Four-year-old Abby and nine-year-old Cody were turned in to YGRR when their owners lost their home to a foreclosure. The family included a seven-month-old baby, a three-year-old, and two teenagers. They had less than a week to move out of their home and could not take Abby and Cody with them.

The family had been struggling with their finances and had been unable to take Abby and Cody to the vet. Upon arrival at YGRR’s vet, both dogs were given physical exams. Cody was neutered uneventfully and given a geriatric workup. Abby, however, was found to be suffering from pyometra, a serious infection of the uterus. When she was examined, the vet noted that she had a foul discharge from her vulva and her bloodwork showed that she had a low platelet count and was anemic. Pyometra affects unspayed females, and the risk gets higher as a dog ages. It generally goes unnoticed by the owner until it is very advanced and the dog begins to deteriorate quickly. Pyometra is fatal if left untreated, and if Abby had been delayed any longer in getting medical treatment, she would have died. Abby needed to be spayed immediately to remove her infected uterus and save her life. Her operation was performed without delay. Because the uterus was enlarged and filled with pus, the surgery was very difficult and Abby barely survived. It was touch and go for the next several days. She was placed on powerful antibiotics and monitored closely at the vet hospital. Finally, Abby began to perk up and get her energy and appetite back.

Both dogs needed further medical care, as well. Abby had entropion and needed a second surgery, this time to correct her eyelashes, which turned inward and rubbed against her corneas. Cody required antibiotics to treat a skin infection.

After these health issues were addressed, both Abby and Cody found a home with a repeat adopter who had lost both of his beloved Goldens within a short time. He was anxious to again provide a loving home for a deserving Golden or two. This sweet pair is now very happy in their new home! Abby loves her new toys, and would like to personally thank whoever invented a squeaky tennis ball! Cody never wants to be more than six inches from his adopter’s side. Cody also loves to watch TV, so his adopter leaves it on for the dogs whenever he has to leave them alone. Abby and Cody’s adopter loves his new additions and is committed to giving them the best care for the rest of their lives!

Abby and Cody thank you for your support and especially for making it possible to save Abby’s life. Without you, we would not be able to provide the exemplary medical care and services that we pride ourselves on being able to offer all the dogs that come through our program. Our expenses for each dog greatly outweigh our adoption fees. Your donations ensure that dogs like Abby and Cody are able to receive the prompt care and attention they need in order to make it to their forever homes. Thank you!

Nine-year-old Marlow and seven-year-old littermates Mia and Morgan were surrendered to Rescue because their owners were losing their home to foreclosure. The family kept the dogs as long as possible, hoping to find a place that would welcome them, but when time ran out they contacted YGRR. The family had owned Marlow, Mia, and Morgan since they were puppies and wanted only the best for them. They knew that we would find these special girls the right new home, so they contacted us.

The girls were given a complete physical examination at one of our collaborating vet hospitals. Marlow’s senior workup was uneventful and she was spayed. Morgan had a suspicious mass near her mammary gland and another on her uterus. Because unspayed females are at greater risk for mammary cancer and uterine cancer, we were quite concerned, but luckily the biopsy results showed neither growth was malignant. Mia also had a suspicious growth, located near her anal gland. Her spay surgery had to be performed by a board-certified surgeon so that the mass could be removed at the same time. Unfortunately, Mia’s biopsy showed that she had an aggressive type of cancer. The good news was that the mass was completely removed, but the potential remains that this type of cancer could spread. We followed up with an ultrasound to make sure there was no sign of the cancer elsewhere, and were relieved that Mia currently showed no signs of metastasis.

Placing a trio would be a challenge under the best of conditions, and Mia’s additional health issues added another layer to the process to say the least! These girls adored each other, however, and we hoped we might be able to find an adopter willing to take them all on. While they waited, the girls loved their time at Riverview – they wrestled together in the play yards and were favorites of the volunteers and staff. They were all well-behaved, walked nicely on leash, and were very sweet!

Luckily for this terrific trio, repeat adopters with a history of taking in special needs dogs had a home without the pitter patter of doggy feet. We had the perfect cure for that! Marlow, Mia, and Morgan are now together with their new adopters! They love going on long walks on nearby conservation land and even taking a dip in the water. Then it’s time to come back in and take a snooze on the couch! Mia and Morgan just celebrated their seventh birthday, which their family took off from work so they could celebrate in style! The girls’ adopters are totally in love with their new additions!

