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Special Needs Goldens Who Need Your Support
Because of your generous support, GRREAT has never had to close our doors to Goldens who need extra medical attention. Some of these dogs with special needs can be adopted into their forever homes once their treatment is completed. Many others have ongoing medical problems and/or advanced age and are deemed to be not adoptable. These dogs become long term fosters and will always live with a foster family and have their medical needs met by GRREAT. If you would like to help us give these dogs their happy Golden lives, please consider:
If
you would like to provide for the care of a particular special needs
dog, you may sponsor that dog. As you read about the dogs featured on
this page, you will have the option of selecting a dog to sponsor. You
may sponsor a dog with a one-time donation or with a monthly
contribution in an amount and for a period of time of your own choosing.
To get started, simply the click the
button
for the dog you wish to sponsor.
Please click to read more about:
Brooke, the Miracle of "Golden Meadow" Charlie, the Golden with a Big Heart
Stevie, the Indomitable Little Blind Pup Lady, with a Family to Call Her Own
Bailey, Movin' and Groovin' in His Own Way Peaches, Sweet and Soulful
Phoebe, a Golden with a Wink and a Smile Tony, aka Button Nose
Rufus, aka the Comeback Kid Sunny, Her Name Says it All
Wally, the Boot Camp Graduate Rocky, A True Golden Retriever
Tucson, Mr. Independence Maggie Mae, Sharing the Golden Years With Mom
Ollie, The Honorary Golden Rhett, Cool, Calm, and Collected At Last
Beeker, The GRREAT Medical Dictionary
Coming Soon: Rose
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On July 4, 2008, an old Golden Retriever was found wandering the streets of a major city. A found dog report was filed, but no one claimed her, so GRREAT was contacted to find a home for her. Before being placed in a foster home, this little no-name girl was examined at an animal hospital and was found to have a life-threatening condition. What was originally thought to be a fatty mass was actually a softball-sized mammary tumor that had leaked blood and had metastasized into her lungs. The sweet homeless girl would probably live for only a few more months, but she was happy and did not seem to be suffering. The little red Golden with no name went to Golden Meadow, a beautiful farm in rural Virginia, to be in hospice care. Her foster family had attended to and doted on other GRREAT dogs at the end of their lives, so we knew she would be in good hands. After many tries at different names, she heard the name “Brooke”, and promptly spun around and looked at her foster Mom. So, Brooke it was! About two months after her arrival, Brooke came into season, which was a big surprise. After a consultation with the vet and the approval of GRREAT, Brooke underwent surgery to be spayed and to have the large tumor removed. Her recovery from the surgeries was very long and arduous, but she has miraculously survived and now lives a very happy and full life. She is carefully monitored for a recurrence of the cancer, and her foster Mom is always inspecting her for lumps and bumps. Brooke is a very loving girl who has adapted easily into her forever foster family; she behaves as though she has always been a part of their lives. She has taken up a permanent sleeping place next to the bed in the master bedroom. Whenever her family needs to find her that is the first place they look, and they usually find her there enjoying one of her many “beauty naps”. Brooke is quite protective of this space and all of the other dogs are well aware of the “No Trespassing” line she has drawn. Brooke is very afraid of noises and is extremely shy - she runs and hides whenever she's worried about something. She is also very needy and constantly seeks attention. She and another needy red female rescued dog who lives at Golden Meadow have become affectionately known as “The Needy Sisters.” Brooke is also a bit skittish, perhaps from having been alone on the streets of a big city. But she’s also a very alert, bright girl. When she’s out in the yard she is usually the first to notice a vehicle coming up the driveway. She runs quickly to the fence, making a boisterous greeting, and all of the other six four-legged housemates join her as the welcoming committee. It is hard for Brooke’s dedicated foster family to imagine that she was ever so sick, and they cannot imagine a time without her. Brookie is one tough little Golden with a strong will to live. She’s a miracle that has been healed with the love and good care she has received at Golden Meadow. Brooke is in a permanent foster home and will be cared for by GRREAT for the rest of her life. Click the button below to Sponsor Brooke, she would be most appreciative of your support
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Unfortunately, after a year and half with his new family, Rhett came back to GRREAT in January 2010. It was reported that he suffered from increasing, severe separation anxiety that triggered “destructive” behavior. After a short stay in a temporary foster home, Rhett found his way back to his original GRREAT foster family. But Rhett came back to GRREAT with another problem. During his time with his adoptive family, Rhett had developed a cancerous mass, which had been removed. The surgery left margins of about 1 mm, where 2 mm and greater are much safer for his particular cancer, so additional treatment and careful monitoring of his condition are required. Currently, Rhett is on a chemotherapy regimen until October of 2010, which is intended to slow the spread of the cancer, and he must have x-rays every 3 months to assess whether the cancer has spread to his lungs. Rhett’s prognosis is uncertain; his particular cancer is expected to return. However, if no masses are detected in his lungs by October, then he may have as long as 3 years left; if masses are detected, then he’ll have significantly less time. Rhett’s foster family has agreed to provide Rhett with the loving permanent home he so deserves.
Rhett is in a permanent foster home and will be cared for by GRREAT for the rest of his life. Click the button below to Sponsor Rhett, he would be most appreciative of your support
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Charlie was turned over to GRREAT in July 2008 after being kept outside all day and in the garage at night. A serious medical condition was immediately detected during the standard medical evaluation that GRREAT performs on all our rescued Goldens. Charlie was found to have a grade 5/6 heart murmur, but further evaluation by a cardiologist was performed to determine the exact nature of his problem. The technical terms that describe Charlie’s heart are: subaortic stenosis; severe left ventricular outflow obstruction; thickened aortic valve leaflets and borderline moderate aortic insufficiency; mild mitral, tricuspid and pulmonic insufficiencies; and slow sinus arhythmia and ventricular bigeminy. This was a very grim diagnosis, but the family that was fostering Charlie adored him and decided they would keep him comfortable and happy for as long as he would be theirs to love. Charlie is treated with oral medication that he takes twice a day, and he makes occasional visits to the cardiologist. Because of his heart problems, Charlie is more susceptible to infections, so his foster family must always be ready to deal with any injury that may occur. Charlie also has a muscular weakness in his rear legs, for which he takes joint supplements.
