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Golden Tales brings you all the latest news from Gold Ribbon Rescue. |
| | A Message From Our President | | |
Hello friends,
Happy Spring! The wildflowers do not seem to be as abundant this year due to lack of rain but there are some out there. It’s always a fun time taking the pups out for some spring photos. Be careful of snakes and other potentially dangerous critters when venturing into these areas. Also, remember to have plenty of water on hand for both you and your pups. I never leave home without my treat bag as I know there will always be an opportunity to do some training with our crew every time we walk out the front door.
We ended last month bringing in our 34th dog of the year. We have several dogs waiting to come in and are still in need of foster homes to keep up with the number of dogs coming in. We need foster families willing to take in dogs that may have some medical needs. We are averaging about 50 applications a month and all volunteers are working very hard to manage the workflow.
I want to give a big thank you to all who donated to Amplify Austin. We raised a whopping $15,125.00. We are so grateful for your support. Thank you to all who attended the Springaling and those who helped with the event. We are very excited to be the fundraising recipient of the Annual Largest Golden Retriever Meet Up in Texas taking place on April 13th. We hope you and your Golden will be able to attend the event.
We have several wonderful senior Goldens that are so patiently waiting for their forever families. Consider how you may be able to provide such a positive impact on one of these sweet seniors’ lives by giving them possibly the best years ahead. These dogs tend to be very well mannered and lower to average energy. They want nothing more than to have a family to love. Read more about them below.
Best Regards,
Michelle
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Do you have questions or comments for the Board?
We value your input. Please send a note to the GRR Board and include Questions For The Board in the subject line. We hope to hear from you! The next GRR board meeting is May 17, 2025.
Do you know of a Golden in need or one to be re-homed? Please always remember to contact our intake team or call our Hotline at 512-659-4653. Our social media pages aren’t monitored for posts of dogs in need.
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Our Golden Springaling was Fabulous!
We had a great turnout and many of our supporters and volunteers gathered, along with their Goldens, on March 16th at the beautiful 5 Soul Wine Co. and Frontyard Brewing Co. in the Texas Hill County.
We enjoyed mingling on a beautiful spring afternoon and our Goldens were absolutely in their element. There was plenty of acreage for our Goldens to roam and enjoy. This was a wonderful event and we're so happy that so many or our GRR supporters were able to join us.
Members of our GRR Private Facebook group can check out more photos in Michelle Goldberg's post. If you're not a member, it's easy to join. Go to our Facebook page and request to join.
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Largest Golden Retriever Meetup in Texas!
@Star Hill Ranch
Sunday April 13th, 11am - 4pm
The 3rd Annual Largest Golden Retriever Meetup in Texas, presented by Alex Hopes and ZilkerBark! is coming soon. Once again, GRR will be the non-profit beneficiary for the event. In 2024 with 744 Goldens, we shattered our previous year's record. With everyone's help, we hope to break the world record of 1,310 Goldens. See below for info and tickets including selecting your parking option.
Info and Tickets
We're assembling a team of GRR volunteers for shifts from 10 am-5 pm to help again this year.
Examples of things you can do to help include setting up before the event, welcoming and directing attendees, handling the raffle station, operating the Golden Counter to count the dogs, handing out t-shirts, helping with the Golden Art Gallery, and cleaning up after the event.
Sign Up to Volunteer
Please include:
Your name and phone number
Dog's name if bringing one
Time(s) you're available/what you prefer to do
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As a GRR member, we believe the greatest benefit is knowing that you are helping Gold Ribbon Rescue improve the lives of Goldens in Central Texas. As a member, we strive to keep you better informed about our Goldens and urge you to take an active role in helping shape the future of GRR.
With your GRR membership, you will:
- Stay better informed on everything within GRR through meeting notifications and updates.
- Be able to take a more active role within the organization and have a greater say in how GRR is run.
- Vote at our annual/semi-annual business meetings and Board election if you qualify as a voting member.
- Work with and collaborate with Golden lovers who support your values.
- Help GRR exhibit a strong, sustained membership base which positively impacts the grant-funding organizations that we apply, too.
Your voice matters, so reach out to the Board of Directors if you have questions, ideas or concerns that will better help us help Goldens.
Become a Member or Renew Today
Thank you for your membership and helping us rescue more Goldens.
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Celebrate Spring with Your Bestie!
Enjoy sharing spring days with a sweet, senior Golden who simply wants to love you and be by your side.
Senior Goldens are the best! Loving, calm, playful but not crazy. We have a collection of sweet seniors of all ages who would love to join you on adventures and keep you company on your couch or your bed or the park or hang out with you at your favorite bistro. Are you ready for your low-key bestie? They will love and honor you.
Learn more about these special Goldens!