Marlow, Mia, and Morgan want to thank all of you for your generous support. Without you, we would not be able to provide the exemplary medical care and services that we pride ourselves on being able to offer all the dogs that come through our program. Our expenses for each dog greatly outweigh our adoption fees. Your donations ensure that dogs like Marlow, Mia, and Morgan have a safe haven and the best possible chance at a new life. Thank you!

Six-year-old Brady came to Rescue because his owners could not afford his care and he was too energetic and untrained. The family had taken Brady from a coworker a month earlier, but they were unprepared for the amount of time he required. Brady loved the family’s children, but he would chew their toys. He would also get very excited and jump, as well as pull when they tried to walk him on leash. Since they lived in an apartment, this made it very difficult to give Brady enough exercise, which in turn made it impossible to improve his manners. All that energy had to go somewhere! Although Brady was a playful and good-natured boy, it just wasn’t the right fit for their lifestyle. They were already attached to Brady’s sweet personality and wanted him to have a home where he could get the attention he deserved.

Brady had a mild ear infection, but was otherwise a healthy boy. When he came to Riverview, he was understandably a bit shy at first, having gone through so many recent changes. He was very affectionate, however, and craved attention. He also loved to retrieve, and he would actually return with the tennis ball!

Brady was matched with an active couple and now he is happy and relaxed in his new home! For the first couple of weeks Brady was subdued and a bit apprehensive – in fact, his adopters just assumed he was a reserved boy because he would only occasionally wag his tail. He liked his new toys but did not really play with them. Once Brady realized he was there to stay, however, he began to come out of his shell. Now, Brady’s tail never stops wagging and his adopters are treated to endless serenades of squeaky toys! He is energetic and loves to take walks in the woods, have play dates with canine friends, and, of course, chase his beloved tennis ball. Brady is constantly standing by the car door waiting for someone to take him for a ride. He also likes to snuggle!

Brady is perfect for his new family’s active lifestyle. They can’t imagine anyone giving him up, but they say they are grateful they did!

Tammy is a 10-year-old unspayed female that was used for breeding. When she was too old to have puppies and no longer a source of income to her owners, she was surrendered to a shelter in Connecticut. YGRR was notified by a member who saw Tammy at an adoption fair at a local petstore, and we promptly called the shelter to offer our services. The shelter had already found an adopter, however, and Tammy went to her new home. Several months later, though, her new owner’s elderly father moved in. He was suffering from dementia and he would at times purposely push his walker into Tammy. While Tammy was always patient and tolerant, her adopter recognized that this was not fair to Tammy and returned her to the shelter. The shelter still had YGRR’s contact information, and a volunteer immediately picked Tammy up and transported her to our veterinarian for a complete senior work-up.

Tammy was found to have several health issues. Bloodwork and urinalysis showed that Tammy had the beginnings of kidney disease. X-rays revealed that Tammy also had a heart condition of unknown severity. Before she could be spayed or have multiple growths removed, Tammy had to have a Doppler echocardiogram. Luckily, this showed that although Tammy had chronic valvular disease, she required no medication and it was safe for her to undergo anesthesia. During her spay, the vet found growths on her uterine horns. These turned out to be cysts and may have formed due to past cesarean sections. Tammy also had multiple growths removed, all of which turned out to be benign. Tammy will need to continue to be monitored for progression of her kidney and heart disease.

At Riverview, we found Tammy to be a playful and active senior. She loved toys that squeak, though she practiced surgery on any stuffed animals. She enjoyed going for walks and chasing a tennis ball, and she loved attention from any humans. She was a very sweet girl!

Tammy, now “Tracy,” is finally in her forever home! Her new family is absolutely in love with their spunky senior girl! Even with her gray muzzle, the neighbors asked if she was a puppy due to her lively personality! Tracy has fit in perfectly with her new family. She keeps them active and in constant search of toys that will last more than 10 minutes! Tracy is a joyful girl, and her adopters report they could not have asked for a more loving Golden!