A Message From Our President | |
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Hi Friends,
Happy holidays!!! I can hardly believe there is just one month left in 2024. As I reflect back on the past eleven months, I think of all that we, the GRR volunteers and community, have accomplished. We have had 125 dogs come into the rescue (includes 5 adopted and returned) and will start our December strong with a few slated to come in during the first week.
The list of accomplishments is long, to include but not limited to, rolling out an entirely new website and database, 27 Extraordinary Golden Fund dogs, 9 dogs taken through heartworm treatment, 536 applications processed YTD, 21 new foster families added and 121 dogs adopted YTD. Our list will grow a bit more this month. Thank you to our volunteers and supporters!
A huge thank you to all who donated to the GoFundMe for Kelce. We raised an astounding $8800.00. She is doing fantastic. The Tree of Hope is still going strong and we are grateful to all who have already donated Our holiday party is coming up on December 8th and we hope to see you there. This is such a fun opportunity to mix and mingle with fellow Golden lovers. There are still some 2025 calendars available for order so be sure to get one before they sell out.
As we finish up 2024 and make plans for 2025, we know the number of Goldens in need will likely continue at the same pace. It has been very hard at times and there have been many challenges to overcome; however, we are beyond grateful for the year we've had helping all of the dogs find their forever families. We will always be here to help a Golden in need whenever possible.
Warm Regards,
Michelle
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If you know of a Golden in need or one to be rehomed, please always remember to contact our intake team or call our hotline at 512-659-4653 as our social media pages aren’t monitored for posts of dogs in need. | |
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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 in January 2025.
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Last Call for the GRR 2025 Calendar
Order Yours Today!
This 9 X 12 calendar features beautiful photos of Golden Retrievers. All calendar proceeds will support the Goldens of Gold Ribbon Rescue.
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The More You Know - Volunteer Orientation | |
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GRR Volunteer Orientation
Date: Wednesday January 15, 2025
Time: 6:30 p.m. -7:15 p.m.
Please join us for a high-level overview of Gold Ribbon Rescue. All are welcome to attend to learn more about GRR and volunteer opportunities available.
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Dial in by phone
+1 689-206-0321, 304 641 063# United States, Orlando
Find a local number
Phone conference ID: 304 641 063#
Or copy and paste this link into your browser.
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Click on the image above for more details and to RSVP.
This is a human-only event.
We can't wait to celebrate the holidays with you!
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Click on the image above to help decorate our tree.
All funds raised from the Tree of Hope benefit our Extraordinary Golden Fund.
Our Goldens thank you for your support!
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It's All About the Dogs! Here's Our Roundup! | |
Spotlight on Centurion 24-100 | |
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Centurion is looking for his forever family. This perfect 7-month-old boy is a great mix of energy, cuddles and adventure. He does need other dogs in the home that can help mentor him and play with him and people home much of the day. He is healthy and now that he’s fully vaccinated he’s able to get out and explore the world. Just look at this precious angel! He really couldn’t be any more adorable. He’s daydreaming of his forever family and new furry siblings that he knows await him.
To learn more about Centurion check out his profile.
If you think that you might be the perfect family for Centurion, please review our criteria for adoption and complete the application. If you are currently working with a matchmaker, contact them for further information.
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Look Who's Here! Welcome to GRR! | |
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Shabu 24-111 is an almost-21-month-old who was rehomed for several reasons. The family had to move to an apartment with, of course, no yard. They had three large dogs and needed to place each of them in a new home. The owner is disabled from a car accident and doesn’t have enough mobility to exercise a large dog and cannot run after him if he gets out. The Basenji is an escape artist and the other dogs follow him when he digs out or breaks a plank in the fence to escape.
Shabu stayed at Dog Gone Tired until we could find him a foster and was reported to be the quintessential Velcro Golden, complete with "the sweetest puppy dog eyes." We're so glad that you're now a GRR boy!
