They make us laugh and
cry. They keep us company when we
are feeling alone. They provide unconditional love and support us in
many ways. In most cases, we return
the love and attention they crave.
After all, dog has been man’s best friend for ions.
In particular, the Golden
Retriever is one of the most revered breed of dogs. The Golden Retriever is known for its intellect and
gentility. It’s also known to be
one of the most kid-friendly and loyal breeds. Unfortunately though, the Golden Retriever is one of the most
widely neglected and abused breeds in the state.
Lorraine Donald – a life-long
dog lover, especially of Golden Retrievers – says, in most cases, Golden
Retrievers are neglected because the owners don’t realize the amount of
attention and responsibility a Golden Retriever requires. “Parents buy a Golden Retriever puppy
for their kids, thinking it will be the perfect play-mate. Soon after, they grow frustrated with
the pup when curtains are torn, pillows are destroyed, and the trash is turned
over. The pup ends up being relegated to the back yard and almost forgotten,”
says Donald. Donald believes
training is the key to a well-behaved Golden and once you have a properly
trained Golden, you have the perfect family dog. Donald also cites a more sinister reason for the abuse of
Golden Retrievers, “bait for training fight dogs.”
In an effort to curtail all
forms of abuse and neglect of Golden Retrievers, Donald founded Adopt-A-Golden
Birmingham. The not-for-profit
organization opened in 2011 with a group of passionate volunteers and one
purpose – to rescue any Golden Retriever from the area and place them in a
loving home.
“We do not turn down any
Golden Retriever, regardless of age or medical issue,” says Donald. According to Donald, once a Golden
Retriever is delivered to Adopt-A-Golden, whether it’s an owner surrender or an
actual rescue, the first step is to perform a wellness check on the dog. Adopt-A-Golden is affiliated with
several veterinary clinics in the area that perform these checks. After the wellness check, a photo of
the rescue is posted to the foundations website, along with a biography of the
dog. Adopt-A-Golden does not own
its own kennel facility, so the organization relies on volunteers to foster the
rescue until an adoptive family is found.
At first, the adoption
process seems rigorous.
There’s an online application to fill out, coupled with a $20
application fee. Then there’s a
phone interview. References
are interviewed. A home inspection
is performed. “Our adoption
process is strenuous. We want to
be sure these dogs will not be placed back into a neglectful environment,”
Donald explains. Once a
prospective adopter passes the adoption process, a donation fee is charged for
the dog. This fee is dependent on
the age of the dog and goes towards helping offset the cost of medical
training, behavioral training, and boarding facilities.
Cheryl Hutcheson recently
adopted Buddy, a Golden-Retriever-Mix.
“The adoption process was strict, but the entire experience reinforced
this organizations passion for Golden Retrievers,” states Hutcheson. Hutcheson was so impressed by her
experience with Adopt-A-Golden Birmingham; she decided to volunteer with the
foundation.
It’s volunteers like
Hutcheson that keep the momentum going.
Adopt-A-Golden relies on a passionate team of volunteers to perform home
inspections, mediate the adoption process, temporarily foster rescues,
transport rescues, and fund raising.
Adopt-A-Golden Birmingham relies heavily, if not completely, on monetary
donations from kind people everywhere.
One hundred percent of the donations go towards the rehabilitation of
rescued Golden Retrievers.
Since operation began in 2011,
Adopt-A-Golden Birmingham has rescued over 200 Golden Retrievers throughout the
state and surrounding areas.
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