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The Forever Foster Program - They Need Your Love
The Forever Foster program, previously known as the Permanent Foster program, was created to support special needs Goldens that, for various reasons, aren't able to be adopted. Our goal is to ensure that every Golden experiences a high quality of life. While 99% of our Goldens find loving homes, a small number are best served by receiving life-long care from this program. Two levels of sponsorship for these special Goldens are available through this program. A full sponsorship is $500 per year and a co-sponsorship is $250 per year and both levels provide medical, training or emotional benefits solely for a Forever Foster.
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Meet Ollie, Our Newest Forever Foster
Ollie 24-047 was named a Forever Foster because he has lifelong medical needs. Ollie is on medication for seizures with the goal of reducing them to as minimal as possible; however, he will likely have seizures on some level, lifelong. He requires daily anti-seizure medication and, while his seizures are manageable, they require understanding and patience. Ollie also benefits from a calm environment with another chill dog for companionship, as he tends to relax best when he has a furry friend nearby.
There are times that he has bursts of energy where he loves to do zoomies and play bitey face with Mylo. It is so heartwarming to see Ollie have periods of time where he can enjoy life like most other Goldens do. Ollie has such a great attitude considering his condition; he just wants to live a life as close to normal as possible.Ollie is happy in his Forever Foster home with Rick and Ernest and his canine friend, Mylo. GRR is committed to giving him the best life possible and ensuring that his quality of life is good.
| | Our New Arrivals - Welcome to Golden Ribbon Rescue! | |
25-025 Agave is a 15-month-old owner surrender from Pflugerville, TX. She is being rehomed to us because the owner does not have the time to dedicate to a young Golden. It is reported that she is a very social and super sweet girl. She does, however, need a lot of work on jumping on people. She gets so excited to see a potential new friend, she just can’t help herself. Agave is with her foster-hope-to-adopt (FHTA) mom. Welcome to GRR! | | | |
Meet 25-026 Moxie, a beautiful red Golden. Moxie is curious and smart; she shows interest in the resident dogs in her foster home, but has not met them yet. Something to know about Moxie is that she came to GRR with a past injury to one of her legs and while it does not seem to slow her down much, she does have a bit of an awkward gait. Moxie is very easy-going; she loves to lounge outside while her foster mom reads a book. She is very friendly and wants to be around her people all the time! She sounds perfect to us. | | | |
25-027 Shiloh is an 8-year-old female who is an owner surrender from Jarrell, TX. She is being rehomed along with her BFF, 25-028 Riley. The girls were being rehomed to GRR because the owner is currently in hospice care and is no longer able to care for her dogs. Shiloh is the bolder and more outgoing of the pair and she is also playful and interested in playing with the resident dog. She can also be somewhat of a Velcro dog, wanting to be close to her people as much as possible. Shiloh and Riley are a bonded pair and both are adjusting well in their wonderful foster home. | | | |
25-028 Riley is a 7-year-old blondie who is from Jarrell, TX. She was rehomed along with her BFF, 25-027 Shiloh because the owner is currently in hospice care and is no longer able to care for her dogs. Riley is a bit reserved and will give you her paw if she is requesting attention and even will cry/whine to verbally communicate. She is very independent and more timid than Shiloh, but she does have moments of affection when she loves to cuddle! Riley and Shiloh are a bonded pair and both are adjusting well in their wonderful foster home. | | | |
25-029 Cody is a 1-year-old stray from a small town in Louisiana. Cody and a small white dog appeared in front of the Good Sams home, no collars, no tags and no one in the town recognized them. The Good Sam's sister came to visit and took Cody back with her because she thought he had a better chance of getting a good home in Central Texas rather than a small town in Louisiana. GRR to the rescue. Cody is with his foster family and we look forward to learning more about him. Stay tuned. | | | |
25-030 Bradley Cooper is a 4-year-old total dream puff from the Austin area! He was rehomed to GRR because his previous owners had some challenges within the family that made it not possible to provide Bradley Cooper the life he deserves so they contacted GRR to find him the best family. He is with FHTA (Foster-Hope-To- Adopt) family. Welcome to GRR sweet boy! | | | |
Please welcome 25-031 Moonshine to GRR. This handsome 5 1/2-year-old was an owner surrender to the San Marcos animal shelter. The shelter contacted us for help and, of course, we were happy to take him in. We don’t know anything about Moonshine so we are anxious to learn about him. He is settling in with his foster mom and his Golden foster sister, Phoebe.
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25-032 Janis Joplin has joined the GRR family, along with her companion, 25-033 Willie Nelson. They are from Kerrville and both were rehomed due to illness of the owner. As their names suggest, their owner was a great music lover. We were contacted by a neighbor and friend of the owner, who informed us that the owner has significant health issues, is currently in a coma, and is not expected to live much longer. The neighbor, a volunteer with the local Pets Alive group, knew that placing them in our care rather than a shelter was the best option. We don't have much information about them, but our transport volunteer noted that they are very nice dogs who crave human interaction and we are confident that they will thrive in our care. Stay tuned for more details about this lovely little blondie who we believe is about 7 months old. She is with her foster family.
