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No matter how careful and meticulous you are with your pet’s needs, it’s inevitable to run into some health scares and problems every now and then. When that happens, it puts your mind at ease to consult a health care provider who genuinely cares about your pet’s needs. But how do you find one?

Selecting the right veterinarian for your dog is perhaps one of the most important decisions you’ll make as a pet owner. And like most important decisions, it requires a careful and planned approach.

Know Your Pet’s Needs

A lot of factors are taken into consideration when it comes to pet care. Your dog’s breed, for instance, is a major determiner of their health. It is a fact that Siberian Huskies are prone to autoimmune disorders or that bulldogs often suffer from respiratory problems. Similarly, labradors have the tendency to put on more weight than other breeds, and dachshunds are at a higher risk of back injuries.

Age is another important thing to have in mind. The older the dog gets, the more they may need to visit the vet. It’s best to take note of any recurring health issues. Knowing your dog’s susceptibilities beforehand will help the vet curate the kind of care that’s right for your pet.

Determine the Kind of Care You Want

What’s the first thing you’d consider when looking for a vet? Is it the location? The possibility of home visits? The kind of care you want would depend on so many factors but before anything else, they have to meet what your pet’s needs demand.

Flexible Working Hours

Preventive care dictates scheduled vet visits but what about emergencies? A clinic you can depend on 24 hours a day, 7 days a week would be most ideal. If not, at least find one or an alternative who will be available for house calls.

Updated Facilities

Technology has done incredible wonders in the healthcare industry that it’s impossible to get top-of-the-line care today without the aid of one. Not only does technology ensure optimum health availment for your pet. In most instances, they help make care cheaper and faster. Ask what tools and equipment are available for pet care from diagnostics for full intervention.

Caring Staff

Health without care is a hollow shell. No matter how technologically-advanced or knowledgeable a team is, without care in the execution, trust can never be fostered. And when it comes to the life of someone you love, it’s trust that you need first and foremost. Make it a priority.

Knowledgeable Care Professionals

Experience plays an important role in expertise, especially in the field of pet care. See to it that the people you rely on for your dog’s health knows what they’re doing and why they’re doing so by a margin of more than just a university degree. Ask for accreditations and certifications.

Referrals and Connections

Organizational memberships and referrals vouch for a health business’s professional integrity. If they are well-established, they must have a roster of satisfied clients or partner organizations to show for it.

Start Searching

Once you’ve determined what you’re looking for, you can now narrow down your options when you begin your search. Start local and ask around – from your neighbors to your local shelters. You can even strike friendships in the local park and get recommendations from other pet owners.

Otherwise, you can start looking for candidates online. A quick Google search should get you results that are local. You can also ask advice from online forums or Facebook groups. When doing so, always look out for reviews as they will give you a good idea of what a candidate is about without having to experience them first hand.

Schedule a Tour

Once you’ve found your top three (or five) vets, schedule a visit to the hospital or clinic to check out the facilities, see the staff in action, and get a feel of the place.

Talk to the staff and don’t hesitate to ask questions. Observe the way they handle the animals The kind of accommodation, the atmosphere, and even the clients visiting should be able to help you pick the perfect vet from your list.

Author Bio:

Emma Nolan is a blogger, writer, and dog parent to three adorable black labradoodles. She likes strolling outdoors with her lovable fur babies when not writing about them. She writes about everything pooch at Pawstruck.

The Instagram Dog Community reflects the qualities of the dogs that we love and share – kindness, generosity, encouragement and love – and builds lasting bonds. It was that bond that drew a group of women from around the world to honor one of their Instagram friends with a special gift to Golden Bond Rescue.

That friend was Natascha, a young Canadian woman from Ontario, who spread kindness, joy, laughter and love through her account @kai.the.golden.retriever. In late spring we learned that Nat, as she was known to family and friends, was terminally ill.

In response, a small group of women from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, Singapore, India and Australia formed to follow news from Nat and her Golden, Kai. We sent postcards and cards, a bouquet, and sizable gift cards to help with Kai’s care.

During Nat’s illness, group members would be excited and hopeful when we saw Nat was having a good day and replying to direct messages we left for her. And when there was a string of days when no one had heard from her, someone would nervously ask, “when was the last time someone heard from Nat?”

Natascha inspired us to do good on her behalf. All members were familiar with the work Golden Bond Rescue was doing in China, and the group organizer, Sandra suggested we collect money to sponsor a China dog’s Freedom Flight. Nat inspired such kindness and compassion throughout the Instagram community that everyone wanted to contribute. GBR gave us a chance to rescue a meat trade survivor to honor her.

Together, the “Nat Love” group donated enough to cover a dog’s flight and some of the dog’s medical fund. President Jill Groves chose one of the No Dogs Left Behind goldens to be named after Nat, and we were able to share this gesture and the pup’s photo with Natascha. She was thrilled and so touched that we rescued a meat trade survivor on her behalf. Sadly, Nat passed away in August, two weeks before Nat the dog arrived in the U.S.

Group member Dawn, of Los Angeles, remembered, “Everyone who ever had any interaction with Natascha fell in love with her. She had this way of making every single friend on Instagram feel so special. Whether she was commenting on others’ posts or replying to comments on her own, everything she ever said was personal and heartfelt. She would remember obscure details from weeks prior or make a hilarious pun that would have me laughing out loud. What a gift with words she had! And no matter how many friends she had (a ton!) she always took the time for all of us. She was truly a remarkable woman. She is so very missed.”

Erica from Ontario recalled, “Kai’s joke of the day gave everyone a moment of pleasure. Nat was a totally pure soul; she always thought of others, even when she was fighting for her own life, even at the end when she found the perfect home for her beloved Kai. We are so glad to have been part of the group who raised money for Golden Bond Rescue and the dog named Nat. Now we can continue to keep the spirit of kindness going by supporting GBR. Paying kindness forward in this way keeps Nat’s beautiful spirit alive”

Julie of Ontario reflected, “Natascha was a light in this world, and all of her friends were brought together to carry on this bright light in her honor. Doing something on behalf of Natascha helped many people find light in the darkness. Giving back and helping Nat (the dog) was such an amazing opportunity for us all to find a way to come together.

At Natascha’s funeral, her parents expressed deep appreciation that so many of her friends were inspired to do something as amazing as helping a dog in need. They were so touched by the kindness of people around the world to carry on their daughter’s legacy.

