During its more than 30 years, Golden Rescue has placed nearly 5,000 dogs through a volunteer, cross-country network that matches abandoned, surrendered or unwanted dogs with their forever families.
The organization was founded to find homes for golden retrievers that were abandoned, surrendered or able to stay in the current homes.
Viive Tamm recalls walking through a sports show in Toronto with her husband, when she saw a sign about golden retrievers needing rescue.
“We couldn’t actually fathom why a rescue would be needed for golden retrievers,” says Tamm, who soon adopted Jacob, their first rescue.
Golden Rescue, which has its base in Barrie, is entirely volunteer-run, with more than 500 core volunteers working across the country to find a safe and loving home for each dog.
It operates with multiple teams working in harmony. A front-line intake team is responsible for responding to calls from owners who need to surrender their dogs, as well as handling dogs from animal control or those needing urgent medical care. These dogs are given the veterinary treatment they need, including spaying, neutering, microchipping and any necessary behavioural training.
They are then assessed and cared for until they are matched with a family in in a home that fits their specific needs.
Tamm explains that some dogs with separation anxiety are matched with families with a member who is home most of the time, while others with a fear of children are placed in child-free homes.
The transport team, meanwhile, springs into action when a dog needs to be moved from one area to another.
Golden Rescue’s outreach and educational initiatives is co-ordinated by a team of more than 40 volunteers keeping followers updated on events and stories of rescued goldens.
"It's what I call a very well-oiled machine," says Tamm.
Patty Lechten has been involved in the organization for roughly 15 years and is on the executive. She was originally recruited by clients wanting to get a veterinarian involved to offer some perspective on the dogs that were being placed.
Lechten, a partner at Barrie’s Allandale Veterinary Hospital, does have a softness for dogs.
Goldens, however, are not among her favourite breeds, she finds them too hairy, even though she says they’re wonderful dogs. But she was impressed with the organization, and its active volunteer base, and decided to join their ranks.
“At the veterinary hospital in Allandale, we deal with a lot of rescues,” she says. “Golden Rescue was appealing because they do absolutely everything they can (for the dogs).
“It’s a pleasure to work with groups for that level of care.”
Apart from doing what she found to be a thorough job on adoption screening, she found the fundraising activities not only successful in keeping the organization going, but also fun.
Along with its volunteer muscle, Golden Rescue conducts ongoing fundraising to support its annual expenses for veterinary bills, training and rescue efforts, which is in the $500,000 range.
Fundraisers have included a dinner-anywhere-in-the-world lottery, awarding the winner with $25,000 to go on a trip.
There are also grassroots fundraisers and events.
One of the organization’s biggest events is the annual picnic near Peterborough, which sees hundreds of golden retrievers and their families come together for a day of fun.
They decided a goal at the last event in September would be to set a couple of records with the support of an official from Guinness World Records on hand. There were more than 100 dogs dressed in tuxes and wedding dresses.
While they didn’t break the dog couples record, they did set the record for having the largest dog cake, weighing in at 400 pounds.
“People don’t just adopt a dog, they’re part of the cult,” Lechten quips. “Who wouldn’t want to be part of a group who is this dedicated?"