Charlie’s family
must monitor his activity level to keep him calm, but he’s a
laid-back loving dog who doesn’t have much energy for more than just
brief play time, both with other dogs and with his human brother and
sister. While his condition is getting a little worse, he still
enjoys a good quality of life, and he continues to bring joy to his
foster family as well as the many neighbors who know him. Charlie
is happy just to be with people, and he shows his appreciation to
the family that cares for him by bringing them sock gifts, as many
as four at a time and sometimes in the midd While we feel that Charlie is a very lucky boy to be loved and cared for by his foster forever home, the rewards of caring for this special needs boy have led Charlie’s family to conclude that they are the lucky ones. They would like you to know that having this special dog in their lives has been so worthwhile, even though they know their time with him will be shortened. Charlie has done remarkably well for a dog with his medical condition. The generosity of our contributors and the kindness and love of his foster family have all helped to prolong the life of this deserving Golden boy. We certainly hope he will continue to defy the odds. Charlie is in a permanent foster home and will be cared for by GRREAT for the rest of his life. Click the button below to Sponsor Charlie, he would be most appreciative of your support
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Stevie came to GRREAT in November 2008 as a very small, 9 wk old puppy. She and her littermates, along with their Mother, were dumped at a shelter when the puppies were only a few weeks old. One by one, all were adopted except for Stevie. She was obviously the runt of the litter but that wasn’t the problem. No one wanted Stevie because she had been born blind. When the shelter realized that they weren’t going to be able to find her a Forever Home, they called GRREAT and, almost that same day, a volunteer picked her up and transported her to her first foster home. Through a wonderful vet at Palisades Veterinary Clinic, Stevie got an appointment with a world-renowned doggie ophthalmologist, Dr Seth Koch. After her examination, we received the news that Stevie’s blindness was due to a congenital birth defect, and there was nothing that could be done to correct it; her eyes just never developed properly. From there, Stevie arrived in her current foster home as a 12 wk old, 13 lb youngster, and promptly tinkled on the living room rug. Ahhhh puppies. In fact, the most challenging parts of living with Stevie have nothing to do with her blindness. Most are simply the everyday challenges of raising a young dog. Her foster home prepared for her arrival by reading Living with Blind Dogs, by Caroline D. Levin, which is a wonderful guide to the rewards and realities of sharing a life with a blind companion. Once Stevie was settled in, she was taken to visit the Coventry School for Dogs and Their People to meet the owners, Ruth Chase and her dog Robbie. After an initial assessment, it was determined that Stevie could join Puppy Day Camp and enroll in Puppy Kindergarten class. Since then, Stevie has graduated from both Puppy I and Puppy II, and she continues to attend day camp to play with all her young friends. Stevie also attends the Canine Fitness Center where she spends time swimming laps and playing in the pool. So many people and businesses have opened their doors to Stevie, regardless of her differences and, because of this, she has grown into an outgoing, sweet, and confident young dog. Often, new people she meets have to be told that she is blind, it’s just not obvious. She uses her heightened senses of hearing and smell to help her negotiate the world around her, and she bravely forges ahead though she cannot see a thing. Unfortunately, her story does not end here. In April of 2009, it became apparent that Stevie’s housebreaking progress was falling behind other puppies her age. After several tests and procedures, we were given the terrible news that the congenital birth defects that affected her eyes and small stature, also affected her kidneys; they never developed properly either. The vets sadly informed us that this condition is life-limiting, and they gave her 3-6 months to live. It was an incongruous diagnosis. How could this young dog, so full of life, so precious and precocious, have only months to live? It was absolutely unfair.
The values are nowhere close to normal, and the possibility of complete kidney failure is ever present, but we are hopeful that we can buy some quality time and keep Stevie feeling happy and healthy for as long as possible. This indomitable little spirit has proven time and again that she will meet every challenge in her life with courage and determination. She won’t give up and neither will we! Stevie is in a permanent foster home and will be cared for by GRREAT for the rest of her life. Click the button below to Sponsor Stevie, she would be most appreciative of your support
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MAGGIE MAE
But sometimes even knowledge and experience aren't enough. That proved to be the case with Maggie Mae. She was moved to a second foster home after engaging in unlady-like behavior towards the other canines at the first foster home. However, in less than 5 minutes of arriving at the second foster home, it became painfully apparent that Maggie Mae didn't like these dogs either. What now? It's rare to find a foster home that doesn't have one or more canine household members, and Maggie Mae just didn't play well with other dogs. But adversity can beget creativity and this predicament required a creative fix fast. The transporter that day was GRREAT's Foster Home Application Coordinator, Denise, who witnessed her behavior and returned to the car with her. She called an elderly dog-loving relative from her car saying, “I don’t know what I am going to do with this girl,” and the reply – immediate and sight unseen – was, “Bring her here, dear.” And so began a happy pairing. Twelve year old Maggie Mae, the Golden who barks at everybody and everything and who does not like the company of other dogs, found her peace with her 82 year old foster Mom who doesn’t hear so well and is not bothered in the least by the barking. Maggie Mae and her foster Mom quickly developed a loving bond and Maggie’s life was back to being idyllic. But her foster Mom was not in a position to adopt her, and in a year’s time only 2 calls were received by potential adopters. Maggie Mae’s behavior made her a less than ideal companion for everyone who met her, except her devoted foster Mom. So GRREAT decided she could stay right where she was.
