, taking the most serious first. Stevie visited the veterinarian eye specialist many times. After several expensive treatments he is free of pain; although blind, it has not slowed him down. Stevie has been adopted by a wonderful family who allows him to be himself...to find his way around and to explore all the while keeping him close by . "He turns in the driveway all by himself - he knows when he is at his house. He is making his way to the bed by himself - hops on hope chest. He has plenty of toys - and loves the squeaky ones. He runs a lot in his dog dreams. I think he is the most loving golden I have ever met, what a sweet dog. So happy he is with us "

So although Stevie has been through so much in his lifetime, he is enjoying his second chance at life and feeling well and wearing those fashionable sunglasses~!! How cool is that golden boy!

GRINinc's funding program eagerly assisted Golden Rescue South Florida with Stevie's extensive veterinarian bills.!

UPDATE ON ZEKE 07/25/10:
Zeke's health continues to improve but he will continue to need veterinary check ups throughout the coming months. The GREAT news is Zeke has found his "forever" home. He now lives with another golden Zack! They are inseparable!!

Zeke came into GRINinc's Charlotte County Chapter as a stray. The young golden was hanging around a school yard...following the kids around as they played outside. Who knows what his life was like...he was homeless and without an owner. He ended up in a high kill shelter where he contracted kennel cough.
Of course the first thing a reputable rescue does is take their new dog to the vet. One of our network veterinarians gave him a drug in good faith to help him with the respiratory infection. Zeke had a very severe autoimmune reaction to this drug. He found himself under the care of a Critical Care veterinarian. The Chapter took him to the best specialists they could. These specialists and the network veterinarians saved him. His golden spirit has never wavered during this ordeal. He remained sweet and loving. Right now Zeke is on the rebound!!! He is a great dog...a special dog...a survivor.

GRINinc was there for our Chapter with a grant to help with the very expensive care. Zeke's bills have totaled over $2000 since coming into rescue.

UPDATE 05/15/2011: Dudley has been adopted by the veterinarian who has cared for him and his special needs since he was brought into the rescue.

Dudley was found as a stray and eventually turned over to Cape Fear Golden Retriever Rescue of North Carolina. Once their vet checked him out it was determined that he is about 2-3 years old and had been hit by a car which caused a broken pelvis. It seemed that the pelvis had healed without surgery (just imagine the pain this poor boy endured) and by the time the rescue took him in it was too late for surgery. Nerves were severed as a result of this accident ...the nerves that control his ability to defecate and urinate on his own.  After a couple of weeks at the vet with lots of medications his ability to defecate was regained.   He did not regain complete control over his urination.
Dudley has spent many weeks at the specialty clinic where a cystostomy tube was implanted on April 13. Since this time the tube has failed to do its work and he is on many medications to control his incontinence.  The folks from Cape Fear GRR assure GRINinc that they are doing everything they can to help Dudley ....he is a very lucky boy that has no idea he is "broken". He loves to carry toys and run and play with other dogs.
A special home will indeed be needed for this sweet golden boy and they continue to have hope that one day he will find his home...a home filled with love, patience and care that he so deserves. GRINinc has been there to assist Cape Fear Golden Retriever Rescue and Dudley by issuing a grant to help them with veterinarian bills that are over $2000.   We will keep you updated on Dudley's progress and will for sure gladly announce to the golden world when he is in a loving home.

UPDATE 07/07/2010: Dudley had a breakthrough over the last couple weeks. Two vet techs witnessed him squatting to pee outside and a full stream of urine came out. A few days prior to that one tech witnessed something similar when they went outside. Also... in his run there was an actual puddle of urine one day instead of the little drips that are often in his run due to the "incontinence" issue. So... baby steps and a ray of hope. Our specialty vet indicated that he needs time... hopefully just more time for everything to reconnect on its own and start working properly.

UPDATE 05/15/2011: Rally has been adopted and is doing very well. His large neck wound has healed nicely and so has his heart. He is loved and well cared for.

“I Will Survive” is the song running through this 8 year old boy’s head. Rally was picked up by Animal Control in North Texas and had a laceration from ear to ear across the top of his neck. We aren’t sure about his past, but his future sure looks bright thanks to Golden Retriever Rescue of North Texas. Rally has had surgery to repair his significant wounds and is healing well and loves lying on is big Dallas Cowboy pillow in the evenings. Even after all the surgeries, Rally has a very trusting nature.

As Rally heals, his golden personality is beginning to blossom. A few of his favorite things to do are take long naps, ride in the car, and be close to his human family. He also really enjoys the food left on the counter so we are working on correcting this habit.

Rally is heartworm positive so the rescue will be starting his treatment just as soon as he has recovered from his surgeries. He will be available for adoption when he has recovered from his injuries and heartworm disease.

Although Texas is out of our Gifting Program territory, we found Rally to be a very special senior who is part of a 501c3 rescue that could use our financial assistance because of the expensive veterinary bills. Although no one knows his past, we can only suspect that perhaps Rally was a bait dog for a dog fighting ring…..everyone knows about dog fighting rings but no one believes that a golden could be involved. The people that run dog fighting rings do choose large, well tempered dogs as their bait dogs…and yes goldens are VERY much wanted by these horrible people. All this is behind Rally….he is onto a wonderful life because of the special people with Golden Retriever Rescue of North Texas. GRINinc, because of our donator’s dedication and generosity, can be a part of Rally’s “I will survive”.