The ripple effect of this one amazing woman is truly inspirational. The story of hope, determination, and a young woman who never gave up, even in the face of all she went through, inspired so many to want to pay that forward. Natascha had a way of making every friend feel special and loved. She always focused on others and giving love and compassion. Natascha was truly an angel on Earth. Her light will continue to shine bright through the acts of kindness she inspired.

Many group members remain in contact with the new owner Nat and her parents chose for Kai, and they continue to send messages of love to her parents. If Nat’s story inspires you to donate to GBR In her name, we invite you to do so through the Donate Now bone located on the upper right corner of our Home Page.

Melissa, Teddy & Lily: A Love Story

Teddy and Lily at the Ball Game

Since Melissa Siedlicki adopted Taz, a 12-year golden through Golden Bond, she has become a stalwart GBR volunteer. She started doing home visits in the Tacoma area and has gone on to foster dogs and make her home available as a transition stop for dogs coming into Sea-Tac airport – and for the people who help transport them.

In May 2017, Melissa welcomed a 2 ½-year-old golden boy named Teddy, who was rescued from a high-kill shelter in Busan, South Korea. Though he had tested negative for heartworm before leaving, he tested positive in the U.S. So after two weeks with Melissa and Heidi, a 9-year-old foster, Teddy spent two months away for heartworm treatment and recovery.

“Teddy must have been a family pet in Korea, because he was very well behaved. And he was the happiest dog ever,” Melissa recalls. “Then when he was gone, I found myself missing him – even though I had Heidi. I realized, oh my gosh, I am in love with this dog. I don’t know if I’ll be OK with someone else adopting him.”

So when Teddy was healthy again, he got to return to Tacoma, but this time to his new forever home with Melissa and his friend Heidi. In the two years since, he has joyfully welcomed other GBR foster friends into his home as Melissa’s official “ambassadog.”

Then in May, two 1-year-old puppies – Lily and Pansy – arrived from China with LOTS of energy that kept Melissa very busy. But after Pansy was adopted, Melissa was able to focus on Lily and training her to get ready for adoption.

Although Lily can be handful and can be “a bit of a brat,” she is very smart and has a playful energy that is very endearing. “All of sudden I realized that I couldn’t let her go,” Melissa said.

So, on August 1 this year, Lily became Teddy’s official little sister, and the two are the best of friends, joyfully playing, snuggling and going on fun outings like baseball games. And always, Teddy is the “good boy” while Lily likes to the push the envelope to see what she can get away with.

Melissa couldn’t be happier – though she admits she sort of “failed” as a foster mom with the two of them. “Every once in a while, you get caught off guard when you give dogs a safe place to land,” she said. “But I wouldn’t change it for the world.”

Next August Newsletter Article: Feature on An Adoptable Dog: Lenny’s Story

Lenny’s Story

On occasion, our wonderful organization receives a dog that for one reason or another takes a little longer to adopt out to a permanent home. Many factors – from how a dog looks to personality quirks – can prevent a potential adopter from reaching out and committing to one of our amazing dogs. Often we are left scratching our heads saying, “Why isn’t this sweet dog, with all these remarkable qualities, being adopted?”

Lenny’s story is one of these special cases. Lenny is certainly handsome and has a little kink in his tail that gives him character. So what is it about him that has kept him from finding the perfect home?

Lenny came to us from Shanghai, China. Rescued on September 1, 2017, he came to GBR’s adoption program in December of that same year. His China rescuers named him “Lele” which means “happiness” in Chinese. They told us he was happy, maybe a little high-energy, but also “smiley-full of sunshine, loves everyone, fetches balls and frisbees, is very playful, and is always excited to meet someone new” – so excited that he jumped up on people when he first met them. Nothing a little training cannot fix! The rescuers told us he got along with most dogs, but had issues with other males. For whatever reason, Lenny’s journey since his arrival from China has taken almost two years.

When Lenny first arrived from China

This is his story:

When we welcomed Lenny into the GBR family, he spent a full month at a veterinary hospital. He had a serious wound on one leg that resulted in a big scar. He also has a bent – not cropped – “tail with an attitude.” that wags in a cute floppy way. He is a bit protective of his backside, which leads us to believe he was injured at some point.

First Foster Home

After his long month at the veterinary hospital, Lenny lived in a foster home with three other goldens. The first three weeks were “golden,” and they all got along. However, for some reason, the pack life became too much for Lenny and we realized that he might do better in a home without other dogs. Without knowing more about Lenny’s history including his experience with other dogs, GBR decided that some time with a trainer could teach him the basics and provide guidance and structure to help him feel safe and not fearful.

Off to Charlton Kennels

A few months after Lenny arrived from China Lenny was introduced to the great folks at Charlton Kennels, which is located on beautiful Sauvie Island. He spent nearly a year there working with trainer Dan Butcher, who said Lenny was a great dog. Lenny worked hard on obedience and reactive dog training and made amazing progress to get ready for his new forever family – wherever they were.

Second Foster Home and Wonderful Foster Mom

In November 2018, Lenny moved to a new GBR foster home with Susan, one of our experienced fosters. We wanted him to have an opportunity to be in a home setting, get comfortable with a routine, and then find a forever home with an appropriate adopter. Susan has worked with him on being less reactive, especially on walks where he can get excited when he sees another dog. As you can see from the photos, he has been well cared for (up on that couch?), and his foster mom has taken him to training classes and given him lots of love.

Susan is a great example of the amazing volunteers who make Golden Bond Rescue so successful in placing dogs in need with great families. I am sure there are times when Susan asks herself, “What am I going to do with this energetic dog?” However, she has not given up on Lenny! While she could have passed him off to another foster, she has stayed with him. Thank you so much, Susan, for watching over this sweet boy.

Foster Home With Susan

Lenny’s Wish List For A Prospective Forever Home

Lenny has many wonderful traits (friendly, loves to snuggle, likes his belly rubbed, is energetic), but what kind of person will make him happy?