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25-033 Willie Nelson came to GRR with his companion, 25-032 Janis Joplin, due to the illness of their owner. A neighbor and friend of the owner who is a volunteer with a local rescue in Kerrville contacted us for help because the owner is currently in a coma and not expected to live much longer. Willie Nelson is a three-year old red Golden who is active and playful. We don't know much about him yet so be on the lookout for more details as we get to know him. He is settling in with his foster family.
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Please welcome 25-034 Casper to GRR. He will be 6 years old later this month and he has some potentially significant medical issues that make it not possible for his owner to care for him due to financial issues. Plus, he’s a big, strong dog and was too much for her to manage. His owner adored him and it was a very difficult decision to rehome him to GRR, but she knew it was best for him. He is truly a Golden gem and we will get him the treatment that he needs. Casper is with his foster family.
| | | | My Dreams Come True! Adopted! | |
Henry 25-008 found his perfect home on March 8th with his FHTA family, Jennifer and Steve. This high-energy, playful, and intelligent pup is adjusting nicely to his new home and the family dog and is ready to take on life's adventures. When he's not zooming around like an energizer bunny, Henry is a total lovebug, always ready for cuddles and affection. He plays hard, sometimes a little too hard, but with training and patience, his family is committed to helping him channel that playful energy in the right way. We're wishing Henry and his new family a lifetime of love, fun, and plenty of belly rubs!
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Sweet Blossom 25-022, now known as Chloe, was adopted on March 9th by Julie and Bob and fur siblings Reagan, Max, and Promise. They are over-the-moon excited to make her part of their family. Blossom was a member of the “Powerpuff Girls” squad, along with her littermates, Bubbles and Buttercup, that came to GRR’s care in February. We're thrilled for Chloe and her new family. | | | |
We are so happy to announce that sweet little Buttercup 25-024, the littermate to Blossom and Bubbles of the Powerpuff Girls, was adopted on March 11th by Colton and Raquel. Not only does this adorable little girl now have an awesome new family, she also has an older Golden sibling, “Bumi, to show her the ropes around the house! Congratulations Buttercup and family! We cannot wait to see you begin your journey! | | | |
Mindie 25-018 was adopted on March 14th by Aaron and Leslie and their cat, Blossom. They all took it nice and slow so Mindie could settle in and now she is living her best life. Wherever she goes, Mindie brings sweetness, fun, and her beloved stuffies. Her family says they love everything about her! It’s clear Mindie feels the same way about her family! Congrats to Mindie and family!
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Coconut 25-017, now Helly aka “our girl”, was adopted on March 16th by Brett and Leticia. She has two awesome parents, and a Golden brother, Kevin. Everyone is overjoyed! Especially the two furry souls frolicking like old friends within minutes of meeting! This sweet girl is loved, and it shows! Congratulations to this adorable family! Helly, we cannot wait to see and hear all about your future adventures with your brother!
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What’s better than one Golden? TWO! It is with great joy that we can announce the adoption of ‘sisters’, Dixie, 25-002 and Sophie 25-003 by Cindy and Jim. Now called Daisy and Lilly, these grand dams at 11 years are enjoying life with morning coffee and conversation at the breakfast table, relaxed days in the backyard, and TONS of love from both parents! When they came in, we were hopeful that we could keep them together and the perfect family was found! What a wonderful way to begin their next chapter, together, with their new mom and dad! Congrats to Daisy, Lilly, and family!
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Sasha 25-020 was adopted by Anne and Jay on March 17th, St. Patrick's Day. From the beginning this sweet girl acclimated fairly quickly into a wonderful new home with two companion Goldens, Willie and Ranger. Sasha was surrendered when her owner took back duties in California helping with rebuilding after the wildfires, and knew that living in a trailer would be no life for Sasha. She now has a wonderful forever home with her new mom and dad and two Golden siblings. Life is sweet! | | | |
We are beyond happy to announce that our sweet bonded pair, Tova 24-129 and Chai 24-128, were adopted on March 18th by Cindy and Gary. This sweet girl and boy came into GRR’s care on Christmas Eve of this past year after being found on a ranch and covered with cactus needles, fleas and loaded with parasites. They are truly the sweetest, most loving, well-behaved pair of Goldens. In their new home, they have a loving mom and dad with whom they can continue their favorite pastime of snuggling on the couch and/or bed and getting lots of pets.Such happy news! Congratulations to Cindy, Gary, Tova and Chai!
