Vivi
Sometimes we get a “highly
adoptable” Golden—young (but not too young), healthy, housebroken, good with
cats, good with kids, known vet history… how much better could it get?! However,
as GRR’s president once said, “Yeah, but if rescue were always that easy, you
probably wouldn’t need rescue groups.”
The
truest rescues are the dogs who are highly UNadoptable at the start—too young &
weak, too old, too sick, or too injured to walk right into an adoptive home.
When a shelter or a Good Samaritan looks at one of those Goldens and says, “Who
could possibly want a dog like THIS one?”… then we say, “We do.”
In the
past two weeks alone, we’ve taken in two such special-needs Goldens. One is just
starting out in life, the other has already lived a lot—but both of them need
new lives. Here are their stories.
Vivi:
shining through
The day after baby Trucker arrived at the clinic in San Antonio, an Austin shelter called about a truly ancient Golden found stray near a Petsmart. Likely a dumped dog, and clearly severely neglected. The staff warned us, “You guys realize this gal is probably 15 years old, and she has A LOT of problems. Tumors, teeth worn down to the nub from chewing. Rear end has hard skin from fleas/dermatitis. She was matted so badly urine could not escape, so she has scalding. Quite a trooper and a sweetie though.”
No matter! Almost before she’d hung up the phone, Margo was speeding off to meet the spunky senior. The shelter wasn’t kidding about her health. But… one look, and you could clearly see the beautiful young dog she’d once been shining through the very old Golden she is today. And WHAT a personality! She glowed with serenity and trust, with a lightness of spirit that triumphed over her physical woes: eyes infected, skin infected, heavy matting. Teeth actually caked with fur and dirt (from chewing at herself). Two big black tumors, the size of ping-pong balls, hanging from one lip and one hock. The worst ear infection Margo had ever seen; the ear was swollen, angry, and dripping pus. But incredibly: “She’s cheerful, alert, perky. Having a blast socializing with the staff, friendly and curious with everyone. I AM NUTS ABOUT HER.”
No
question where this girl was going… home with Margo, to live out her days as a
“permanent foster.” But she needed a name, something as light and vivacious as
she is. “Vivian” seemed to fit perfectly—just right for a dog with such
joie de vivre.
The next few days were a whirlwind for Vivi. Bathing, grooming, trimming, vaccinations, tooth cleaning, flushing and treating her painful ear. The ugly tumors came off neatly under light sedation. Vivi enjoyed her trips to and from the clinic… riding shotgun, grinning from ear to ear. And just look at her now—what a glamor girl! She’s carefree at last, and will stay that way.
Over the
years we have brought in so many wonderful dogs who needed extra help. Maybe one
of them is even living in your home today. I have two in mine! –
Darla, #06-095, left outside the
San Antonio shelter with a huge, festering abscess on her neck (the fish hook
that caused the injury was still lodged in the flesh); and
Bebe, #07-031, picked up stray with
a horribly mangled front leg and slipping into shock. Without the help of GRR,
both dogs would have been euthanized at the pound. That didn’t happen, and every
day I look at my beautiful, lively girls and feel so grateful to have them.
Can you help give a special Golden a second chance? We can’t
save all of them, but we can always, always try. Please donate to our
Extraordinary Golden Fund. You can make a
general contribution or ask that your dollars go to caring for one dog in
particular. Any amount will help. Thank you from all of us at GRR!
After Photos:
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Hotline: (512) 659-GOLD |
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