Finally after 3 long months, Maggie Mae’s foster Mom was well enough to have her special companion returned to her. Now this senior Golden and her senior human are back to living the idyllic life - spending their golden years together. Maggie Mae is in a permanent foster home and will be cared for by GRREAT for the rest of her life. Click the button below to Sponsor Maggie Mae, she would be most appreciative of your support
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BEEKER
Heartworm treatment began for Beeker as soon as he came to GRREAT, just before he arrived at his foster home. But he had a really bad reaction to the treatment and the vet did not expect him to live through his first night in foster care. But Beeker is a fighter, and not only did he survive the first night, but he's come through numerous health problems since! While it was not initially known, it was later determined that he had an extremely advanced heartworm infestation that had cut off the blood supply to his kidneys, permanently damaging his renal function.
As soon as he started to feel better, about a month after heartworm
treatment, Mr. Beeker was quite a handful! He had a little too much
machismo and he acted like a Mr. growly-pants. After four long
months, the vet finally gave the go ahead that Beeker was healthy
enough to neuter, and Mr. Beeker has been a mild mannered gentleman
ever since. But the pre-neuter surgical blood work showed that
Beeker’s kidneys were not functioning properly, so he was put on a
special low protein diet for dogs with kidney problems. After
numerous ear infections, hot spots, and hair loss, it was discovered
that Mr. Beeker is allergic to the special kidney diet food! Poor
Mr. Beeker can't eat protein or grains, so now he is on an
extra-special diet of all veggies. Additionally, he was sometimes
crying and having difficulty getting up when he was lying on the
floor. X-rays showed severe hip dysplasia, which had gone untreated
and had become arthritic. The x-rays also showed bee-bee pellets in
his tail, and several missing teeth as well as some teeth that
needed to be extracted! Poor
Mr. Beeker reads like a
medical dictionary. Beeker is so special and everyone who comes to his foster home to meet one of the other foster dogs falls in love with him! Mr. Beeker is the sage patriarch of the house, always keeping the other dogs in line with his gentle but firm presence; he has the regal disposition of a lion. Beeker’s favorite thing to do, aside from eating, is to rock back on his hind quarters and "hold" people’s hands. He takes his numerous medications out of his foster Mom’s hand like treats, no cheese or peanut butter required, but always appreciated. We don't know how old Beeker is or how much longer he’ll be here, but his loving foster family feels privileged every day to have him in their lives! Beeker is in a permanent foster home and will be cared for by GRREAT for the rest of his life. Click the button below to Sponsor Beeker, he would be most appreciative of your support
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A week after coming to GRREAT, my wife and I met Lady. We had been members of GRREAT for less than a year, but we were eager to help Golden Retrievers as much as we could. We were to foster an 11 year-old male, Lucky, when we were asked to also take a 14 year-old female. It was Lady. Lucky and Lady had been transported together and when Lady was taken to the vet’s, she was found to have scabies. This is a highly contagious condition, so Lady couldn’t go to another foster home with dogs, and Lucky had already been exposed. When we first saw Lady she was sad, scared, and alone. She had no hair on her tail, hips, and belly. In addition to the scabies, she also had heartworms, hookworms, and an ear infection. We took Lady and Lucky home. We gave Lady a pillow to sleep on, and for the next two weeks, she would not leave the pillow. We also gave her a toy to play with but she didn’t want it. She ate very little and no matter how much attention we gave her she would just lay on her pillow. At night, Lady would not come upstairs with Lucky and us. She would just lie on her pillow and cry in her sleep, and nothing we did helped.
Then our grandsons
came to visit us for a few days. The smallest one, who was five
years old, was playing in the pool when Lady first noticed him. She
got off her pillow and went to him. She spent the rest of the day
by his side watching him play in the pool. This was the first day
Lady didn’t seem depressed. That night she came upstairs with my
wife, Lucky, and me. She checked each bedroom and then lay in the
hallway and slept. This was the first night she did not cry. After
that night, Lady slowly began to accept us, and she began to eat
more and play with her toys. Then her treatment for scabies was
finished and she could be moved to a new foster home, but we just
could not let her go. We had become attached to Lady and asked if
we could remain her foster family, and GRREAT agreed. As Lady’s medical condition improved so did her attitude. But because of her advanced age, treatment for her heartworms was deemed impossible. On August 21, 2009 the GRREAT Board of Directors decided that Lady would become our long-term foster dog. She would never have to go to another home again! When we come home from work, Lady greets us at the door with her tail wagging in the air, and she always presents us with a gift in her month. It could be a toy or just someone’s shoe, but she always has a gift for us. Her hair has grown back and once again she is a beautiful Golden Retriever. She plays with her toys and tug of war with Lucky, and she runs to the door to meet our friends. She still is the last one to go to bed, but only after she checks each bedroom and makes sure everyone is safe. Lady is now a happy girl because she has a family to love. If not for the volunteer who worked for the shelter and for GRREAT, this beautiful dog would have been put to sleep the first day at the shelter. And if not for the kindness of her foster family, Lady would not have been able to blossom into the grand old Golden girl that she is. Lady is in a permanent foster home and will be cared for by GRREAT for the rest of her life. Click the button below to Sponsor Lady, she would be most appreciative of your support
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TUCSON
Tucson lives happily with 3 other dogs and 2 cats. While the other dogs are much younger than Tucson, he gets along just fine with them, but will bark at them to let them know if they’re playing too rambunctiously to suit him. The cats in the home enjoy Tucson’s company and let him know it by going right up to his nose and sometimes grooming his muzzle, all to his liking. But mostly Tucson loves his foster Mom and Dad. Inside he’s a velcro boy to his Mom, always following her around the house. While he wants to go up and down the stairs with her, it’s just too difficult and dangerous for him to do so. He gets help going upstairs at night so he can sleep in the bedroom with his family, and help again in the morning to go downstairs for the day. When it’s time to go outside, Dad is the special person that Tucson must have accompany him out the door, down the steps, and around the yard. Even though he won’t go outside without his foster Dad by his side, Tucson refuses any offers of help to get down the 4 steps leading from the deck to the yard. Instead, “Mr. Independence” does a funny hop to get to the yard.