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Ta da! Announcing that Bubbles 25-023, the last of our Powerpuff puppies, was adopted on March 20th by Bryan and Rachel! In her new family, in addition to mom and dad, she also has siblings, including an older dog sister as well as a human brothers and sister! Congratulations to the happy family!
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Beretta 25-015 was adopted on March 20th by Doris and Emerson. When his adoptive family came to meet him, it was like he knew. When Doris came in the door Beretta was so happy; it was like "I know you"! This is such a good match and we are so excited for Doris and Emerson with this adoption, but most especially for Beretta. Beretta will be showered with attention and love and will have a wonderful home for the rest of his years. Congratulations to all!
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Agave 25-025, now known as Honey, was adopted on March 25th by Marissa. Agave joined the GRR family on March 1st and is a young lady who will be 2 years old in October. She fits in so nicely with her furever mom and her new canine sister, 9- year-old Shepherd mix, Mya. They are all enjoying car rides and their special treats, pup cups. Congratulations to them all! | | | |
Fiyero, 24-124, now known as Kooper, found his forever family on March 28th with David and Lynn. Kooper is a mellow, loving boy who just wants to chill and be close to his people. He's all about giving tons of cuddles and kisses, and his sweet, shy nature makes him the perfect companion. Kooper has settled in beautifully with his new family, and his dog brother, Ted, has been showing him the ropes like a pro! He's also getting along great with the family cat, Milly, proving he's a true friend to all. Kooper has found the perfect fit, and his family couldn't be happier. Congratulations to Kooper and his amazing new family!
| | | | Thoughts, Prayers and Remembrance | | | | |
Hudson 18-046
Shenny (Shenshi) 19-024
Rodgers (Cotton) 14-051
Benelli 25-016
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Yesterday (March 3rd), I had to say goodbye to my sweet Hudson. The good vets at NW Austin Vet Center did everything they could to treat his severe arthritis; however, recently his condition severely deteriorated. I am heartbroken but so grateful to GRR for bringing this large, silly, ball-obsessed boy to me. In typical Golden Retriever fashion, he loved all he met, especially kids. I hope, now pain free, he is chasing balls to his heart's content across the Rainbow Bridge.
You will see him as Mr. August in the 2025 GRR Calendar. Beautiful memories...
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Shenny (Shenshi) 19-024
Tracy
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Last Monday (March 17th), we took Shenny (Shenshi 19-024) to the vet because he wasn’t feeling well. Our worst fear became reality when they told us he had advanced hemangiosarcoma and surgery wasn’t a good option. This cancer is brutal—it spreads silently, and by the time symptoms appear, it’s often too late. We made the heartbreaking decision to help him cross the Rainbow Bridge before his quality of life declined any further. He came to us March 12, 2019 and we helped him over March 12, 2025, 6 years to the day he arrived.
Shenny joined our family as part of the China rescue initiative through GRR. He came from a rough past, but found a life filled with love, regular meals and the best playmates—Oliver and Calvin. He got to run on the beach, splash in rivers, visit our friend’s ranch and even had his very own pool to swim in. He was such a special part of our family, and our hearts are shattered.
Losing GRR Calvin last July was already so hard, and now, losing Shenny so soon is just heartbreaking. Oliver is now our only boy, soaking up all the love and attention. I’m sure he misses his brothers—we sure do.
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Rodgers (Cotton) 14-051
Charity
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Sometime this morning (March 26th) between 12:30 a.m. and 7:30 a.m., the goodest boy out of all the good boys passed away in his sleep. I found him when I woke up. Rodgers (Cotton in the Easter litter 14-051) was my heart and soul dog; he understood me in a way that I can’t explain and he loved me unconditionally. My heart is shattered but I take peace in knowing that he crossed the bridge on his own terms without me having to make the decision for him.
We adopted Rodgers when he was 12 weeks old and he was the sweetest puppy. He loved his ice cubes and taking lids off of water bottles. Rodgers had the most purest and kind soul. While his sister, Suzy, was a hunter and would kill rodents in the yard, Rodgers would go mourn at the spot they passed away for hours at a time. He liked to bring worms in when it rained and lay on top of them to keep them warm and protected.
Rodgers never met another animal or person that he didn’t like. For me, all it took was looking into his eyes and knowing that we had a connection that would exceed the test of time. I’m going to miss my boy so incredibly much. I hope he’s having fun running in fields of wildflowers with Suzy and Nemo and I know he will greet me when it’s my time. Rodgers, you were the best boy there ever was and you are loved forever and always. Rest easy my sweet old man. Mommy loves you and thank you for the 11 years you gave us.
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The Gold Ribbon Rescue newsletter is published monthly. Articles reflect the opinion of the authors and do not necessarily reflect GRR policy. Gold Ribbon Rescue and its Editor(s) seek to publish accurate material, but neither assumes responsibility in the event of a claim of loss or damage resulting from publication. | | | | | | |