• Someone who needs a solid companion
• Someone who wants unconditional love
• Someone who can spend lots of time with him
• Someone who has no other dogs
• Some with experience with dogs who react when they see other dogs (on leash, walking by the house, etc.)
• Someone with room for Lenny to run, outside the city, on a farm or acreage
• Someone who is active and can give him the exercise he needs

After many years of training, constant reassurance from his foster mom, lounging in the window posing for the next issue of Modern Dog Magazine, and lots of love, Lenny is ready for his special person.

Lenny is only three years old and has many energetic years ahead to spend in the outdoors running, camping, hiking or just being a part of everything you are doing. He needs to be surrounded by loving people and in a home with no other dogs. We will continue to wait for the right home for Lenny because we love him and want his next home to be his final home. What more can you ask of a future best friend?!

Note: To everyone reading this story, please tell all your friends, co-workers and family about this great dog and help us find him a new home. Lenny will make a wonderful friend for someone with dog experience who is willing to continue with positive reinforcement and training.

Next August Newsletter Article: Race To Save Goldens

From GBR’s President’s Point of View

Jill Groves & Lon Chaney, Jr.

It’s been several years since GBR has published a newsletter, and I’m ecstatic that we now have a volunteer, Vanessa Loverti, who has raised her hand and volunteered to take on the task of putting out a newsletter every couple of months. Vanessa suggested for the first newsletter that I write about how GBR became involved in taking dogs from China.

We had been rescuing dogs from Taiwan for many years, so GBR bringing in international dogs isn’t exactly news; however, when faced with getting dogs from China, we had no idea how challenging it was going to be or the road down which it was going to take us.

What started as just an afterthought one evening (“I wonder what I would get if I Googled “dog rescue in China”) has led GBR and its volunteers on many trips to China, exposed most of us to a completely different and, at times, puzzling culture, and has resulted in the rescuing of 339 golden retrievers.

For about a decade, the number of local rescue goldens has been dropping so dramatically that several golden retriever rescues across the United States have closed their doors. Staying focused on their rescue missions, many other rescues, GBR included, decided to begin rescuing goldens from other countries. Three years ago, the hot spot to get international goldens was Turkey. I looked into Turkey goldens for GBR but couldn’t find an economical, safe way to get goldens from Turkey to the East Coast , and then to Oregon. One evening in early February, 2016, on a whim, I sent an email to a China-based rescue group, “Together for Animals in China.” At the time, the organization was run by three ladies: Lucy, who ran the USA branch; Grace, who ran the European branch; and Liu Yanli “Xiaoli,” who was the Beijing presence.

Ryan #2637

After meeting in San Francisco to hammer out the details, TAC and GBR agreed on a trial of one dog to come as soon as a flight escort could be located, which happened in early March, 2016. Our first China golden rescue happened to be Ryan, a young male golden who was instantly snapped up by his foster mom. Ryan was followed not long after by our first alphabet dogs: Amy #2669 and Abby #2670.

In the beginning it was difficult to convince rescuers in China to release their dogs to us through TAC. A group who rescues only one breed was unusual for China and caused some suspicion. Why only golden retrievers? What are they doing with the dogs in America? Initially, the rescuers in China were concerned we were using the goldens for medical experiments or selling them to slaughterhouses for profit. Slowly over time, we began to get more and more goldens and now, three years and 339 goldens later, we cannot keep up with the China rescuers wanting us to take their goldens. Over these past three years, we have stayed with the naming convention of following the alphabet, with a brief stopover into flower names, until now we are almost finished with the letter “Y.”

For about the first one-and-half years, the process of bringing the dogs over as escorts’ excess baggage was pretty routine: dogs checked in at Beijing or Shanghai airports, arrived in Seattle or Vancouver, B.C., and were finally turned over to GBR volunteers once they cleared Customs. This same process was happening all over the USA by many other rescues, not just goldens. Now in the USA rescuing international dogs is changing rapidly. A bit over a year ago, we discovered that Congress had passed a law requiring all rescue groups bringing dogs into the USA, which were then adopted to a second party, to obtain a USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) permit. Getting the permit, though not difficult, requires several hours of collecting medical records, recreating them in English (USDA will only accept medical records in 100% English) and submitting them to the USDA using their APHIS system. We also discovered that most of the States require international dogs coming from countries with screw worm to be examined for screw worm no more than fives days prior to flying. Certification is required to show no screw worm; a rabies vaccination certificate is also required.

International Dog Rescue In Jeaopardy

Then three preventable situations happened over the past 12 months that have put international rescuing in jeopardy: the first occurred when a rescue organization brought in three dogs on three separate flights from Egypt that tested positive for rabies even though the rescue had been provided with rabies certificates, which proved to be false. Now the Center for Disease Control (CDC) has banned the import of dogs from Egypt.

Secondly, an individual brought a personal rescue into Vancouver from South Korea that proved to be infected with a new strain of distemper.

The third incident occurred when a large group of dogs brought over from South Korea with three of the dogs testing positive for Brucellosis. Brucellosis is a disease that is already present in America and is normally found in puppy mills and associated with breeding dogs; unfortunately, it is not only contagious to other dogs but to humans as well. Reputable breeders are very careful to test their breeding dogs to avoid having it spread to the puppies and other dogs. There is no cure for Brucellosis, and infected breeder dogs are normally euthanized. Although antibiotics can help contain it. Affected dogs, if not euthanized, must be kept quarantined from all other dogs for life. Because of these occurrences, the CDC, Customs Boarder Patrol (CBP) and the USDA have placed China, South Korea  and Turkey on a watch list.

International Canine Rescue Association

In an attempt to standardize immunizations, medical treatment and care of dogs in other countries prior to coming to the United States, GBR along with several other golden retriever rescues have formed  International Canine Rescue Association (ICRA). Once fully organized, members of ICRA will establish the types of acceptable vaccines (for example Vanguard Plus 5- CVL and Rabisin Rabies), testing required prior to flying, and guidelines for general care of the dogs. All dogs will have been vaccinated at least 30 days prior to flying and quarantined during that 30-day waiting period, and tested for distemper, parvo and Brucellosis. Once the dogs have arrived in the U.S., ICRA members will test the dogs again for Brucellosis, provide distemper/parvo boosters and bordetella vaccinations, and do worming in addition to whatever special care each dog may need.  Additionally, all foreign rescuers and/or facilities will need to be inspected and certified by ICRA before ICRA members will accept dogs from them. Presently only golden retriever rescues are members, but we plan to open all other dog rescues.