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Gibbs 24-112 is an almost 4-month-old from McAllen, TX. He was the last of a litter of nine boys and the owners were unable to find a suitable home for him so they reached out to GRR. We are so excited that he has joined the GRR family and we're looking forward to watching him flourish as he waits for his forever family. | |
Tucker 24-113 is a 2-year-old from the San Antonio area. He was rehomed because his owner’s job has her traveling a lot and she is having to board him for two weeks every month. Tucker loves to ride in the car, go on walks and roll around in the yard. We are told he doesn’t dig, tear up his toys or bark! In November 2023 when the owner was moving, a friend of hers was watching Tucker and he was hit by a car. His injuries were severe and his rear left leg was amputated. It does not affect his ability to walk unless it gets stiff and tight from laying on it for extended periods of time such as overnight or on long car rides. He enjoys a hip massage when he is sore. Welcome to GRR Tucker! | | |
Who doesn’t love a feisty and bubbly girl?? We absolutely do and we welcome I Love Lucy 24-114 to GRR. She is 10 months old and is a bit of a wild child so she will be spending a few weeks with a trainer to help her learn some good foundation skills. Her family rehomed her to GRR due to the challenges with managing her energy. We are very excited to watch this girl thrive. | |
Merci 24-115 was a stray who was found by a Good Samaritan who was unable to find the owner so kept her for about five weeks trying to find her a good home.The challenge was that it was a very unsafe area to be in and Merci was having to be left in a yard unattended for 12 hours a day and she was escaping, putting her at risk of being hit by a car because they were fairly close to a major highway. We knew we needed to get her out of a very dangerous environment so she joined the GRR family. Stay tuned for more information on this very sweet, playful 1-year-old Golden with a heart of gold who the Good Sam called Goldie. | | |
We welcomed two 6-month-old puppies, Rhyme 24-116 (female) and Riddle 24-117 (male) to GRR. They showed up as strays on the finder’s 100 acre ranch and, once it was apparent no owner could be found, she contacted GRR. The finder's neighbors had called her to say that the two pups were just standing by the side of the road, all alone, so she promptly drove out to get them. They were as sweet as could be from the start and very hungry and thirsty. Welcome to GRR little ones! | |
Aurelia 24-118 is a 2 1/2-year-old stray from McAllen, TX. She was a stray who had no owners. Sadly, she’s heartworm positive and also needs a lot of confidence building and training. She’ll be spending a few weeks with one of our trainers so we can get her some good foundation work and learn more about her. There is no knowing what she went through on the streets, but we know she will receive love and care now that she's a GRR girl. Welcome to your new life Aurelia. | | |
Meet Chester 24-119 from Temple TX who will be 10 months old next week. He was being neglected by his original family and living in a backyard. A co-worker and Golden lover took Chester in to save him and ensure he has a better life. They contacted GRR as they knew we would be the best place to find the right forever home for him. Chester has really likely never had much exposure to the world outside of a backyard or any training so he’ll be spending a few weeks with one of our training partners while we learn more about him. We're so happy he's now with GRR. Good things are in his future. | |
Olive 24-120 is a 4-month old sweetheart from the Del Rio Animal Shelter. Our volunteer, Raynell, transported both Olive and Aurelia 24-118 to GRR the day after Thanksgiving. We truly appreciate our volunteers, especially when they are willing to help needy Goldens on a holiday weekend. | | |
Ruda 24-121 is a 3 1/2-year-old male from San Antonio who was rehomed to GRR by his owners. He is currently luxuriating at DogGoneTired for boarding until we are able to find him a foster home. | |
My Dream Really Did Come True! I Got Adopted! | |
Bretagne 24-099, now Ellie (short for Elway), was adopted on November 5th by Donya and Mike. They and daughter Lili are her just-right forever family and treat her like the MVP (Most Valuable Puppy) that she is! Ellie has blossomed and is loving life with her new home team, which includes canine brother Remy and feline brother Teddy. Note her pic in the collage above with her nod to her Denver Broncos namesake. | | |
Molly 24-092 was adopted by Becky and Eric on November 6th. Molly is such a cheerful girl now that she is settling in. She strolls around the backyard with her tail wagging and she is acting more like a puppy each day. She is still learning to go out front and walk on a leash, but her new mom and dad are patient and know that the time will come when she's comfortable. Molly is still making progress on her weight loss journey and we know that she will succeed with the consistent, loving help of her new parents. She is now able to jump up on the bed - her new favorite spot. Such happy news! | |
We are excited to announce that Diva 24-104, now Kallie, was adopted on November 7th by Kristie! Kristie is a repeat GRR adopter and is super excited that Diva is now a member of her family. In addition to her new mom, Kallie also has a feline sibling. | | |
Triumph 24-106, now known as Buddy, was adopted on November 12th by long time GRR adopters, Sherry and Jim. Triumph, along with his pal Victory, came to us after his owner passed away and concerned neighbors reached out to Gold Ribbon Rescue to find them a new home. And what a new home he has found with his humans and his Golden pal, Sunny! Sunny loves Buddy so much that even the couch is being shared! Congrats to this amazing family! | |
Sirius, 24-098 was adopted on November 14th by Courtney and Emily who have fostered him since mid September. This boy came from the shelter in Del Rio and was fearful of almost everything. He was at risk of being euthanized and we jumped in to help him! Sirius was very shut down and spent much of his time laying in his crate, had a skin infection, and some worms. After patience, training, and a loving foster home, Sirius made strides in his confidence. His fosters were instrumental in his development, so much so, that they decided they couldn’t live without him and officially made him their forever boy! We couldn't be more thrilled that Sirius has found his forever home. | | |