About a month after Tucson arrived at his GRREAT foster home, he suddenly stopped going down the few deck steps and was having accidents in the house. His independent nature did not allow him to accept help with the steps – if his foster Dad put a towel under his belly he’d sit down or let his front legs buckle. Thinking the behavior might be related to pain, the medication that he had been taking was changed. Within a few weeks Tucson was fine and back to doing his special hop to get into the yard Tucson takes pain medication and Chinese herbs for his joints, and he also receives acupuncture treatments every 10 days. His ears are regularly checked at his acupuncture appointments in order to help prevent the reoccurrence of ear infections. Because he loves to ride in the car, his trips to the acupuncturist are a real treat for him, as are the occasional rides to the groomer for his special “spa” days. “Mr. Independence” is a much-loved pampered boy in his special Forever Foster home, and we know he is deserving of all the love and attention he’s receiving there. Tucson is in a permanent foster home and will be cared for by GRREAT for the rest of his life. Click the button below to Sponsor Tucson, he would be most appreciative of your support
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Tony was already in a wonderful home when we received the sad news about his condition, and when his foster Mom was asked if she would keep him until it was time for him to make his journey to the Rainbow Bridge, her response was: "How could I not? I have fallen in love".
His foster Mom can’t imagine her life without Tony, aka “Big Yellow”, aka “Button Nose”. He loves his short walks, his rides around town in the back seat of the car, relaxing, and even taking his medication. When she comes home after a long day, she’s met by Tony dancing with joy and yelping “hello!” The time that Tony and his foster Mom spend together is treasured. Tony is one big lucky boy who will have a blessed life for the rest of his grreat days. Tony is in a permanent foster home and will be cared for by GRREAT for the rest of his life. Click the button below to Sponsor Tony, he would be most appreciative of your support
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Wally seemed to be in good health when he first came to GRREAT, but the big old sweet lug was overweight and terribly out-of-shape. His foster home immediately started him on a restricted diet and an exercise regimen of very short walks around the neighborhood a few times a day. Wally was in need of some serious boot camp training. When Wally visited the vet for his initial GRREAT health checkup, a thickening in his spleen was discovered. A follow-up visit led to having an ultrasound and biopsy performed. The biopsy results were inconclusive, but one week later his spleen, which was at risk of rupture, was removed. Wally’s spleen was tested and a diagnosis of hemangiosarcoma was confirmed. Although the removal of his spleen will extend his life, the cancer has likely spread. Wally’s foster family had fallen in love with this sweet guy and they were heartbroken to hear the diagnosis, but they gladly agreed to be his forever foster home.
Two
weeks after his surgery, and about 15 pounds lighter, a new Wally
emerged. Suddenly he became an enthusiastic and energetic walker,
and now he takes his foster Mom on a brisk 1 to 2 mile walk about 4
to 5 times a week, and romps in the yard with his canine sister
every day. Another indicator of Wally’s improved health is Wally’s family does their very best to make his life a dog’s dream come true. He gets constant human and canine companionship, endless snuggles, daily walks, and treats that he is now fit enough to enjoy. Like so many Goldens, he likes to carry his stuffed toys in his mouth, and he happily greets people with them. He loves to hang out with his family, just quietly resting his head in a human lap, and accompanying them on car rides. But Wally’s absolute favorite thing to do is to accompany his 7 and 9 year old human siblings to the bus stop each day where he receives a warm welcome from his many school-aged fans. Wally may not be with us for much longer, but while he’s here, he’ll be having the most fun imaginable. GRREAT and his foster family are so happy to be able to provide the good Golden life for him. Wally is in a permanent foster home and will be cared for by GRREAT for the rest of his life. Click the button below to Sponsor Wally, he would be most appreciative of your support
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** Thank you for your support of Rocky over the past year. Sadly, Rocky passed on to the Rainbow Bridge in late June 2010. This sweet guy will be missed by all of us! **
Rocky’s true Golden life began as soon as he became a GRREAT dog. He was immediately taken to a vet, who estimated Rocky to be 10 years old, and his condition was evaluated. Within a few days he had surgery to remove the tumor on his ankle and on his ear, and he also had several teeth extracted. Then he went to his foster home to await the results of the biopsies on the two tumors. Five days later, the results came back - the mass on Rocky’s ear was a hemangiopericytoma, and the mass removed from his leg was a multilobulated fibrosarcoma, which could not be fully removed without amputating his leg. These are both cancerous growths that would reoccur, but they would spread slowly or just stay localized. Given his age, it was felt that no further treatment would be appropriate, except for daily anti-inflammatory and pain medications to keep Rocky comfortable. The decision was made to allow Rocky to live out the rest of his life as a GRREAT hospice dog, and the foster family that had bonded with him agreed to provide him with his forever home. While medicines have helped Rocky endure the physical discomfort associated with his medical condition, the soothing of his soul has been problematic from the very start. He came to his foster family as a dog who was sometimes happy and always affectionate, but with daily anxiety and panic attacks that went on for hours at a time, and sometimes lasted through the night. Rocky would pace, pant, scratch and tear at the floors, and climb behind furniture where he would get stuck. While every possible remedy was tried to calm him, there just didn’t seem to be any way to help him. But love and patience made a difference, and gradually the true Golden Retriever inside Rocky began to emerge. With each week, he became a more secure and happy dog who seemed to find his place in his forever foster home. He started playing with the three other dogs in the home, zipping around the yard, wrestling and rolling on the lawn, and just having a grand old time being silly. He found lots of energy for daily walks and big hikes in the park a few times a month. And the panic attacks eased significantly. Now they occur only about once a week and last for less than an hour!