Final Challenge

Now we come to the final challenge with which we’ve been confronted. Due to the number of rescue dogs entering the USA and to the Egypt rabies dogs that arrived in JFK, CBP has begun in the larger cities (Atlanta, New York City, Boston, Los Angeles, and San Francisco) to seize dogs and demand that the American rescuers work with Brokers when bringing dogs into the country as baggage. CBP contends that the dogs are brought in for resell (adoption fees are considered reselling) which makes them commercial items, and thus they should enter the country as cargo, not baggage. The average airline fee per dog flying to Seattle as baggage is between $500 and $700. If that same dog were to travel as cargo to Seattle, the cost would be $4,300 – which is too rich for most dog rescues. For now, CBP has allowed rescues to continue flying dogs as baggage but we must use a Broker to have the dogs cleared through Customs. This is an added expense of around $500 per flight.

As if all of the above isn’t enough, It is getting harder and harder for rescuers in China to find safe haven for the dogs they do rescue. Shelters, or bases, that have been legitimate in the past often are decreed unlawful by the Chinese government, and the rescuers are usually only given three days to move the dogs before the shelter is torn down. Police and other officials are roaming the streets in certain areas of Beijing and other cities seizing dogs and either sending them to slaughterhouses or euthanizing them. Although individual Chinese people are concerned about animal rights and rescue, the government is not. Until the government steps up, the terrible cruelty to animals in China will continue. GBR is under no illusion that the partnership they have with Chinese rescuers is helping to change the minds of the people or the government. All we can do is take comfort in that we have made a difference in the lives of the 339 goldens we have rescued so far and the lives we will affect in the future.

Your donations to GBR has helped us to continue to rescue not only international goldens but also to continue to rescue the local ones who need our help as well, and we cannot say, “Thank you!” enough!!!

We all know Golden Bond Rescue has amazing volunteers; however,  I didn’t realize just how incredible they are until I participated in the collecting and transporting of eight international goldens from SeaTac, Seattle, to Portland. This is the transport story of these eight souls through my eyes.

The Medical/Intake team is one of the many teams that works valiantly to ensure that each golden has a successful transition to its forever home. What does it take to get the international dogs to their foster homes? Unless you’re there, you couldn’t know because it all happens behind the scenes. Who knew!?! This fast-paced event involves teams of people who are willing to give their time, who have compassion, solicitude, and devotion to these dogs.

I had the amazing opportunity to accompany Kay Yates and Rachel Van Driest on a trip to retrieve a group of eight international dogs arriving at SeaTac and  then deliver them to Canyon Veterinary Hospital in Portland, OR the following day – seems simple enough!  Wrong!!!

I loaded into the Golden Bond van in Portland, the one with all the happy puppy faces painted on the side, and we drove 143 miles north to Tacoma to prepare and wait for the dogs’ flight to arrive. The Tacoma location is a volunteer’s home where the dogs spend the night after their flight. Staying overnight near the airport helps reduce stress and allows them a brief rest before making the trip the following morning to their doctor appointment and foster homes in Oregon and Washington.

Later that same evening, we met a second crew of volunteers at SeaTac who were there to help us collect the dogs from Oversize Baggage and get them back to the van. The crates came out of the shoot one-by-one, and those little faces peering out from the wire crate doors filled me with a sense of urgency to get them outside to stretch, relieve themselves and provide them the assurance that everything was going to be okay.

Once the dogs were moved via carts to the van, the real work began. Like a well-oiled machine, we all pitched in to open each crate and gently remove the dogs, then give them an opportunity to pee, poop, drink water and have a bite to eat. While some of the volunteers cared for the dogs, others were cleaning out the dirty crates (that’s “dirty” with a capitol POOP) and loading them into the van. After the dogs had had an opportunity to stretch their legs, they were loaded back into their crates and driven south to Tacoma to spend the night at Chez Siedlicki, the home of volunteer Melissa Siedlicki (another amazing volunteer who donates her house for the one night stay when the international dogs come in).

When we arrived at the house in the dark, yet a third team of volunteers met us there to give each golden one-on-one time. While the dogs were allowed to run around the back yard, crates were removed from the van and given thorough cleaning, if needed, and placed in various rooms where the dogs would sleep. The dogs were given more water and another small meal. After a bit more running around and playing (yes, there were the usual golden antics), they were placed back in their crates in the hopes of sleep. Yeah, right! So much for our hopes!!!

Many of the goldens were a bit anxious, all were on “China time,”, plus they all had to go out multiple times during the night. Each dog was assigned an overnight person so that all of their needs were met throughout the night. It is like a dog/volunteer slumber party (without the party or slumber). We woke up very early the next morning to prepare the dogs for transport to Portland: water, food, flea/heart worm/parasite preventative and more play. A final loading of the crates and the dogs into the van and off we went to make the 2.5 hour drive to Portland to see Drs. Boothe and Baucum at Canyon Pet Hospital. At the clinic, we were met by a fourth team consisting of foster parents and Intake/Foster Home volunteers who cared for the dogs while one-by-one the dogs went in for their exams. Each dog was given a thorough exam, blood drawn to test for Brucellosis, anemia, and kidney/liver values, given booster vaccinations, if needed, and wormed. Appointments were made for those dogs requiring additional medical care, e.g. neutering, lump removal or teeth extractions.

At the end of two very long days as I climbed into my own car completely exhausted, I jokingly said “I’ll never do this again!”  All kidding aside, I was so touched and inspired by these volunteers who are so devoted to the health and welfare of these dogs, who have already been through so much, that of course, I’ll do it again! Every one of the volunteers at every stage of the process had smiles on their faces and sleeves rolled-up, ready to help.

We Friends of Golden Bond usually never see this process, which is only one piece of the puzzle (foster team, adoption team, behavior evaluations, home visits, etc.) in GBR-land. All we, as members of FoGB, see are the pictures of the dogs in their foster or forever homes. What we miss is the pleasure of seeing these dogs come off the plane – dogs who should be bitter and damaged – wagging their tails, and happy to be in a better place. Like the Grinch, my heart swelled three sizes after helping these eight wonderful goldens make their final long trip to their forever homes.

