As many of you know in addition to volunteer work with therapy dogs I also volunteer with a local Golden Retriever rescue which covers quite a bit of Florida. Yesterday was our annual reunion out at Lake Parker in Lakeland (really just down the street where the Detroit Tigers do their Spring training). This year the turn out was amazing and looked to me at somewhere around 100 Goldens plus. If you love the breed you were in heaven.
Plenty of events and just plain fun. If gives the volunteers a chance to see how their hardwork turns out and gives the folks who adopt not only a chance to socialize but also thank the volunteers. 2012 was a tough year. We took in more heartworm positive dogs then any of our previous years. Also a fairly good number of older dogs who simply had been abandoned. For those who dont know all our dogs are with foster families, we dont have a shelter, and once taken in our dogs stay with a foster until adopted out. In some cases we know this means bacially hospice care for some of the dogs we do take in as they are unlikely to be adopted out. But on the positive side we just rescued our 3,000th dog and my gosh seeing all those Goldens yesterday was just heartwarming.
Lots of generosity as well. Our donation jar at the registration desk was doing well. Our group was started by members of the local Golden Retrienver club and they always support us. This year, as in past years, the club set up a grooming tent staffed by their members, many of whom are profesisonal groomers. For $10 you could get a nice groom of your pup and all money not only went to our rescue group but the club matched the funds generated as well! It really sort of chokes me up each time to see some Golden who was essentially discarded prancing about all groomed, with their new human companions and looking like true champions.
Now for a small pitch. Please, have your pet spayed or neutered, be part of the solution not the problem. If considering a dog check on local rescue groups. There are rescue groups for just about every breed including the good old American Mutt. And dont forget about your local animal shelthers.
And who says money cant buy happiness!
Plenty of events and just plain fun. If gives the volunteers a chance to see how their hardwork turns out and gives the folks who adopt not only a chance to socialize but also thank the volunteers. 2012 was a tough year. We took in more heartworm positive dogs then any of our previous years. Also a fairly good number of older dogs who simply had been abandoned. For those who dont know all our dogs are with foster families, we dont have a shelter, and once taken in our dogs stay with a foster until adopted out. In some cases we know this means bacially hospice care for some of the dogs we do take in as they are unlikely to be adopted out. But on the positive side we just rescued our 3,000th dog and my gosh seeing all those Goldens yesterday was just heartwarming.
Lots of generosity as well. Our donation jar at the registration desk was doing well. Our group was started by members of the local Golden Retrienver club and they always support us. This year, as in past years, the club set up a grooming tent staffed by their members, many of whom are profesisonal groomers. For $10 you could get a nice groom of your pup and all money not only went to our rescue group but the club matched the funds generated as well! It really sort of chokes me up each time to see some Golden who was essentially discarded prancing about all groomed, with their new human companions and looking like true champions.
Now for a small pitch. Please, have your pet spayed or neutered, be part of the solution not the problem. If considering a dog check on local rescue groups. There are rescue groups for just about every breed including the good old American Mutt. And dont forget about your local animal shelthers.
And who says money cant buy happiness!
