Why Adopt A Golden Retriever From A Rescue
While there are many breeders out there creating amazing little golden retriever puppies out there for you to buy, there are also hundreds of thousands of golden retrievers across the country that need adopting. This is for a variety of reasons.
- First, Goldens are very popular pets, so there are unethical breeders out there creating puppies for which they cant find homes.
- Second, many people adopt a gorgeous little pup, only to realize that they grow into a big, shedding dog that requires lots of care and attention. They decide that they simply dont want them anymore.
- Many loving pet owners need to give up their pets due to a family member who has allergies, moving to a place that doesnt allow animals, moving abroad, or other unavoidable circumstances.
- Sadly, there are also people who die and leave their pets behind with no-one to care for them, or they simply abandon them.
These are the golden retrievers that find themselves in rescue centers, waiting for new homes.
OUR EXPERIENCE: We had friends buy a Golden Retriever with all the best intentions. Unfortunately, they learned that owning a Golden Retriever did not fit their lifestyle and ended up putting their dog up for adoption.
United Kennel Club Breeders
The United Kennel Club is the second most popular kennel club in the US. The AKC is more focused on conformation to breed standards, where the UKC is more performance-oriented. On their website, there is a tool where you can search for breeders that have litters or have previously registered litters. Its possible to search by breed and state.
Find UKC Golden Retriever breeders .
Triad Golden Retriever Rescue
First on the list of Golden Retriever rescues in North Carolina is Triad Golden Retriever Rescue. Triad Golden Retriever Rescue is a volunteer organization recognized and affiliated with GRCAs National Rescue Committee. The rescue works with national rescue groups and shelters to help Golden Retrievers in need. TGRR program takes in Golden Retrievers from animal shelters, private owners who cannot take care of their goldens, and good samaritans who found unclaimed golden strays.
The Golden Retrievers are usually 2 to 4 years old. Golden Retrievers as young as four months and as senior as 8+ years also come in occasionally. TGRR provides medical attention, spays, neuters them and gives them a sanctuary before re-homing them. The Golden Retrievers long-term safety and happiness are paramount to TGRR. For this reason, the rescue has strict adoption policies. They dont adapt to families with children younger than five or approve of goldens being left outdoors.
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Homeward Bound Golden Retriever Rescue & Sanctuary
Phone:
Homeward Bound Golden Retriever Rescue & Sanctuary, Inc. is an all-volunteer, 5013 organization in Elverta, California. They rescue and heal displaced, abandoned, and homeless Golden Retrievers and Golden mixes, regardless of their current health conditions. This rescue pairs loving homes through their adoption program and provides a lifetime sanctuary for goldens that cant be adopted.
Homeward Bound has rehomed over 9,500 dogs on 8 acres of countryside. Their dogs have ample room for running, playing, and training. This Golden Rescue will continue to serve as a standardized rescue model. They strive to be an industry leader in rescue, sanctuary, and education.
A Lasting Golden Legacy
A legacy today provides a lifetime of tomorrows for our retrievers.
As we celebrate our 30th anniversary, we ask that you celebrate both our past and our future with us in one of two ways.
1. Consider gifting GRRMF either in your will or as part of a living trust. Known as a charitable bequest, this gift serves as a lasting legacy in your name, in your honor and is easy to set up. Simply name GRRMF as a beneficiary as you would a person and let your estate planning advisor assist you when preparing your will or trust.
2. Because 2021 is our own Golden Legacy Year, we ask that you consider making a special Legacy donation in honor of our medical/behavioral programs, our new Hearts of Gold program or our forever home Sanctuary program to see your donation dollars at work.
Historically, and on current trend again this year, we invest over $200,000 in medical and behavior support care for dogs arriving in our rescue. We would not be able to achieve the rehabilitation success of these precious dogs without your support.
Our Hearts of Gold Therapy team, launched in 2019 as another GRRMF community service program, visit such diverse facilities as schools and universities, seniors residences and nursing homes, providing gentle support to anyone in need of comfort and reassurance.
Please use our legal name, address and federal tax ID number:Golden Retriever Rescue of Mid-Florida, Inc.P.O. Box 1449
3986
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What Makes The Golden Retriever Dog So Popular
The breed was valued for the hunting abilities so ably produced by the careful blending of foundation stock, and only later became popular as a pet. After the Golden Retriever made the transition, however, this dogs rise to the height of popularity was meteoric and remains one of the most popular of all breeds in America.
Golden Retriever Rescue Of North Texas
Service Area: North Texas and the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex
About:
GRRNT began their mission in 1997 with the goal to rescue, and find homes for Goldens in need in the North Texas area. They also work to educate the general public about responsible pet ownership as well as the Golden Retriever breed.