I am so grateful to the volunteers who are ready to wrap their loving arms around these treasures, regardless of how filthy they (dogs) are or how terrible they smell from their long trip from China. I would go again and again and again no matter how exhausted I was. I came away from the experience truly inspired by Kay and Rachel’s professionalism and stamina, Melissa for her generosity to let that many volunteers and goldens invade her home, Jill for her tireless trekking to China and back, still joking and giving everyone a hard time, and all the other volunteers who cheerfully helped along the way.  I am thankful for my experience, for the quiet time spent in the van on the way back to Portland (without a peep from the many dogs in their crates), and relieved that all these precious goldens are on the road to a better place. I have to admit I was surprisingly emotional when I saw pictures of them in their foster or forever homes, all clean and smiling (Vicki’s picture says it all). Was it worth it? I would say, “Yes and I can’t wait to do it again!”  As veteran GBR international golden transporters say, “It’s life changing.”

Jessie: From Fleas and Neglect to Sign Language and Pampered

Back in October of 2014, I was asked to foster Jessie (#2505) who’d been seized from her home by Animal Control for legal reasons. Health-wise, she was neglected–smelly, fleas, skin infections, ear infections, and so scrawny you could see her ribs poking out. A couple months later, Regina adopted Jessie and I have enjoyed getting emails with updates and photos. When I got her last email, I got to thinking about the tremendous changes in Jessie’s life in just 15 months.

Here is Jessie’s story–a thank you to all the Golden Bond foster families who make the decision to forever change the life of a foster dog. And a thank you to the special angels who adopt special needs goldens, dogs that bring such joy, in their own special way, to their forever families.

Memories of Jessie from my 2014 journal:

• “ … The vet said her legs “hadn’t been used much.” Was she kept in a bathroom or closet? Why’s her rear end so weak? …
• I measured her waist today–only 17” around! Did she not get fed everyday? …
• Her skin, coat and smell are starting to improve …
• Her energy’s better, now she can walk almost 25 minutes …
• Jessie’s getting more attached, sociable and affectionate …
• This is the SWEETEST dog!! …
• No problems with the mass removal so now I can put her on the website …
• There’s already someone interested in Jessie! A retired lady from Seattle who sounds perfect …
• Talked to Regina, she’ll be great for Jessie …
• Jessie got adopted today. I’m sad for me but happy for her … ”

What an amazing 15 months this little dog has had. So many changes—neglected and left alone, seized by Animal Control, hating the shelter so much that this scrawny little girl pulled like a sled dog to get out of there. In foster care, she got happier and stronger. Jessie’s brand new life began last December with a new name, Rosie (because she had a rosy new future in front of her). Her new mom is a big-hearted woman who fell in love with a deaf, 12-year-old dog with a partially torn knee ligament and other health issues. Now Rosie gets lots of time and attention from Mom and neighbor, Aunt Annabelle. Deaf Rosie knows sign language to get treats. There’s daily walks around Lake Washington and the Arboretum (she can walk for an hour!) where she loves meeting other Goldens. Lots of toys, lots of pampering, lots of love. Two dog beds, one in front of the fireplace. Vet care. And she gets fed every single day.

“Rosie’s so funny,” her mom says. “She responds to signs like ‘sweet girl’ by laying on her back and wiggling with a huge grin on her face! She drags her leash when she wants to walk and sometimes to sleep with. She carries her two favorite stuffed animals from bed to bed … so cute … maybe her way of saying, ‘This is my little nest, my comfort zone.’”

This is what dog rescue is all about. If Multnomah County and Golden Bond Rescue hadn’t stepped in, Jessie could be dead by now. Instead, she’s a pampered pooch with a loving mom. Rosie’s got a brand new life!

Kathleen Howlett – Foster Mom

Debra Mulrooney, DAOM, LAC is a doctor of acupuncture and oriental medicine who has been licensed by the Oregon Medical Board since 1992. She is currently the Associate Dean of Clinical Education and a clinical faculty member at the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine.

In 2010, Debra started volunteering acupuncture services for GBR foster dogs to help them during their rehabilitation and recovery. GBR foster dogs are seen free of charge at Milner Veterinary Hospital in Oregon City on Saturday mornings by appointment and referral from their primary veterinarian. In Oregon, Statute 686.040(4) allows acupuncturists to practice on animals if the practice is upon referral from a licensed veterinarian for treatment or therapy specified by the veterinarian.

Chinese medicine predates the development of western scientific approaches to health care and as such, has its own perception of the body, health, and disease. Basic theories were developed through the observation of changes when animals or humans were treated with acupuncture. Acupuncture needles that are made of stone and dated atapproximately 4000 years have been found in caves in China. Also, depictions on cave walls of animals and humans being treated with acupuncture have been dated at over 5000 years. Today, acupuncture needles are sterile single use filiform needles which are medically disposed of immediately after treatment.

There are 365 “regular” acupuncture points on the 12 channels of the body.Each point has specific actions when stimulated and combinations of points are used to take advantage of the synergistic reactions between them. The duration of each treatment session depends on the condition being treated and the tolerance of the patient but usually takes an hour.

Most research on acupuncture has focused on pain control. Studies have generally been conducted on humans and animals living with chronic pain. Musculoskeletal, neurologic, intervertebral disc disease, lameness, and degenerative joint disease such as arthritis are commonly treated conditions. Some veterinary professionals have reported greater flexibility, as well as increased energy and stamina in their patients after being treated by Debra. Additionally, Debra has successfully treated animals undergoing chemotherapy to decrease digestive related issues and support quality of life.

If you parenting a GBR foster dog and feel they might benefit from care, you may contact Dr. Mulrooney at 503-253-3443 extension 139 or email her at [email protected] to discuss treatment. Debra also sees GBR Goldens that have found their forever homes and strives to make acupuncture affordable.

Note From GBR President Jill Groves:

Dr. Mulrooney has been treating Duke, one of our long time foster dogs who has recently found his forever home, for several years. GBR is convinced that without Dr. Mulrooney’s treatmnt, as well as swim therapy, Duke would never have become strong enough to have surgery to correct his bent rear legs.

Additionally, Dr. Mulrooney has been treating Scooby, a dog who had surgery for two floating knee caps. After a few treatments, Scooby has begun to raise up on his rear legs. get the zoomies and play like a normal dog.