When the old anxiety is hidden away, Rocky is a true Velcro Golden who is always by his foster Mom’s side, along with the other dogs in the home. Rocky’s Mom leads the canine parade wherever she goes around the house! And Rocky loves being with his doggie siblings, either playing with them or just lying down with them to rest and enjoy the good life he’s finally found. Whether with humans or canines, cuddling is one of Rocky’s favorite activities, just like a true Golden Retriever. Rocky is extremely friendly and loving towards everyone, but you probably figure that out - he’s a true Golden Retriever! There are no children in his forever foster home, but Rocky enjoys meeting them in the neighborhood on his daily walks. The true Golden in Rocky has no idea he has cancer. His foster family is thrilled with the progress he’s made and at how well he’s doing given his prognosis, but of course they know the cancer will eventually take Rocky from them. For now, they are enjoying the fun-loving silly Rocky and the journey he’s making as the true Golden Retriever that was always within him. ** Thank you for your support of Rocky over the past year. Sadly, Rocky passed on to the Rainbow Bridge in late June 2010. This sweet guy will be missed by all of us! **
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OLLIE ** Thank you for your support of Ollie over the past year. Sadly, Ollie passed on to the Rainbow Bridge in late June 2010. This sweet guy will be missed by all of us! **
When he was transported to GRREAT, it was clear the smiling boy looked more like a Lab, even though he had been described as a mix but with a more Golden appearance. This prompted us to immediately contact other rescues, but none would take him because of his age and poor condition. So now he’s a GRREAT dog and an “Honorary Golden.” And everyone who meets him comments on how very sweet he is and how happy he seems to be, even with his terrible arthritic condition and extreme difficulty in getting around. Ollie’s joints are enormously swollen, and his muscles have atrophied. As a result, his movement is slow and unsteady, and a sling must be used to hold up his hind quarters so he can walk. He takes anti-inflammatory medicines and joint supplements to help with his pain and discomfort. It was discovered that Ollie also has some neurological degeneration, so a holistic vet has been consulted to help care for him. He takes Chinese herb supplements and has started to receive weekly acupuncture and massage treatments. It may take a while to see any positive results from these treatments, but GRREAT is committed to giving this sweet boy the chance to live as comfortably and happily as possible until the end of his life.
But chasing tennis balls is still a long way off. For now Ollie is carried upstairs at night to sleep in his own special bed, with his very own comfy pillow, right next to his foster parents’ bed. We’re sure Ollie has sweet dreams of how wonderful his life has become, thanks to GRREAT and his adoring and caring foster family. And we know that despite his pain, he’s a mostly happy boy – that smile of his tells us it’s so. ** Thank you for your support of Ollie over the past year. Sadly, Ollie passed on to the Rainbow Bridge in late June 2010. This sweet guy will be missed by all of us! **
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We needed to find out what was wrong with Bailey so that he could be treated appropriately. After a spinal tap ruled out disease, and an MRI ruled out a degenerative condition such as a brain tumor or lesions, Dr. Walker of DC Vets concluded that Bailey’s disability was caused by a congenital structural problem in the brain. The technical name for Bailey’s condition is “cerebellar ataxia”, which means that the signals from Bailey’s brain to his body are not being translated properly. The good news with this diagnosis is that Bailey’s life expectancy and quality are not adversely affected. Bailey displays all the classic symptoms of a dog with ataxia - a staggering gait, “goose stepping” of the front legs, a tendency to lose balance, wobbling back and forth, and tremors. Fortunately for Bailey, his condition is not degenerative and he is not in pain.
Because of his
physical problem, Bailey has special exercise needs. He swims once
or twice a week at the
Canine Fitness Bailey is not in pain, he is a sweet happy Golden with a normal life expectancy, and he is not even aware that he moves differently from any other dog. Except for his unusual movement, he is indistinguishable from any other Golden - he wiggles when happy, he prances and leaps across the yard, and he loves to try to chase balls and play tug-of-war with his Golden sister. The only thing Bailey really can’t do is climb stairs, but fortunately he lives in a single-story home. Bailey is in a permanent foster home and will be cared for by GRREAT for the rest of his life. Click the button below to Sponsor Bailey, he would be most appreciative of your support
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Soon after coming into GRREAT, Peaches was found to have another serious medical condition. Her digestion was sluggish and food tended to collect in her intestinal tract causing damage to her colon. This secondary problem meant more medicines, more procedures, and much closer vigilance. Peaches needs to be given small meals at least four times a day. Her food must be very soft to move easily through her intestines, but without causing diarrhea. And there’s a strict schedule of about eight medicines every day. The exact combination of medicines and daily re-evaluations is critical to Peachey’s well-being. Peaches is not easy to live with - she frequently has an odor associated with her condition, and she also needs “wipey-butts” each time she produces a bowel movement. This unpleasant task is actually made fun by her sweet and playful nature and help from our friends in the baby-wipe industry.
