YGRR is fortunate to have the benefit of many skilled and dedicated volunteers. While most of them perform jobs that are normal, if not routine, sometimes an unusual assignment comes along. Such was the case for Jake.

Translator Needed
by Alicia

Although my main YGRR volunteer job is Acknowledgments Secretary, I am always willing to help in any way I can, but I never expected that my language skills would be called into service to help a Golden.

In December of last year, a male caller (Hector) left a message on the YGRR Hotline regarding a Golden he wanted to surrender. Because Hector had a heavy Spanish accent, the details of that call were not very clear. However, he seemed to indicate that he needed to act quickly and that he was going to have to call the town pound at the end of the day if he didn't hear from us.

Repeated calls to the number that Hector had left were unanswered. After several attempts, Angela (one of the YGRR Intake/Adoption Coordinators) spoke to a man who told her that Hector didn't live there but he just dropped by periodically. It was difficult for Angela to understand this person as well because he, too, had a heavy accent. At this point, I was recruited to help Angela get this Golden into Rescue. Since I live in the same town as Hector and I speak Spanish, I was asked to contact Hector and assure him that YGRR was ready, willing and able to try to help him with his Golden.

It turned out that the phone number belonged to a member of Hector's family who told me: "My brother wants to get rid of the dog." That is a statement that strikes fear in my heart. I left a message explaining that I was a YGRR volunteer who lived locally, that YGRR was ready to take the dog and that he should call me at home so I could help him navigate the YGRR paperwork and procedures. Several days went by and I still had not heard anything. As my fear for the dog's welfare increased, I called again and finally got in touch with Hector.

Hector told me that his problem was that he had no time, he had just started in a new job, and he could not bring the dog to Massachusetts or even to our collaborating veterinarian about fifty miles away. I assured him that we would organize transportation and call him back very shortly. After consulting with Barbara, the Connecticut transportation coordinator for YGRR, I called Hector and set a time for us to go to Hector's house and get the dog in two days.

When we arrived, there was Jake, a beautiful red boy who looked the perfect picture of a field Golden, tied to a tree where he spent the entire time his owner was away. As I walked towards him with some biscuits in my hand, he was very happy to see me and devoured the treats as fast as I could give them to him. Shortly after, Hector came back from work and in talking with him, we realized this was not, fortunately, a case of abuse but rather of neglect due to lack of time. He had a very young son, much attached to the dog, but too young to take any responsibility for his care. The little boy was not there at the time but he knew his pet was going away; he had asked if he would be able to go visit him in his new home.

Barbara had obtained a translation of some training command words from English to Spanish but it quickly became clear that this two and a half year old Golden didn't know any command words in any language because nobody had trained him. (By the way, if my Goldens are any example, dogs can become bilingual very easily.) When we were ready to take him away, Jake jumped happily into the crate in Barbara's car and off he went to be checked by a vet.

December had been a very mild month in New England. However, the same day we picked up Jake, the weather turned freezing cold and I was certainly very happy to think that from then on this beautiful Golden boy would not spend his days tied to a tree or sleep in a cold shed. We rescued Jake three days before Christmas and we could not have given him a better present than the hope of a new life in a loving and warm home.

Feliz Navidad
by Barbara

Even with the language barrier, filling out Jake's owner information sheet turned out to be pretty easy. Hector didn't know the answer to most of the questions on the YGRR "Dog Information From Owner" sheet because Jake had spent most of his life tied out. He had no idea if Jake pulled on a leash. Since he had no toys, Jake didn't have a favorite toy. He didn't know if Jake would come when called. Such as it was, Jake's paperwork was completed and it was time to play beat the clock. The veterinarian's office was closing in about an hour, and it was about an hour away.

Jake enthusiastically hopped into the crate in my car and gobbled down the dog cookies I gave him. When I said, "Good boy Jake!" he cocked his head and looked at me as if to say, "I can do that again. Show me the cookies." Some incoming Rescue Goldens won't eat the dog cookies in the crate. Often it's a sign that we are going to have a restless, stressful or vocal ride. Jake seemed to enjoy looking at the world go by. I guess this was all pretty new and pleasantly exciting to him. As we drove, I talked and sang Christmas carols to him. He got the cutest expression on his face and curiously looked in my direction. He passed the "cookie test."

Jake seemed very sociable and comfortable with the whole situation. I was a lot more worried about what was going on than he was. He had been tied out most of his life and probably had not been given heartworm preventative. In my head I kept repeating "Please don't have heartworm. Please don't have heartworm." I wanted him to be healthy and move on to his new home quickly. If he had heartworm, he would have to undergo treatment at the vet's and then stay at Riverview for at least a month to ensure that his posttreatment activity level was kept low. Before I knew it, we were at the vet's office with five minutes to spare. I stroked Jake's head and watched him happily stroll into the kennel area. The next day I called the vet and found out that Jake did not have heartworm. What a relief that was. He would be neutered and then would be off to Riverview in short order.

Two days later, Christmas Eve, I was back at the vet's office -- this time to take a young female up to Riverview so she would be ready for an adoption appointment as soon as possible after Christmas. There was a good chance that Jake had never received a Christmas present so I brought him one -- a large nylabone ring and some big dog cookies shaped like cats. Actually, this year Hector had already given him the best Christmas present. He realized that Jake deserved a better home and surrendered him to YGRR.

Me and Ruth and Whitney . . . and Jake!
by his adopter, Gerry

My wife, Ruth, and I have been an item for forty-five years. Included in this program, at various unscheduled times, have been three sons, three daughters-in-law, five grandchildren and eight dogs. This isn't necessarily arranged in order of importance, accomplishment or intellect. Suffice it to say that dogs have always been part of our family. They've shared all the triumphs, the sorrows and the partings, along with our food, our sofas and our affection.

When our Golden Retriever, Betsy, left for the Big Boneyard, we wanted another dog but our homegrown labor pool of teenagers had long since gone off to seek their fortunes, degrees, wives and Golden Retrievers.

Enter YGRR with the answer to the need. More importantly, enter Jane, our local YGRR person (home visit coordinator). After our interview (in accordance with my orders, I maintained a discreet silence), we went through the tense waiting period. Then we interviewed Whitney (a 7 to 9 year old Golden stray -- who's counting? Of course, any Golden Retriever addict knows that the Golden Retriever interviews YOU. Well, we were acceptable and we brought our gentleman home for a wonderful five years. Last November, we had to let our old friend go to join Betsy. A lot of soggy hankies all around.

Once again, however, we turned to our friends at YGRR and Jane performed her miracle again. Now, we're back in the world of the stolen sock with a lovely little red Golden Retriever who bears the clearly heard name of Jake. He's two-years-old, most affectionate (what Golden isn't!) and we've bonded!

We are so happy that he is now a part of our family. He seems to have adjusted to his new home very well. He loves to retrieve tennis balls and chase squirrels in the fenced-in backyard. One thing Jake never tires of is being petted and having his tummy rubbed. He is such a lovable, cuddly dog. Jake is learning to walk on a leash and is doing quite well considering it's new to him. He'd much rather be running around in his backyard! All in all I think it was an easy adjustment for Jake and us and we couldn't be happier and I rather think he finds it's a pretty good life here, too!

Basic thought: YGRR is great and like all organizations, it's greatness is the sum of its wonderful people.


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