Since the first article about GBR rescuing dogs from Taiwan was published, volunteers have made several trips to Seattle, one to Los Angeles and one to San Francisco to meet dogs coming from Taiwan. The total number of dogs rescued from Taiwan is 30 and one from South Korea. Pictures of some of those dogs are scattered throughout this article.

It was pretty exciting for those volunteers who drove to SeaTac to meet the first group of dogs to arrive from Taiwan. We didn’t know what to expect and in what shape the dogs would be. We were surprised and shocked when the Sky Caps brought crate after crate after crate out to the baggage area. We soon learned that a total of 21 dogs had been sent from Taiwan, though only five were for Golden Bond Rescue. Other than the goldens for GBR, all the other dogs were Formosan Mountain Dogs sent to the U.S. by Animal Rescue Team Taiwan (ARTT) for a Seattle based mixed breed rescue.

After the goldens were released to GBR by their flight escort, they were taken to a grassy/dirt area just outside the Arrival Terminal. One by one, the dogs were taken out of their crates to get a drink of water and to pee. Once the essentials were taken care of, GBR’s newest goldens began to act like typical goldens: PET ME! PET ME!

With each additional group of goldens to arrive, we found them all to be pretty much the same in stature and in temperament. Physically, they usually arrive shaved with a lion-type hair cut. Only their heads and the tips of their tails are left with long hair. This makes them easier to keep clean, tick and flea free, and are cooler in the hot and humid Taiwan climate. They are stockier than the golden we generally see in the Pacific NW. We’ve found that their rear leg muscles are mildly to severely atrophied. This is because they have been kept in kennels for long periods without exercise.

All vaccinations have been given before coming to the U.S and they have been neutered. In addition, they were tested for heartworm (treated if positive) and several tick borne diseases (treated as well, if positive). They have been dewormed, and microchipped, plus for as long as they were in their Taiwan rescuer’s care, they were given a monthly flea/heartworm preventative,

When the dogs arrive in Oregon, they are immediately taken to a GBR vet where they get a thorough exam, fecal and urine analysis tests, as well as a blood test. A few of the dogs have had allergy issues (no surprise there!), a few have been anemic, and some with ear infections. Overall, they come to GBR pretty healthy.

Temperament-wise to a dog, they have all been so calm, so sweet and a delight to have in a home. They don’t bark much but usually need some help getting the hang of living in a house. Most of the dogs (a few have come from Taiwanese foster homes) have been living on the street for months or years then moved to a shelter and don’t know the comfort of a soft bed and regular meals.

Because we found the dogs to be so calm and well adjusted when they arrive, we have been placing them in pre-approved foster-to-adopt homes.  Whether placed in a foster-to-adopt home or a regular foster home, they all need quiet time in order to adjust to their new environment, new food, new language (no they don’t understand English commands or their names), and chillier weather. Just as a person who has flown for many hours must get over jet lag, so do these dogs. They need time to figure out what’s what.

GBR will continue to help as many of the Taiwanese goldens as we can; however, that does not mean we will ignore our local goldens and golden mixes needing help. Unless a dog is aggressive toward people and/or severely  aggressive to other dogs, GBR will not turn down a golden who needs our help!

If you’re interested in adopting, fostering, or foster-to-adopting (same process as adopting) any dog from GBR, please contact us or read about these opportunities on our web site.

SeaTac Flight 12/15/14

Since mid-April of this year, GBR began bringing goldens (and the occasional lab) from Taiwan. To date, 52 lucky dogs have found new homes in Oregon and SW Washington. On 12/15/14, that number will increase by six when BoBo, Amber, Abby, Bona, Bentley, and Jack arrive at SeaTac International Airport. Taking the dogs in from Taiwan has been surprisingly free of difficulties. Before the dogs come to the U.S.A., they are tested (and treated, if needed) for heartworm and tick borne diseases. They are also neutered, vaccinated and microchipped. A few of them have come needing extra medical help, e.g. skin and ear infections, bad joints, lumps removed and analysed, etc.

The majority of dogs sent to GBR have been rescued off the streets of Taipei or out of its horrendous shelters. After reviewing the “before” pictures of some of these dogs, we wonder how they survive long enough to come to Oregon. Here are before and after pictures of Bona (6 year old female), who was found hiding in a haystack starving and riddled with fleas. She still has a ways to go before being ready to find her forever home. She has a large bulbous growth on one of her front feet, which we’re hoping a GBR surgeon can remove.

Most of the Taiwan dogs when they arrive are “good to go” so we try to place them directly into approved adopters’ homes as foster-to-adopt dogs. Those adopters who take in the dogs agree to care for them with the understanding that once GBR is comfortable (2-3 weeks generally) that there are no “hidden” ailments, they (adopters) have first chance at adoption.

A bit about the other dogs coming on the 15th: Abby is a 2-3 month old mix golden puppy; Bentley is a 5-7 year old male; BoBo is a 6 year old female; jack is a 3-4 year old male white lab; and Amber is a 6 year old female.

If you’d like to know more about our Bring Them Home project, continue reading the information below.

The Beginning

A few months ago, we were searching the web and came across a site belonging to a rescue group (non-golden) who had recently begun bringing rescued dogs to the U.S. from Taiwan. Further searching revealed that a couple of golden retriever rescues in California had been bringing in Taiwanese goldens off and on for a few years.

GBR teamed up with Seattle-based Evergreen Golden Retriever Rescue to try to locate a contact in Taiwan. Unfortunately, the California rescues were not very forthcoming with their Taiwan contact but with perseverance, one was found and a conversation started. The process of communicating has been interesting because they speak a little English and we speak zero Chinese.

On Tuesday, April 15th, GBR and Evergreen will meet a flight from Taiwan carrying six dogs: Gary, Cola, Minnie, Sindy, Donna, and Lady. Lady will stay with Evergreen and the other five will spend the night in a luxurious Motel 6 in Fife, WA with four GBR volunteers. Bright and early the next day, the dogs will be transported to foster homes in the Portland area, Eugene and Roseburg. You can read a short bio on each dog and see a picture by clicking on their individual names.

Why Go Outside Oregon/Washington or Even Outside The Country?

That’s a good question and we’re glad you asked. There are two reasons: 1) GBR is dedicated to rescuing goldens and golden mixes no matter where they are and 2) we have a waiting list of 30-40 approved applicants waiting to adopt a GBR dog.

