Lose ends.

The problem with blogging is that frequently there are so many lose ends. Stories that we start but then we move on before we finish them. Dogs that come by once, are adopted and move on, when we meet them later we don't bring you up to date.

The Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies (GRRR) vet has been on vacation. He sees so many Goldens in a year that he can almost diagnose them by driving by while they sit on the front porch. Clyde came to us with a bad limp and he had a hard time getting up once he was down. We have been waiting for the vet to come back to take a good look at his left rear leg, his leg has a small zip-zag around the knee and that leg is kept straight. So the vet is due back this week and we will get a picture taken of the leg and find out what is wrong. Meanwhile we got a short term script for Rimadyl to help him move around. It has sure losened him up, he is starting to run and play with us. He still can't bend his knee, but he can sure get around on a stiff leg.

Meanwhile Rusty was having a problem getting up, it was getting so bad that she would not lie down if she was up, she did not want to get up if she was down. We got permission to try one of Clyde's Rimadyl on Rusty, it has made a big difference in how she gets around as well. She chased squirrels again this morning. So she gets another trip to the vet's office when we take Clyde.

GRRR has had several very sad rescues recently. One long time volunteer passed away and now GRRR has to find special homes for his two life companions, ages 12 and 8. Another surrender came when an elderly woman passed away and her family took her 13 year old Golden into a vet to be put to sleep. The vet staff convinced the family that GRRR offered a better solution. She is already in her new home with new love to last her in her remaining years. These Goldens are special cases because the Golden's are losing their homes because of no one's fault. These are the rescues that hurt the most and feel the best when they are completed. .

Some time ago we mentioned five lab puppies that were orphans. At three weeks of age, they were sworn in as honorary Golden Retrievers and are currently in the GRRR system. GRRR is blessed to have hundreds of volunteers to help, our "Puppy Team" found surrogate mothers for these orphans. GRRR has adopted out 3 of them and expect the other two to be spoken for shortly. Who can resist a puppy?

While we have several transportation teams that will drive 1,000 miles or more to transpore needy dogs, we also need to mention "Pilots for Paws:. "Pilots for Paws" is a volunteer group that transports rescue dogs, they brought us several Golden's from Idaho, South Dakota and Wyoming. Boy what lucky dogs to get transported by private airplane. One boy in particular who was flown in was named Willie, but at the shelter in Idaho they called him OTD, "Older Than Dirt".

We are overrun with older Golden's. We are desperately seeking foster homes that are willing to take older Gold. Most of the older surrenders have health problems which is often why they are surrendered. Since it is so hard to find homes for older dogs, most foster homes understand that they may end up keeping them much longer than a younger dog.

These older Golden's are the true treasures. They ask for nothing more than a chance to get a head pat and some human company in their final years. They know the rules of a home, they don't run away or chew up furniture. They just give love and comfort in a way that few can understand if you have never had an older Golden as a friend.

Help us by being a foster home, give these wonderful older dogs a chance to live in dignity and enjoy the comfort and love of a final forever home. Call a rescue near you and volunteer to help an older dog enjoy the Golden years. Log onto your rescue's web site and donate to help with the many health problems we are seeing.

Somewhere, a dog needs you.

Mogley G. Retriever