UPDATE ON BRANDY 05/16/10:
Brandy has found a forever family who will see Brandy through her long healing process. Lucky Brandy and another happy outcome !!

Another wonderful golden in need .....Sweet Brandy was struck by a car and her owners could not afford the cost of her medical care. A quick thinking employee at the animal hospital treating Brandy suggested she be signed over to Heartland Golden Retriever Rescue in Tenn. in lieu of euthanasia. One of their local volunteers was contacted and asked if Heartland could pay for Brandy's care and find her a forever home. How could they not help this little girl? Four year old Brandy has a broken left shoulder and left leg. She was transferred to a facility for surgery scheduled to take place on January 20th. Brandy is in foster care after a surgery that went very well. The surgery alone cost Heartland GRR over $1600. Heartland is a small rescue that has very limited funding but they are ALWAYS there for the goldens. Heartland Rescue applied to GRINinc for assistance. We hear that Brandy is doing very well and after her next veterinarian appointment at the end of the month, she will going to a forever home.
Brandy is a very lucky golden girl.

UPDATE ON MAGGIE LEE 05/16/10:
GRINinc. is happy to report that Maggie Lee has been
adopted by her foster dad !!

Say HELLO to Maggie Lee, an 11 year old golden with special needs. Maggie Lee is the sweetest, gentlest, most loving senior golden girl you will ever have the pleasure of meeting. Maggie Lee came into rescue because her owner, as is all to common these days, fell on hard times and could no longer care for her. Maggie Lee at 11 years has such a zest for life and play and most of all, companionship, that is beyond compare. Just look into those dark brown, bright eyes and you will see her heart. She gets along with other dogs and enjoys romping (actually, pouncing) on her golden brother, but really enjoys when you cradle her head in your hands and give her kisses…yes she likes that very much. Maggie Lee is spayed and in fairly good health for a senior. She has been on Phenobarbital for seizures since 2005 and has been well controlled on this medication. GRINinc's funding program for special needs senior goldens has assisted the Charlotte County Chapter with Maggie Lee's veterinary care. Please note that if you are interested in adopting this wonderful senior golden, contact GoldensInNeed@aol.com.

UPDATE ON COMET 11/16/10:
Comet had his 6 month check up and NO signs of the cancer returning!!!

UPDATE ON COMET 03/06/10:
A happy ending -- Comet has been adopted by his foster family !!

Gender: Male
Age: 10
Status: Adoption pending through Everglades Golden Retriever Rescue

One of our volunteers spotted Comet on the shelter website, where he was listed as 5 yrs, 9 mo. of age. We immediately contacted the shelter for information about him and were told he was really 10. We were also told that he was blind, that he had escaped from his yard, and that his owners were coming to pick him up the day before Thanksgiving. When we saw his picture was still on their website after the Thanksgiving weekend, we realized that no owner had come to claim him, so we did!

The first thing our volunteer noticed was that Comet was NOT blind. The vet at the shelter said nothing about his vision in the report, and Comet saw well enough to run out of the shelter to the truck waiting for him, and he jump right in. Our vet confirmed that there is nothing wrong with his vision.

Foster Home Update: Comet is completely housebroken. He is not blind but he has a severe hearing loss. Fortunately, since there are other dogs in his foster home, he takes all his cues from them and is very well behaved. He would do best in a home with another dog.

UPDATE ON CHARLIE 01/26/10:
Very happy news -- Charlie has now been adopted !!

Heartland Golden Retriever Rescue received this urgent email: "We need to find a home for this very sweet, blind, older golden called Charlie. His photo is attached. He is in the Haywood County Shelter in North Carolina until Monday 9/21. Please call me if you can help save him."

A rescue volunteer went immediately to the shelter to save this sweet senior boy. He was dropped off at a kill shelter by his owner....just discarded. Charlie is blind from glaucoma. Obviously the owners never did anything to help this poor boy. His pressures in his eye were so high that it was most certain that he had the equivalent of a human migraine all the time. Can you imagine?

And yet, despite the pain he has endured, he remained a gentle golden soul. Heartland Golden03 Retriever Rescue is always there for the special needs and the senior goldens. Most of their dogs have some type of problem or are seniors. Charlie is VERY lucky and can thank this wonderful rescue for allowing him a second chance in life. After discussing the alternatives with the ophthalmologist, the rescue decided the best thing for their sweet boy would be to inject his eye with gentamycin antibiotic versus enucleation. This will essentially "kill" the eye and make him pain free and allow him to not require eye drops for glaucoma. His eye was injected. It should shrink over the next few weeks.

Charlie B is doing much better. He has a smile on his adorable face and has begun enjoying life.

GRINinc heard about Charlie through the "rescue grapevine" and decided that Charlie is a fine example of a golden that our Gifted Golden mission can assist. Heartland Golden Retriever Rescue has received a grant for Charlie's medical care.