We have spent years establishing a great working relationship with Oregon, Washington and Idaho shelters, as well as the Oregon Humane Society. Frequently, these establishments will contact GBR asking us if we can take a sick or injured golden, puppy mill goldens, or help free up kennel space by taking a stray golden. We also have a dedicated volunteer who daily scans Oregon’s and Washinton’s Craiglists for posted goldens. Lastly, if an owner contacts us about taking in their golden, we never turn a dog down unless it has a history of aggression toward people.

But Why Taiwan?

Another excellent question. Taiwan is a densely-populated country with very small living quarters. The “Dog Fad” has erupted there with cute little puppies being in high demand. There is a high desire for puppies of large breed dogs and little to no interest in rescuing existing dogs, especially street dogs. When folks find that living in close quarters with a dog isn’t necessarily all it’s cracked up to be, the dogs either go the ‘asylum,’ (Taiwanese terminology for a shelter) where they’re routinely euthanized after seven days, or they get turned out on the streets. Our rescue counterparts in Taiwan are primarily focused on the street dogs and rescuing them from the horrific conditions they have been subjected to in their lives. Some dogs find their homes in Taiwan, but overwhelmingly the large breed dogs are overlooked and the rescuers are left with few options.

Big dog breeds, such as golden retrievers and Labradors, are the main victims in this recent wave of dog abandonment. Tallies compiled by Taipei City’s Environmental Protection Department, which is responsible for handling stray dogs, show that the highest number of abandoned canines were captured in the Shihlin and Beitou districts, adjacent to Yangmingshan National Park, a recreation area in Northern Taiwan. The park has become a popular dumping ground because dog owners believe its vast wooded environment is suitable for dogs to find food, take shelter and survive on their own. It is estimated that there are more than 300 or 400 stray dogs roaming within the park at any given time. They survive on food and snacks left by visitors as well as small wild animals, such as snakes and mice. Those abandoned in the cities scavenge for kitchen scraps at dumpsters outside the city’s many restaurants.

Take a look at your golden – can you imagine him or her wandering the streets of Taipei looking for a scrap to eat? We can’t, that’s why where there are goldens in need, GBR will be there!

How Can You Help?

Easy Peazy: DONATE! It’s as simple as taking out your checkbook, writing a check and sending it to: Golden Bond Rescue, P.O. Box 25391, Portland, OR 97298 or donate online by clicking here. Indicate that it’s to help “GBR’s Taiwanese Dogs.”

We hope this will be the first in a number of goldens we will bring to Oregon from Taiwan. These dogs are indeed very Fortunate Cookies!

You can help Golden Bond Rescue earn donations just by shopping with your Fred Meyer Rewards Card!

Fred Meyer is donating $2.5 million per year to non-profits in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington, based on where their customers tell them to give. Here’s how the program works:

• Sign up for the Community Rewards program by linking your Fred Meyer Rewards Card to Golden Bond Rescue at www.fredmeyer.com/communityrewards. You can search for us by our name or by our non-profit number PE403.
• Then, every time you shop and use your Rewards Card, you are helping Golden Bond Rescue earn a donation!
• You still earn your Rewards Points, Fuel Points, and Rebates, just as you do today.
• If you do not have a Rewards Card, they are available at the Customer Service desk of any Fred Meyer store.
• For more information and to link your card to GBR, please visit www.fredmeyer.com/communityrewards.  Once there, click on the Link Your Rewards Card Now button. If you already have your sign-in set up with Fred Meyer, just enter your email address and password.  If your new to FredMeyer.com, click on Get Started and follow the simple instructions. Once your account is set up, you can link your card to GBR’s account number – PE403.
• If you’re having trouble opening an account at FredMeyer.com or linking your card to GBR, please contact Jill Groves at [email protected]

Those of you who are on GBR’s mailing list will have already received our End Of Letter in the mail.  This letter is an opportunity for us to let our followers know what we did during the year and to, of course, ask for financial support so that we can continue helping our dogs in 2014. For those of you not on our mailing list, please enjoy our End of Year Letter. We hope, as well, that you will make a donation to help us continue rescuing goldens and golden mixes. Happy Holidays!

Dear Friend of Golden Bond Rescue,  

Whoa!  You may be thinking “Didn’t I just get one of these letters from Golden Bond Rescue?!”  Well, it seems to us as well that only a few weeks ago we were sending a letter like this out even though it’s really been almost a year. 

This past year, like every other year, there have been some dogs which have just touched us more than usual.   Here are brief bios about three of the dogs who came to us with extreme physical challenges – Peanut, Buster and Duke. 

Spotlight on Dogs

Peanut (#2370), a very loving seven month old, has a significant genetic deformity of her lower front legs. As she grew, her ulnae became fixed and stopped growing, though the radii did not. This caused the radii to curve outward.

After consulting an orthopedic surgeon, GBR was given four options: 1) euthanize immediately; 2) leave her as is, and she’d probably live another year, then would need to be euthanized; 3) cut the ulnae to see if the radii would straighten some on their own; or 4) rebuild the legs.

Because of the cost, pain and high probability of infection, GBR did not choose option 4. Neither could we euthanize her without giving her a fighting chance. We elected Option 3 – cutting the ulnae.

On July 17th, Dr. Munjar (Veterinary Surgical Center) performed the surgery, and Peanut has fully recovered and is doing very well. At her final post-surgical visit, follow up x-rays were taken which showed that both radii had in fact straightened some, so there was less curve where they meet the ankles. This was excellent news!

Peanut is able to have her two 15-minute walks a day, plus play with the other dogs living in her foster home. However, if in the future she shows some pain due to deterioration of the ankles, she will need to have her ankles fused. She will still be able to walk, run and play but will have limited movement of her feet. Her small size may be part of the deformity but is a big advantage for her, as there is less stress on her wrist joints than if she were a normal sized Golden.

Buster (#2363) was seven weeks old when he first came to Golden Bond Rescue on May 30, 2013. At about five weeks old, his snout area began to swell and turn red. The diagnosis was “puppy strangles,”  also known as canine juvenile cellulitis. The treatment consists of large doses of prednisone along with an antibiotic, but unfortunately, for two weeks after the diagnosis, Buster’s owner failed to give him the medication, so the disease rapidly progressed to the point where the fur and skin on his face and legs began to slough off. (At the time his weight was 5 pounds.) Over the course of several weeks, Buster was put on a hefty dose of prednisone and antibiotics, and had cold laser treatments several times a week. He is now six months old, weighs 45 pounds, and hair is beginning to grow back on his face. The vets who cared for Buster said that he had the worst case of puppy strangles that they had ever seen. The scar tissue that formed under his eyes has pulled his lower eyelids down, so he may need to have surgery to correct it at the time he is neutered.