Despite the
suffering Peaches has endured, she is a happy girl. In her mind,
she is no different from any other dog. When she’s feeling too
happy to contain herself she chases her tail, and she’ll even try to
catch it when she’s lying on her back with her feet straight up in
the air. She loves playing with her rope toy, prancing like a lion
with a kill and dragging it between her front legs. Peachey also
loves to sit as close as she can to anyone nearby, scootching in as
much as possible. While waiting the 30 minutes needed for her food
to sit before she can eat it, she lays quietly in front of the
counter; We don’t know how long Peaches will be with us. Because her condition is so difficult to treat, most dogs with her problems do not get the expensive and time-consuming care that’s needed, and sadly these dogs are usually let go by their owners. The dedication of Peachey’s foster family and the generous contributions of Golden lovers around the world have allowed her to live a happy life. Her sweet disposition, playful nature, and soulful eyes tell all who meet her that she’s deserving of every Golden day. Currently, Peaches’ food and medicines cost about $600 a month, and she visits the vet regularly for special procedures and check ups. But this Peach is worth every penny! Peaches is in a permanent foster home and will be cared for by GRREAT for the rest of her life. Click the button below to Sponsor Peached, she would be most appreciative of your support
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** Thank you for your support of Phoebe over the last few years. Sadly, Phoebe passed on to the Rainbow Bridge in early June 2010. This sweet girl will be missed by her Foster Family as well as all who knew her **
Thankfully, Phoebe’s surgery was successful and the malignancy was completely removed before it had a chance to spread. But Phoebe was left with a partial paralysis on the right side of her face, which has given her the somewhat mischievous appearance of always winking at the world. Eventually Phoebe had to undergo further dental surgery to remove more rotten teeth. To treat her thyroid and arthritis conditions, Phoebe must take daily medications and joint supplements. Her thyroid function is now good, but her arthritis has gradually gotten worse. She has developed 2 large arthritic lumps on both ankles on her back legs. At one point her left leg had become so painful that she was hardly using it at all. But she has responded well to a new medicine, so she gets around better and uses her left leg more. There’s a trail of rug runners laid out in her foster home so that Phoebe can move about without slipping and falling down. Over the years, Phoebe has almost completely lost her hearing, but she has learned to respond to hand signals and the loss hasn’t affected her quality of life. While GRREAT and Phoebe’s forever foster family were able to deal with her physical and medical issues, it was a bigger challenge for Phoebe’s family to help her become the happy Golden girl she was always meant to be. Sadly, Phoebe’s previous owner had kept her and the 2 other Goldens together in a small pen in the basement. They were let out only briefly to go potty, and never had the chance to run and play or to interact much with people. Before coming to GRREAT, Phoebe really didn’t know how to be someone’s pet. Now she lives with 4 other GRREAT dogs, has 1 ½ acres as her playground, and is a beloved member of her forever foster family. It took a while before she learned to enjoy romps outside and walks with her human and dog companions, but she did! Now Phoebe’s advanced age and arthritis limit her ability to take full advantage of the grreat outdoors, but her family takes her on daily walks around the yard. Phoebe especially wants to hang out with her Golden siblings, but has difficulty navigating the 5 steps that divide the living quarters in the house. She has learned to bark for help from the humans to get up and down the steps to be with the rest of the dogs. Rides in the car are still an enjoyable activity for Phoebe, and she loves to spend time at the family’s weekend house on the river. She used to swim there, but now doesn’t venture close to the water for fear of becoming mired in the sand at the water’s edge. But Phoebe is content to just be there with the other dogs and the family that loves her and takes care of her. Phoebe has become a happy dog in her forever home. After the first 9 years of her life, she came to GRREAT and finally started living the good Golden life she deserves! ** Thank you for your support of Phoebe over the last few years. Sadly, Phoebe passed on to the Rainbow Bridge in early June 2010. This sweet girl will be missed by her Foster Family as well as all who knew her **
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RUFUS
This so-sweet 3 year old boy was found in Tennessee in the summer of 2003 by a GRREAT member, George Stanley, who was transporting some rescued cats. Rufus, who was named by George, was being kept in deplorable conditions along with a number of other dogs. There were cement pens with trash strewn everywhere, little food, and obviously no medical care being given. Rufus was tied to a lean-to shelter made of tarps. While local rescue groups were making efforts to help the dogs, their attempts to transport Rufus to an out-of-state shelter were stalled. George contacted GRREAT and was immediately given approval to bring Rufus home and into our rescue. When George arrived at his front door step with Rufus, his wife Becky found herself looking at a Golden like none she had ever seen before. Rufus was seriously underweight with prominent bones sticking out, he had no fur, his skin was black and full of itchy scaly patches, and he was covered with fleas. Despite his obvious neglect, Rufus was a well-mannered sweet-natured guy whose greeting consisted of tail wags, his special Golden smile, and a hopeful look in his eyes. Because they would soon be going out of town on business and vacation, Rufus’ stay with the Stanleys was brief. He went to his foster home and soon began his medical odyssey to improve his health and bring back his Golden looks. During his initial vet visit, Rufus was found to be 20 pounds underweight, and had severe heartworms, Ehrlichia, and demodex mange. Treatment for all these conditions was difficult and prolonged. Many trips to the animal hospital were made, there were consultations with an internal medicine vet, and Rufus was heavily medicated for a long time. His arsenal of pills included as many as 40 a day, and he endured many intense dippings for his mange problem. As a result of his Ehrlichia condition, Rufus had suffered kidney damage, which then led to chronic high blood pressure. He is treated with 2 types of blood pressure medications, one canine and one human, and examinations are needed every 6 months to monitor his blood pressure, and to perform full blood, urine, and stool analyses. In the beginning, Rufus’ foster Mom made every effort to make him an adoptable dog, but eventually it became apparent that his medical needs would make it very difficult for GRREAT to find a new family that could continue the treatments he needed. His foster family was dedicated to helping Rufus and agreed to keep him as a Long Term Foster and provide