They are an all-volunteer rescue organization. Dogs are kept in foster homes until they are adopted. They have a limited adoption area and rules regarding who can adopt from them. Please read through all the requirements to see if you are a fit. They also received a platinum award from Guide Star.
GRRNT Contact Information
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Rescuing Vs Adopting A Puppy
Rescuing a golden retriever while its still young and impressionable is the closest experience youll get to adopt one from a breeder. However, this doesnt mean youll receive the same quality of puppy, either. Usually, dogs that are surrendered to rescues or rescued off the street dont have any breeding or parental history attached to them.
Typically, this wouldnt be a problem many people take pride in rescuing dogs that need homes. However, it isnt always possible to tell what medical conditions a puppy will have when they grow older. You wont be able to determine what the puppy will grow up to look like, either you might think youre adopting a golden retriever from a golden retriever puppy rescue, but it could be a mix or a different breed altogether!
To be fair, these problems can be inherent with irresponsible breeders and not just the golden retriever rescue, but lets operate under the assumption that you would be adopting from an ideal, responsible breeder. With a breeder-quality puppy, you have a good idea of what youll get from an appearance and a health standpoint. In comparison, a rescue puppy has no such guarantees.
That aside, though, the puppys temperament is where you can expect a relatively blank slate. While breeders select for personality to an extent, a dogs temperament is also very dependent on learned behaviors. As long as you adopt a puppy while its young, their character will be shaped mainly by how you train and socialize them.
Ways To Find A Golden Retriever To Adopt Near You
Year after year, approximately 3 million dogs enter animal shelters in the US, and more than half a million are euthanized. I adopted my pet and would advise everyone to do so. It will likely save a life and be cheaper, faster, and easier for you. If you want a puppy, know that it is possible to find one for adoption with patience and work, and dont dismiss this option right away. But it would be better to be open to considering other breeds if adopting a puppy is your goal, as they tend to find a new family very quickly.
If you only want to find the best ways to buy a Golden Retrieverpuppy from a breeder, scroll down to the next chapter.
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Where Not To Look For A Golden Retriever Rescue
Unfortunately when there is money involved there can also be scammers. So before dealing with any rescue group make sure to do your homework.
Most rescue groups will have a 501 3) charity status. You can search on the IRSs Tax Exempt Organization Search website using the organizations name and location to check on their status.
Also check to see if there is any feedback about the Rescue Group at these charity watch sites
Dont forget to look at the Better Business Bureau site for to see if they have complaints.
Places like Facebook and Craigs List are full of scammers trying to take advantage of unsuspecting people. Unless it is a reputable rescue Facebook page I would steer clear of these places.
I also would not pay for a dog before meeting them in person.
Another thing to watch out for is rescues that continually have a large numbers of purebred or designer puppies available for adoption, especially if they have higher adoption fees. Although some may be legitimate rescues that work to rescue dogs from puppy mills, some may also be puppy mills posing as rescue groups.
How To Adopt A Golden Retriever
This article was co-authored by Melissa Nelson, DVM, PhD. Dr. Nelson is a Veterinarian who specializes in Companion and Large Animal Medicine in Minnesota, where she has over 18 years of experience as a veterinarian in a rural clinic. She received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Minnesota in 1998. This article has been viewed 9,728 times.
Golden retrievers are a very popular dog for good reason. They are friendly and smart dogs that are ready to please their owners. If you want to adopt one you will need to assess whether you are ready to get a dog, look for available dogs online, and meet with potential dogs before you can bring one home. If you love golden retrievers and are ready to give a dog a loving home, consider adopting one from a shelter or rescue organization instead of buying one from a breeder or a pet store.XTrustworthy SourceAmerican Kennel ClubThe American Kennel Club is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show.Go to source
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Michigan Golden Retriever Clubs
Golden retriever clubs are great resources for current and future golden retriever owners.
Some of the members may know about a golden who needs a home, or know people who know of goldens that need a home.
It can be a long shot, but if youre patient, it might be worth it.
And then, once you do get finally get your golden, the clubs can be even more useful.
They could help refer you to services like vets, groomers, or doggy daycares, you could attend the events they hold to socialize your pup and get them involved in dog sports, or you can just learn from other experienced golden retriever owners.
Here are the golden retriever clubs in Michigan, listed in alphabetical order:
Fort Detroit Golden Retriever Club
Location: Detroit
Location: Ann Arbor
Website:
Tips For Caring For Rescue Dogs
You might want to take a look at our new puppy checklist before bringing home your new puppy. While our list focuses on puppies youll find a lot of items youll also need for a rescue dog.
