A volunteer thank you

Saturday night the chauffeur went across town without taking a single Golden Retriever along to a Golden Retriever party. Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies (GRRR) threw a wonderful volunteer recognition party. It was to thank the chauffeurs, the groomers, the walkers, the trainers, the transport team, the medical team, the home inspection team, the web team, the special events team and the fund raising team, all of whom work together as volunteers to make it possible to re home over 350 dogs a year. He said the evening was wonderful, they met new people that have come forward since our last event, they shared great food and they shared stories about the many rescues that had taken place. After the food was finished, each person was invited to share with the group a special story about a rescue they had worked with. The stories were wonderful and heartwarming. So many helping hands, so many wonderful new homes.

The chauffeur said that the thanks were miss placed. He thinks the volunteers should be thanking GRRR for all the wonderful dogs that we are allowed to foster. He said that each Golden we have fostered was a special experience for which we are all thank full to GRRR for allowing us to have. Each new Golden that passes through the foster system is a Golden on his way to a new and better life. We are privileged to be allowed to meet these wonderful Golden's, we enjoy sharing our home and our lives with them, we enjoy learning about them so we can help them find their perfect home. Each one has touched us, each one has left a memory. For that we thank GRRR.

There are so many wonderful people telling great stories about the dogs they have rescued. Several stories concerned other breeds that came and went through GRRR volunteers and cooperation with other breed rescues. Dogs from puppy mills, dogs bought at a farm auction. Dogs that were slated to die if not taken immediately. Dogs with medical problems that the owners could not afford to treat. Dogs that went on to become service dogs, rescued from bad people but then forgiving them and spending the rest of their lives helping the same people that abandoned them.

One person told how he had gone to an ATM machine and pulled out $200 after he watched a man try to sell a young Golden out of a pickup along the road. The man picked up the Golden by the scruff of the neck and by the tail and tossed it back into the truck, at that point he knew he had to re home that dog, even if it did cost him $200.

Our human said he told the group about Tess (currently with us) and Chase. Chase was the Golden that went to such a perfect home, only to be returned. GRRR does not allow people to "try dogs", but Chase was a special case. You see, Chase was a wonderful, large and energetic retriever. He loved his new home, but he soon started very inappropriate retrieving. He started playing "keep away" with the lady's prosthesis. Chase would steal her leg and play keep away. That could have been worked on but then he went farther, he began trying to steal her leg while she was walking. After several dangerous and bruising falls, it became clear that no matter how much they had bonded, Chase had to go. When we picked up Chase, we had Daisy as a foster. Daisy made an immediate and much calmer impression. Daisy went home that day to a very special forever home, and Chase stayed with us. Chase found a new and very special home a few days later. Don't you just love it what a story has a happy ending?


We remember Sandy, she lived with us for several weeks. When they called to set up an appointment with a possible new home, the chauffeur tried to stall, he told GRRR that he would only bring Sandy over to meet if GRRR would guarantee that Sandy would get an extra special home (a possible foster failure in the making?). Sandy went from GRRR directly to heaven. No, Sandy did not die, Sandy just went to heaven. Sandy was adopted by a wonderful lady who owned a small horse property outside of town. The property had a small pond, just the thing for a Golden swim on a hot afternoon. It also had a horse training track. Every morning Sandy gets to ride in a small two wheeled sulky as the horses are trained around the track. Golden Heaven!

We have had almost 40 fosters so far. Each one has been a joy and a sorrow. It is a joy to rescue them, a joy to see them settle into a friendly home and become companions. It is a sorrow to let them go, even though we know that a better life waits for them in their carefully selected forever home.

I still think I should have gone along to the party, I can say "thank you" better than anyone. If you remember, I was on a Vet's table about to get a very, very final shot, when someone said "GRRR will take him". Thank you GRRR for all you do for us rescue Goldens. Thanks to all the volunteers who transport homeless dogs, thank you to all of the folks that give us our medical inspections, wash and groom us then care for us until we can find new forever homes. Thank you GRRR for all the wonderful friends you have sent us to foster. We have had many memorable moments.

From all of the Golden Retrievers in our happy and warm new homes, to all of the GRRR volunteers that make it possible, Thank you!

Mogley G. Retriever