him with his forever home. This sweet Golden who had been so terribly neglected would stay with the family that had helped to bring him the good life he deserved. Rufus has also developed a thyroid condition, for which he takes daily medication. Because of chronic ear infections he must have his ears cleaned every week, and he is treated with oral antibiotics and/or antibiotic ointment when flare-ups occur. The serious malnutrition he suffered before coming to GRREAT makes it essential for Rufus to be fed a high quality dog food with no additives, and to be given vitamins and supplements for increased well-being. Although he’ll never get all his hair back and he’ll always have black skin, Rufus aka “The Comeback Kid” is living his happy Golden life in his wonderful forever foster home. He’s a very laid-back friendly guy who spends most of his days lounging on the couch, or pushing the two other Goldens in the home aside so he can be the center of attention. He loves to keep in close physical contact with his foster Mom or any other person who is nearby, and of course he sleeps on the bed at night with a body part touching the human he loves most. When the grandchildren and young nieces and nephews visit, Rufus is the object of all their adoration and affection, which Rufus finds to be the most fun ever! Understandably, Rufus would prefer to be indoors all the time, but he’s managed to get over his initial reluctance to go outside at all; he’s learned he’ll always be able to come back inside to enjoy all the creature comforts. The cost of Rufus’s expensive human blood pressure medicine is covered by GRREAT, but his veterinary care and the rest of his medicines have been donated by Dr. Sue Maturo and the Animal Medical Center of Watkins Park. And Dr. Mark Hitt, Internal Medicine specialist at Atlantic Veterinary Internal Medicine has donated numerous veterinary consultations about Rufus. Rufus has won a very special place in the hearts of these caring vets, and GRREAT is so appreciative of their generosity in helping this deserving Golden boy. Rufus is in a permanent foster home and will be cared for by GRREAT for the rest of his life. Click the button below to Sponsor Rufus, he would be most appreciative of your support
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Sunny quickly adapted to her foster family with young twin girls and two young GRREAT Goldens. It was expected that she would be adopted quickly since she was an owner give-up, had been in a family with small children, and was in good health, although skinny and needing to gain some weight. Sunny was an easy foster and seemed to be a very adoptable girl. A few weeks after coming to GRREAT, and just before her first adoption day, Sunny had a major seizure that sent her heart rate soaring. Her foster family took her to the animal emergency hospital immediately. Another seizure occurred a few weeks later. Because of the seizure disorder and her heart condition, GRREAT decided that Sunny needed to stay in a permanent foster home, and her foster family agreed that she could stay with them forever. A few months later, Sunny’s foster family went through major changes as well, which raised the question of whether they could continue to be her foster family. But, they had bonded with Sunny and worried that the stress of moving her to a new foster home could cause the seizures to begin again. Despite her medical problems, it seemed that the Golden and her future were both “Sunny,” and it became clear that she now had a forever home where she was truly a much-loved member of the family. At the time Sunny’s heart and seizure disorders were diagnosed, she was started on several medications that will continue for the rest of her life. She takes two different medications for her heart and one to control her seizures. Also at that time, Sunny was started on medication to help with early-onset arthritis. She has always had a “bunny hop” when she walks, and in the 5 years that have gone by, she has become more tentative and wobbly. The medication provides pain relief and helps her get around her home much more easily. In 2008, Sunny started having difficulty breathing on her daily walks. Her foster Mom worried that Sunny might be experiencing asthma attacks, but a visit to the vet led to the diagnosis of laryngeal paralysis. Surgery to correct the problem was approved by GRREAT, and Dr. Tom Walker of DC Vets performed the operation. Sunny recovered very well from the surgery, but about a month later, her breathing became labored again and her foster Mom took her to see Dr. Walker again. It was discovered that a large tumor was pressing on all the nerves in Sunny’s throat. Dr. Walker performed a painless laser procedure to remove the tumor, and a biopsy revealed that it was benign and would not grow back! Most recently, in the summer of 2009, during a routine annual check-up, it was discovered that Sunny had developed very low thyroid functioning, for which another medicine has been added to her daily treatment regimen.
Despite the many medical problems Sunny has dealt with in her life, she’s a Golden with a “Sunny” personality, and a “Sunny” future, thanks to the good care from her forever foster family and the support of GRREAT. Sunny is in a permanent foster home and will be cared for by GRREAT for the rest of her life. Click the button below to Sponsor Sunny, she would be most appreciative of your support
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A
miracle has happened in a place called “Golden Meadow”. A sweet
little red Golden named Brooke has been brought back to life, and
this is her story.
Ten-year-old
Rhett has lived a nomadic, unstable, and distressed life the past
few years, but finally he’s found his comfortable Golden life, and a
serenity that he has likely spent his whole life searching for.
Little is known about Rhett’s early years, when he lived with a
veterinarian until the age of six, reportedly as a
“Golden-in-residence” at the vet’s practice. When the vet left the
area, he could not take Rhett with him, so a new home was found.
Less than a year later, in the summer of 2008, Rhett’s new owner
surrendered him to GRREAT due to reported separation and
thunderstorm anxiety. But these problems were not observed while
Rhett was in his GRREAT foster home, and he was adopted to a family
in September of 2008.
While
Rhett’s longevity is doubtful, one thing is definite: he will live
out the remainder of his time with his wonderful forever foster
family and their three other Goldens, a home that has offered Rhett
a level of stability and comfort that he hadn’t felt in his previous
homes. Rhett is a docile sweetheart, who likes to follow his foster
Mom around, roll around on the rug, and lounge around the house. He
gets along well with his Golden siblings, and remarkably, does not
demonstrate any separation anxiety at his forever foster home, even
when left alone for several hours. The use of a calming medication
helps Rhett cope with any situation that might raise his anxiety
level. With the love of his foster family, and careful medical
supervision and treatment made possible through the support of
GRREAT community sponsorship, Rhett can enjoy a stable, peaceful
existence as he lives out his Golden years, however many he is
blessed to have.