Meet Petey! He was found as a stray, ending up in a shelter. Everglades Golden Retriever Rescue brought him into their organization. Petey had an unsightly injury to his groin. The people at EGRR felt that this sweet, happy boy would have to go as a “special needs” dog, because, in all likelihood, this was a life-long condition that couldn’t be fixed and most likely not accepted by most homes looking for that wonderful young golden.

However, after a visit to a very compassionate vet in the Keys, EGRR was told that there was an excellent chance that surgery would completely take care of his injury. Of course the people at EGRR readily agreed to do whatever was necessary to give Petey a normal life.

The wonderful news is that he is almost fully healed from the surgery and is, amazingly, completely put back together. There will be NO permanent damage from the injury or the surgery! The surgery was very costly for Everglades Golden Retriever Rescue. After application to our funding program, EGRR received a check from GRINinc to cover some of Petey's surgery bills.

Petey is about 1 year old, and he still has some of those endearing puppy traits. Petey's foster parents do not think he ever saw a toy before he came here because he never stops playing with them. Petey has lots of energy and will run around the yard and chase balls for long periods of time. He’s a typical, fun-loving, high energy Golden puppy.

He’s great with adults and children, and gets along well with other animals, including cats! For a dog that got off to such a bad start he is doing great and is a happy spirit .

Petey is still looking for his forever home.

If you are interested in having Petey join your family,
please visit www.egrr.org for more information.

UPDATE ON PETEY 11/03/09:
Great news -- Petey has now been adopted !!

Meet Nicholas (age 10) and Reese "Pieces" (age 8). They are from the Lake Okeechobee area. These dogs have spent their entire life outside, mostly confined to a pen but "allowed" to roam the vast property for a very short time everyday. This golden pair needed to find a new home due to the foreclosure of the property. Many local Florida rescues could not take Nicholas and Reese into their organization. GRINinc offered to pay for their basic care in order to hopefully make it easier for a rescue to help. Unfortunately, no Florida rescues would help, but Adopt A Golden Atlanta offered to take them if we could get them to Atlanta. GRINinc went to work and soon Reese and Nicholas were on their way thanks to a wonderful, dedicated volunteer named Pam. GRINinc paid for the basic medical care and transportation for these two senior goldens. Unfortunately, and expected, they are both heartworm positive and Nicholas has a Mast Cell tumor that has been removed. Nicholas and Reese are happy, together, in their foster home ... the Atlanta rescue has vowed to keep them together!! Thank you to all who assisted in the Nicholas and Reese story.

UPDATE on Nicholas and Reese 10/21/09: Both dogs remain together in their foster home. They are doing very well and enjoy their foster siblings.

UPDATE ON NICHOLAS & REESE 03/29/10:

Both Nicholas and Reeses are now HW free and both were adopted......not together, but they both have at least one other golden of the opposite sex in their new homes and seem quite happy :)

TAFFY

TAFFY - date of birth 5-12-08

Taffy is a one year old female spayed Golden that came to Citrus Golden Retriever Rescue, young, cute, we thought with no apparent health issues. But upon a complete physical exam, we found that Taffy did indeed have a health issue, a very serious heart problem. She has been evaluated at the University of Florida. They are not really sure what is going on except that Taffy has right side heart enlargement, all valves leak and Myocardial dysfunction. The prognosis so far is still unknown, but at this time Taffy is on hold for adoption.

Taffy is living with Ellen Pavlik (president) of Citrus Golden Retriever Rescue, and her five Golden Boys and husband John. Taffy is enjoying life at the Pavlik farm. What the future holds for Taffy is still unknown. She will be re-evaluated in September at the University.

We want to thank Golden Rescue in Naples, Inc. for your help in Taffy's medical care. We will keep you updated on Taffy's progress.

UPDATE ON TAFFY 09/30/09:
Great news, Taffy went back to the University for a re check on her heart, no change, but they said since she has no symptoms she could live a normal life??? they said she has as much of a chance as any other dog to either have it get worse or get cancer or something else. So as far as I am concerned as long as we let the people know she does have some heart irregularities no reason not to adopt her. Actually the doctor really wanted her, but his life style is to busy to give a dog the life it deserves. But she really worked him....

UPDATE ON TAFFY 12/01/09:

More great news !! Taffy (now Shaylee) has been adopted. Shaylee is now in her forever home, where she is very happy and also enjoying having a big brother. Citrus Golden Retriever Rescue will continue to be guardian angels for Shaylee and will cover any medical expenses associated with her heart concerns.

Ellen Pavlik (Florida)
Citrus Golden Retriever Rescue
http://www.simplesite.com/citrusgoldenretrieverrescue

OUR GIFTED GOLDENS

GRINinc. will proudly display a short story and photo of the special goldens that have benefited from our funding mission as outlined on our Gifting Page. Please help us fill this page with happy stories and smiling goldens!!
We urge each organization to email us their special dog’s story and photo to mygldns@yahoo.com.
Thank you!

updated 12/31/2012
Golden Rescue In Naples, Inc. is a 501c3 Non-profit organization.