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The following short story, written by a rescue volunteer from another part of the country, is almost certain to bring you to tears. We do not want to upset you -- we have only printed it here to underscore the need for our senior Golden program. If we did not have the support of wonderful members and friends like you who make the care of our seniors possible through donations to the "Look Beyond Time Fund", many Goldens over age seven or eight would be lost. And, if we did not have wonderful adopters like the people who share their stories in the pages that follow, we would not be able to take in every single senior who needs us. We can only take them in because people are not only willing, but really want to adopt seniors. Because our senior program is so strong, animal control officers and shelter professionals know they can call us whenever they have a senior Golden. Thank you all for making this possible so senior Goldens in New England can find new families to love them.
Nine to Ten
It was quiet - very quiet; then the sound of the footsteps could be faintly heard on the cement floor, each step echoing in the empty hallway. The sound changed as the turn was made down the kennel hallway.
He didn't hear the footsteps as much as he felt the vibrations. He was lying on his left side, with his good ear to the floor. When he was picked up last week, his right ear had been very infected. A kind hand had petted him, talked softly to him, and lifted him up onto a stainless steel table.
It had hurt as the human's hand touched his right ear. It felt cold as some liquid was put in his ear and pain came again as the hand did something to his ear. Each day for a week he felt the gentle touch of human hands as he was petted and his ear was touched. Each day his ear felt better.
But each day had brought in different humans -- never his master -- and all said the same words: "Nine to ten years old? - sorry, not interested." Then they would walk away.
Was nine to ten years something bad? For nine to ten years he had been loyal, for nine to ten years he had learned to love, for nine to ten years he had patiently sat at his master's side for a few seconds of attention. For nine to ten years, he had served when called, obeyed when told and had been grateful for any attention and love.
He saw the black shoes and blue pants of the human and sat up. There was the now familiar rope lead in the hands and the soft voice saying "Okay, boy, time to come with me."
The kennel door was opened and he stood still as the rope collar was placed around his neck. He did a big stretch, then walked out of his kennel, #6. The soft voice said, "Good boy, come on."
They walked down the hall and into the room with the stainless steel table. Soft hands and strong arms lifted him onto the table. He lay down as they had been getting him to do these last few days. Only now they rubbed his head and did not touch his ear.
He felt a strange vibration on his leg and looked at it. They were shaving off the hair. He was puzzled, but in his nine to ten years, he had come to trust humans. One of the humans cradled his head in her arms. Another held his shaved leg and he felt a sting. So quickly he was tired -- more tired than he had ever been before. One of the humans asked what time it was and he heard the soft voice say "Nine minutes to ten" as he drifted off into eternal sleep.
No One Could Take Him When His Owner Died
I want to thank all of you for the wonderful service you do. I don't know what I would have done without you!
When my husband died, I didn't have anyone who could take his dog Eric. Mark had Eric for about ten years. We got him when he was just a pup. He was really my husband's dog. Eric wanted to be wherever Mark was. They played together all the time. If my husband fell asleep on the couch, Eric would jump up there and sleep with him. Eric would carry around socks or shoes of Mark's and keep them with him all day. He was such a devoted and loving dog. And Mark loved him.
In January of 2000, Mark died in a fire in his apartment. Eric was outside at the time. The firefighters tried to get him, but he just ran off.
The next morning, I went over to the apartment to see if I could find Eric. I thought for sure that we had lost him too. I didn't know how he could have survived that night. He's older and it was freezing out.
We found Eric. He was laying on the couch - just like he always did - even though it was burned out. He was there waiting for Mark because that was where he should have been! It was just so sad.
I was so devastated over the tragic death of Mark that I had no idea what to do with Eric. A local veterinarian, Mike McTigue, was kind enough to take him in. His staff took good care of Eric. They pampered him and loved him. When Mike told me about you, Yankee Golden Retriever Rescue, I was just so relieved to know that Eric would be taken care of. I didn't want to have to put him down but I had no one who could take him. So I want to thank you again for helping me and Eric. You were a blessing to me.
Enclosed is a donation to you in memory of my husband. When I heard about you, I remembered that my husband would get your calendar every year. He felt that your organization was one that he wanted to contribute to. He admired your work. He knew that you cared as deeply as he did for animals. So I know that Mark would have wanted me to do this.