Duke (#1979) was relinquished to Golden Bond in December of 2009 by a couple of young ladies who picked him up for free from a lady at a supermarket in Southern Oregon. Once they got him home and looked past the cute little six month old puppy with half his front leg gone, they realized that they couldn’t keep him. They contacted Golden Bond Rescue.

 While in the womb, Duke’s right front leg had begun to form but then stopped about a couple inches below the elbow. When he arrived in Portland he was seen by a surgeon to see if the leg should be removed. [Many three legged dogs can do quite well.] Unfortunately for Duke, it was also discovered that he only had one structurally sound leg and that was his other front. The knees of both back legs had not formed correctly so they kept popping in and out of the joint; this could be visually seen, for the knees stuck out in funny angles. Sadly, these deformed joints were causing Duke to be constantly in pain. It was determined that surgery was not a good option at this point.

Suspecting that his life expectancy was going to be only six months to a year and due to his super sparkling personality, we decided to keep him under our care (aka permanent foster). With all his troubles, we couldn’t believe what a happy boy he was. Our goal was to make him as comfortable as possible for the few months that he had left. A generous supporter paid for Duke’s artificial leg, which really helped him get around but never quite fit him properly. Skip ahead 3.5 years to June, 2013 and Duke celebrated his fourth birthday, plus he’s being fitted for an even better prosthetic! We credit his amazing survival to his foster mom, Dr. Shaw at Back On Track, Diane Kunckle at Paws Aquatic and his extraordinary acupuncturist – Debra Mulrooney.

 A return visit to an orthopedic specialist this summer gave us all hope that with surgery on his rear legs, Duke can look forward to a normal golden life span and he’ll begin looking for a forever home. All the physical therapy Duke has had over the past 3.5 years has strengthened his muscles to the point that they can support his “dodgey” join

 Some Stats You Should Know In 2013, GBR took in 100 dogs and adopted out 106 dogs.  Even though we took in somewhat fewer dogs than in the preceding several years (this is happening nationwide), our vet costs were way up because a higher proportion of the dogs had moderate to severe physical challenges.  This, by the way, is among several things which makes trying to budget our modest non-profit maddeningly difficult.

New Training Programs  To more cherry news, there are other ways to assist dogs besides medically, and now we want to tell you very briefly about new efforts we are going to make on behalf of our dogs. GBR has had a terrific track record in placing dogs because we are so careful in evaluating both our dogs and our applicants prior to making a match.  Two new initiatives for the coming years will involve foster home training (if you’re a foster home, listen up!) and dog evaluation (ditto if you do “dog evals,” ).

Dog Evaluations  If you’ve ever done one, you know that dog evaluations can be tricky because the dogs are usually “not themselves” – they sense something is up.  To help insure that all of our volunteers who do dog evaluations are on the same page and feel confident in what they’re doing, we will be partnering with Synergy Behavior Solutions to develop a training package for dog evaluator volunteers.  We’re just in the beginning phases, but we know some of the pieces we want to be part of this training:   For example, how can you be sure that you’re seeing a friendly, open personality?  What is “reactivity,” and what do you look for to see if a dog has it?  If you’re using your own dog to assist your evaluation, what steps do you need to follow to help it give insight into your evaluation?  Even though we’ve had excellent success in the past, we think this new initiative will make our dog evaluations even better, especially because in recent years we have noticed an increase in the proportion of dogs exhibiting negative behavioral traits.

Foster Home Training  We appreciate so much that we have wonderful foster families (never as many as we would like, of course), and a goal we have had in mind for a long time has been to give them some  tools they may not have currently to help prepare our dogs for the transition into their forever homes.  This new, in-depth training is intended to help the dogs grow so that adopting a dog from us will be even more of a “turn-key” operation than it has been to date.  In brief, we plan to use reward-based games to train the dogs in at least the following activities:  getting used to being crated; knowing the commands “sit,” “down,” and “come;” walking nicely on a leash; and lastly, giving new people a polite greeting (i.e., not jumping and/or slobbering all over them.  Curiously enough, there are actually some people who don’t like that.)   We are hopeful both that our already high rate of “customer satisfaction” will increase and that our foster families will appreciate learning some skills they can use with their own dogs.

We Cut to the Chase!  There are only so many ways to ask for your money, and that of course is what this letter is about.  Much of what we do has costs, although our reliance on volunteers minimizes them, and our new initiatives will have some associated costs as well.  We feel fortunate that for the last several years we have not been forced to cut corners on what we can do for our dogs, and it is no exaggeration to say that “it’s all due to you.”

With tongues firmly in our cheeks, we want you to know that your donations go completely “to the dogs!”   Seriously, contributions to Golden Bond Rescue are a great way to direct your charitable giving because we are a 100% volunteer staffed organization, and only about 8% of our costs are administrative.  Over the last several years, this letter, our end-of-the-year appeal, has raised nearly one-quarter of our annual operating budget – it’s a crucial piece of our fundraising.  We know that you’re aware that the end of the tax year falls on December 31^st, so we invite you to be as generous as you can in writing a fully tax deductible check made out to “Golden Bond Rescue of Oregon” and mailing it to this address:  Golden Bond Rescue, P.O. Box 25391, Portland, OR 97298-0391, or you can donate online by clicking here.

In closing, we want to say, without the slightest hint of flattery, we truly believe that Golden lovers are to humans as Goldens are to dogs:  the best of their kind!  Please be as generous as you can to help us guarantee our ability to continue our work.  We and a whole bunch of dogs THANK YOU SO MUCH!  And because we know that it’s highly likely that you volunteer for us as well, we want to say “THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!” for that, too.  Oh, and remember that you can donate on-line at our website, www.goldenbondrescue.com.

With sincere wishes for a wonderful holiday season to you and your family (including Goldens and other pets),

The Board of Directors

Golden Bond Rescue of Oregon