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Vol 8 No 2
Dedicated to the memory of Bronwyn McFadden Spring 2006 Features in this Issue:
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If you know of a Golden Retriever in New Jersey needing our assistance, please call the GRRI Hotline at 973-208-7414.
Meet GRRI'S Extra Special Dogs
Harry Potter
Kyra
75 in 2005
We’ve crunched all the numbers for 2005, and we’re happy to report that we helped 75 Golden Retrievers in need during the year, down from the prior year’s 86 dogs.
We saw more female dogs last year than usual, representing 40% of the dogs we placed. As in past years, younger dogs were more likely to come into rescue: 33% were two years old or younger; 24% were between 3 and 5 years old; 32% were between 6 and 9 years old; and just 11% were over 9 years old. 58 of the 75 dogs we worked with were surrendered to us by their owners, 10 of the dogs were pulled from shelters, and 7 were rescued from puppy mills. Of the dogs surrendered to us by their owners, the top three reasons given by owners were lack of time for the dog, moving, and divorce.
Because of the outstanding work of our foster homes, we only spent $495.00 on kennel fees for interim safe placement of dogs, and all of our dogs had foster care prior to placement. The continuing generosity of our donors allowed us to provide dogs with medical attention, ranging from routine vaccinations to spay/neuters to more involved medical or surgical procedures. Overall, we spent $29,000.00 on veterinary bills during 2005, with $7,000.00 of that coming from the Joann Smith Memorial Fund for special needs dogs. Joann was a valued GRRI volunteer who passed away in 2003, and we’re especially pleased that her good work lives on as a result of many thoughtful donations. The kindness of our many cooperating veterinarians who extend discounts for their services is also greatly appreciated.
We continue to enjoy strong interest from potential adopters. During the year, we received 376 applications, an increase of 100 from 2004. Our volunteers interviewed and approved 135 of those applications, and an additional 125 applicants were interviewed and turned down for a GRRI dog. The remaining applicants were either in process at year end, had not yet agreed to an interview, were outside of our service area, or had not provided sufficient information to move forward in the process. Considering that conducting and documenting each interview can take 1-2 hours, this represents considerable effort from the group of volunteers responsible for this process. The interview process is a vital first step in screening potential applicants, who while having the best intentions of helping a Golden in need, may not be well equipped to deal with the reality of providing a safe, loving home for an active, people-loving Golden. After this initial phone interview, successful applicants are approved for consideration only after a visit to their home by a GRRI volunteer. The combination of the volume of applicants and rigor of the screening process allows our Adoption team to make matches that specifically address the unique personalities of each of our dogs and the circumstances of each adopter. It takes time and effort, but our track record of successful placements indicates that the process works!
Many, many more volunteer hours are expended on helping our Goldens; from the folks who respond on short notice to transport dogs to foster homes or vet appointments; to those volunteers who gather at dog shows, fairs, festivals, and other events to raise funds by selling GRRI merchandise; to the people who work with shelters all through the tri-state area to establish relationships that minimize the time Goldens spend in less-than-ideal circumstances; to those that monitor our email accounts and phone lines to work with surrendering owners or people trying to get information; and many, many others who put their time and effort on the line to help these dogs. Seventy five dogs are safe and loved because of your efforts, and we thank you on their behalf!
Situation Critical!
GRRI-NJ Desperately Needs
Foster Homes
Please contact us to find out more about how you can be a friend and help save a life by becoming a GRRI-NJ Foster Home for a homeless Golden Retriever. We'll help you every step of the way! Especially over the coming holidays, our dogs need your help to be safe and comfortable until their forever home is found. Please, won't you help?
Our volunteering Page also contains information about our foster program and other ways you can help, as well as links to our Volunteer Application.
Thank You for Helping Us Help Them!
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