We are thrilled to share the heartwarming news that Victory 24-105, now Murphy, was adopted on November 18th. His new family is absolutely overjoyed to welcome him into their lives and Murphy has already started to settle in, and it’s clear that he’s loving his new home. His family can’t wait to watch his personality shine even more in the days and weeks to come. From what we’ve seen so far, it’s a perfect match! Here’s to a lifetime of love, belly rubs, and happy memories for Murphy and his amazing new family. | |
Van Halen 24-087 was adopted by his long term foster parents on November 18th and he is settling in well with his new official fur sister, Nellie! His family has fostered Van since late September so they know him so well and they are a perfect match. Congratulations to them all, especially sweet little Van Halen! | | |
Sweet Gibbs 24-112 was adopted on November 21st by Louise and Dani. He came from a litter of nine that were born in June and all of the pups found homes except for him, so he was living with “mom & dad” in McAllen and really needed a forever home. Then came Louise and Dani, who told us before they got him that they were so excited to meet him, they couldn’t think of anything else! Gibbs has adapted so well to them and is a true joy! And they said just the other day how he loves to sleep with a stuffy under his head! So cute! Congratulations to them all! | |
We are so happy to announce that sweet Ellie Rose 24-107 was adopted by Carolyn and Brian on November 21st! They were absolutely in love with this sweet girl from the moment they met her and it was clearly mutual. Carolyn and Brian are extremely excited to welcome Ellie Rose to their family and we're so excited for them all! What a sweet treat for the holidays! | | |
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Elway 24-096 was adopted on November 24th by Karla and Josh. When he came into our care as part of the NFL Litter he was a shy, underweight puppy who had clearly faced some tough times. But with the incredible love and patience of his foster family, he transformed over the last few months. He gained weight, blossomed in confidence, and showed us all just how sweet and resilient he truly is.
Now this adorable little nugget is ready for his next big adventure! Elway has found his forever home, complete with a loving family and a new dog brother, the appropriately named Arnold Pawmer. We are so excited for the wonderful life that lies ahead for Elway. Cheers to new beginnings, Elway! May your days be filled with love, playtime, and tail wags.
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Jenzi and Riley have added a wonderful bonus to their holiday season this year! As of November 26th they are the proud adopters of Otis, 24-110 who, per Kenzi, is doing "absolutely amazing! He is settling in so nicely and he is wonderful in the car. He is such a gentleman to our other dog (sister Aspen) in the few interactions they have had and the biggest cuddler." She also says "I know it's only been a few hours, but he is perfect in every way and the best addition to our family. When you KNOW you KNOW!" We couldn't have said it as well; her words tell it all! We are so thrilled for Otis and his new family! He will have a great life! | | |
Just in time for the holiday, we are so happy to announce that sweet Luna 24-109 was adopted on November 26th by her new parents, Alan and Isis. Luna is smiling wildly in her new home! We know she will enjoy her first Thanksgiving as a GRR alum. Congratulations to the new family. | |
Thoughts, Prayers and Remembrance... | |
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Molly (Millie) 10-123
Candace
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It is the end of an incredible era… we had the honor of 14+ wonderful years since Jacki showed up on our doorstep with a skinny, frightened, unwanted dog. And that day was the last day she was ever unwanted or unloved.
My heart is broken, but we sent her across the rainbow bridge yesterday (November 26th) with gentleness, grace, and dignity thanks to the angel veterinarian from DoorStep Vet. She passed in my arms while I listened to her heartbeats slowly fade away.
I know we were privileged to have had MoMo/Molly, Moo in our lives for so long, but I am just gutted right now. My beautiful girl is so very missed.
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Beloved 'Rainbow Bridge' Honoring Lost Pets Washed Away By Helene | |
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ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The Rainbow Bridge of Lake Lure, a memorial dedicated to dogs and other pets that have passed away, is no more, as it was washed away during Hurricane Helene’s march across western North Carolina last month (September, 2024).
Located southeast of Asheville, the Rainbow Bridge was part of the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge, a series of gardens and other installments placed on and around a pedestrian bridge that crossed the Broad River and connected the cities of Lake Lure and Chimney Rock.
Click on the image to read the entire story.
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UPDATE: A piece of the beloved original Rainbow Bridge has been found!
The Lake Lure Flowering Bridge posted an update on its Facebook page and said that a portion of the Rainbow Bridge had been retrieved from a nearby lake. Becky Melton with the organization says it expects to use the found portion of the bridge that honors pets in the future but it's too early to say at what capacity. Right now, it's not possible to rebuild any of the gardens because the area is not safe and covered in sand and debris.
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Newsletter Editor: Dori Olsen
Send comments or suggestions to: newsletter@grr-tx.com
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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. | |
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Gold Ribbon Rescue | 512-659-4653 | 1101 W 34th St #336, Austin TX 78705
www.grr-tx.com
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