Unlike brand new pups adopted from responsible breeders, rescue dogs often come with behaviors and habits from their previous homes that may or may not be suitable for their new home with you.
There are a few things you can do to make your dog feel comfortable in your home quickly and start learning new house rules without delay.
Golden retrievers in particular are very intelligent pups and should have no problem adapting if you do a few smart things.
- Dogs, like children, thrive on regularity, so create a schedule for them. Establish regular eating and exercise times, so they learn to know what to expect.
- Reward your dog for correct behavior by treating them with food or play. Dont yell or punish. Your dog can develop a negative reaction to this, especially if they have been punished by previous owners.
- Make sure everyone in the house is giving the same commands and following the same rules. It can be confusing for dogs when people use different commands for the same behavior, or when different behavior is acceptable with different members of the household.
- If they are not house trained, have them sleep in a crate, but not alone. It is better to place the crate in someones room. They can stop sleeping in the crate when they can consistently hold it the whole night.
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More Ways To Find A Rescue Golden Retriever
If none of the rescues above have a Golden Retriever available for you, then there are three other ways to find a rescue Golden that require a little luck, patience and creativity.
The first way is to comb your local animal shelters.
If they have golden retrievers available, theyll go fast, so youll need to check early and often.
The second way is to get involved in your local Golden Retriever Facebook groups.
Ive seen many owners want to find a new home for their Golden themselves, instead of going through a rescue group.
Theyll post in these groups trying to find a loving home for their pup, which is where you can step in and offer yours.
The third way is to get involved with your local Golden Retriever club.
This is another long shot, but they might have an inside scoop on Goldens that need a new home, plus the more Golden lovers you know, the more likely you are to find your own Golden.
And speaking of Golden Retriever clubs
Golden Beginnings Golden Retriever Rescue
Phone:
Golden Beginnings Golden Retriever Rescue is a non-profit organization in Houston, Texas. They were founded in 1999 and are staffed solely by volunteers who are devoted to providing care for unwanted, neglected, or abused Golden Retrievers. In their first 15 years, they rescued more than 4,000 Golden Retrievers and have received awards and grants for their efforts.
Golden Beginnings strives to place their Goldens in loving home. They have quite a few healthy reviews online and seem like a very credible organization. You can contact them by email or telephone. Alternatively, you can send them a message from their website.
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Golden Retrievers That Need A Home Now
There are hundreds of benefits to owning a dog. If you are looking to add to your fur family, consider adopting a dog. You will save the life of that dog and allow another to come into the shelter to be saved.
Golden retrievers are well-mannered, loyal companions that love to play. They love meeting new people, and their enthusiasm is contagious. Goldens make great family dogs and hiking partners.
Check out all 25 golden retrievers looking for their forever homes and share with a friend.
Golden Retriever Clubs In Pennsylvania
Not only can Golden Retriever clubs help you possibly find a dog, but when you do bring your pup home, they can be excellent resources.
Heres how they can help:
- You can participate in dog sports and other events to socialize and exercise your dog
- You can get advice from experienced Golden Retriever owners
- You can get referrals for services like vets, groomers, and doggy daycares
Here are the two Golden Retriever Clubs in Pennsylvania
Greater Pittsburgh Golden Retriever Club
Location: Pittsburgh
Heres a list of everything you need for a Golden Retriever, and you can click here for a list of Golden Retriever rescues in every state.
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Ragom Retrieve A Golden Of The Midwest Inc
Service Area: Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, and western Wisconsin
About:
Next on our list is Retrieve a Golden of the Midwest, Inc. RAGOM has been helping Goldens in need of a home since 1985. Since then they have rehomed more than 9,000 Golden Retriever and Golden Retriever mixes.
The dogs come to them in a variety of ways including commercial breeder surrenders and dogs that needed to be rehomed. They even helped lead a team of rescue groups to save dogs Chinas meat market. Like many others on this list they received a platinum award from Guide Star for transparency.
RAGOM Contact Information:
What Are The Things To Consider When Adopting A Golden Retriever From A Rescue
When you are adopting a golden retriever from a rescue, you may be taking on a dog that has already been abandoned or inadequately cared for once.
The rescue center will want to be sure that you are prepared to take on the responsibility of a large dog, as they wont want to see the pup suffer neglect a second time.
Rescues will work to match you up with a dog that suits your lifestyle and wont match you up with a dog that has serious behavioral problems.
Your dog may well have habits and hangups from their previous owner, so be prepared to spend extra time training and socializing them.
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