Maggie
Mae's life was idyllic ... until her world was turned upside-down
one day in December of 2008 when her humans brought home a new puppy
to join the pack. Maggie Mae's reaction in response to the distress
she felt towards the pup resulted in Maggie's one-way trip to the
local animal shelter. Thankfully she soon found herself among
friends - the experienced and Golden-loving humans at GRREAT.
But
then things got topsy turvy for Maggie Mae again. After spending a
year in her heavenly Forever Foster Home, Maggie Mae’s Mom fell and
broke her spine. Now where would Maggie Mae stay? Denise came to
the rescue again. With some sacrifice and maneuvering Maggie Mae
was transported to Denise’s home, and Denise’s dominant Golden boy
went to live with a relative. But Denise was still fostering for
GRREAT, so some difficult times lay ahead. Mostly Maggie Mae had to
be kept away from the other dogs. Even when they were friendly and
wanted to play with her she would not tolerate them. After a lot of
effort on Denise’s part, and the use of lavender oil as a calming
agent, Maggie Mae’s behavior improved around other dogs, but
Denise’s constant vigilance was needed.
Beeker
came to GRREAT in early February 2009, after a kind woman tried to
help him overcome his past neglect. He had been chained in a
basement and was not being fed before his rescuer found him.
Because she already had too many animals of her own, the woman tried
for a year to find a forever home for Beeker. She loved him, but
was not able to properly care for him, so she contacted GRREAT. The
woman’s hope that Beeker would find a loving home where he would
receive the basic care that every dog deserves became a 
As
if the list of his medical issues wasn’t long enough, Beeker started
having seizures in March of 2010. After a variety of tests, the vet
was unable to determine the cause. After a month on the standard
seizure medication, more blood work showed that his liver enzymes
were five times the normal level! So the medication was stopped
immediately to allow his liver to heal, but this led to more
frequent and more severe seizures. Now, Beeker is on a brand new
medication; it’s allowing his liver to function better, and there
have been no more seizures! In addition to the seizure medication,
Beeker takes numerous
Tucson
is a gentle and affectionate old soul with an independent streak
that tells us he must have been quite the bold Golden in his younger
days. He came to GRREAT in the summer of 2009 as a 14 year old boy
with poor hearing and difficulty getting around because of hip
dysplasia and arthritis. It soon became obvious that Tucson’s
eyesight was also poor, as he would often walk into things, and he
was also having frequent ear infections. His advanced age and
chronic medical issues made Tucson a likely candidate for being a
Long Term Foster dog, and fortunately the foster family he had been
with was ready to have him stay with them forever.
Tony
is a very big guy who arrived at GRREAT early in 2009, along with
some very big problems. His owner had passed away leaving 3 Goldens
and no family to care for them. GRREAT accepted all 3 dogs. Upon
his arrival, we discovered that Tony, who was approximately 8 years
old, was in immediate need of surgery. He had a painful condition
called “entropion” in both eyes. This is an inward folding of the
lower eyelid, which causes inflammation, redness, irritation, and
pain. 
Tony
receives 3 different medications for pain, Chinese herbs to bolster
his system and keep him from bleeding out, arthritis supplements,
and a muscle strengthening drug
Named
after the lovable character in the Disney movie “Wally,” they don’t
come any sweeter than this boy. He was found wandering the streets
with his companion, a Cocker Spaniel, in the summer of 2009. Both
dogs were taken to a local shelter, and Wally then made his way to
GRREAT, while the Cocker was able to find his way to Cocker rescue.
We don’t know how Wally became homeless, but we are fairly certain
he did not wander off by choice as he sticks to his foster family
like Krazy glue.
Another
medical problem arose two months after becoming a GRREAT dog.
Rocky’s foster family came home to find him with a
Sweet
sweet Ollie doesn’t really look like so much like a Golden, but he
sure does have a Golden heart and a Golden smile. He came to GRREAT
in early February 2010, at the age of 10, from a small rural rescue
that had saved him on the day he was to have been euthanized in a
shelter. He had been picked up as a stray and was suffering from
severe arthritis in all 4 limbs. No one knew his real name, but
someone had dubbed him “Smiley”, an obvious name for a dog that
always has a happy smile on his face. But it was a not a name that
he responded to. After coming to GRREAT and spending a few days
with his foster family, he became “Ollie”, a name that elicited a
response from him. 
Although
we don’t know anything about Ollie’s past life, we do know he’s
getting the royal treatment he so deserves with the forever foster
family that adores him and is eager to provide this Honorary Golden
with boundless love and good care. Because of some anemia and
stomach upset due to his medicines, Ollie’s foster Mom has been
feeding him home-cooked meals, mostly little hamburger patties,
several times a day. He spends much of his day just relaxing on his
dog bed, after taking a nice assisted stroll around the yard every
morning. On pleasant days he enjoys lying in the yard just soaking
up the Golden sunshine. Ollie also gets special treatment from his
Golden sibling, with whom he has a mutually loving relationship.
The boys share a dog bed and share tennis balls, too. In addition
to his Golden smile and Golden heart, Ollie also has that “I love
tennis balls” Golden trait! His foster family is working hard to
get Ollie back on his feet so he can chase those tennis balls!
Rufus
just might have the most unusual appearance of any Golden you’ll
ever see, but just beyond his outer skin is a quintessential Golden
Retriever. His story shows how a rescued dog can come a very long
way from a horrendous start to a very pampered existence.
Sunny
came to GRREAT in September of 2004 at the age of 5 when her owners
experienced several disruptive life changes and found themselves
unable to care for her. Her foster Mom remembers the day she
brought Sunny home; she wouldn’t come in the front door! When
Sunny’s owners were contacted, her fear of hardwood floors was
explained. Once the rubber-backed runners from her previous home
were recovered, Sunny willingly entered the place that was soon to
become her forever home.