I know you can't tell me where Eric gets placed - but I really would like to know when he does. Then I can rest knowing that the dog my husband loved so much is okay and happy. Thank you.
How "Eric" Became "Ray"
Ray, known to his former owner as Eric and to YGRR as #2839, careened into our life on March 11, 2000. He skidded across the living room floor at Riverview, galloped toward the toy box and then he did one of those things that just makes you weep (if you're inclined to weep over homeless dogs in the first place): he chose a toy and started to play by himself.
Then he looked up at us and we saw anxiety and happiness in his eyes. He seemed like a big, golden, lambchop of a dog who needed some help. It was as simple as that - my husband Michael looked at me, smiling in a special way, and I knew we had a new companion for life.
Twenty-five years ago, our first dog, Sundance, was a Golden. For ten years or more we have belonged to and supported YGRR. During that time, our canine carrying capacity seemed always to be full - three is a good number for us, although at one time we had three dogs and nine longhaired dachshund puppies underfoot! Then, in December, 1999, one of our pack members, Mr. Mann, died from congestive heart failure. For a little fellow, he left an awfully big hole.
The wonderful newsletter from YGRR about adopting seniors had arrived that fall and we had talked about it off and on: "Wouldn't it be nice to have a new dog that's already housebroken?" "Wouldn't it be nice to have a big, sensible dog who likes to go on walks?" Finally, "Wouldn't it just be the right thing to do?"
So, in February 2000, we called the adoption hotline. We filled out the application form a few weeks after it arrived, wondering if we were doing the right thing. Then we had a visit from the most wonderful Home Visit Coordinator Jane MacDonald, who is our neighbor, a kindred spirit, and has since become our friend. Michael wanted a male as he thought it would be easier for our two remaining senior lady dachshunds, 11 and 14.
Shortly thereafter, Jane called to say YGRR staff had a dog in mind for us - we couldn't believe our luck! And so, we packed our two ancient dachshunds into the car and drove to Hudson, MA, with adrenaline and a million questions racing through our minds. What would the dachshunds do? How would he adjust? Were we doing the right thing?
Susan Averill, who helped us through this day, was incredibly patient and supportive and even told us our dachshunds were well socialized and would be absolutely fine! The entire process was handled calmly, responsibly and everything was fine until we actually helped Eric into the car and started to drive home.
He was badly frightened, very anxious and completely unable to relax in the car. He stood, rigid and drooling on the back seat, for an endless three and one-half hours. We were beside ourselves; the dachshunds were just fine. He was completely confused and extremely anxious at first. He rarely looked at us and didn't solicit affection. Michael
christened him Ray (homage to an idol, the great Ray Charles), so we started to call him "Eric-Ray". Our friends brought presents - toys and treats - and sent welcoming cards, "Congratulations on your new, senior baby"!
Fortunately, YGRR provides a wealth of welcome information, including medical records, a book about adopting rescued dogs, a sheet called "Where Am I? And Who Are These People?" and something called "Dog Information >From Owner" if the former owner is available. Evidently, a lot of Ray's behaviors changed with his circumstances. For example, his form said "not good on leash", but he was actually pretty good on his leash. Sometimes he pulled and jerked but clearly the regular leash walks were something new so he acted differently. "Chews wrong items - No" on the form is a good one - he chewed things unpredictably and really fast, including our tax forms (well, whose fault was that?)!
After about three months, he began to relax a little. He cried when we left him behind in a room, so we got into the habit of making sure he was always with one of us. He started to lean on us when we sat down and competed with the dachshunds for grooming, stroking, singing and kissing. We started to call him Ray and he was wonderfully responsive, both to his name and to the word "no". Our biggest difficulty was getting things away from him that we didn't want him to have (like the tax forms). Because we didn't know him from scratch, we didn't know exactly what he meant when we tried to take something out of his mouth and he growled. Again, YGRR's information came to our rescue. His form said, "Will do anything for a treat", so we traded treats for our socks and other unmentionables.
Having a rescue dog is a constant learning experience, endlessly fascinating and mostly fun. A few months ago, our dog care provider Dianne had all three - two short-legged and one leggy boy - on leashes and was trying to get the mail and the paper. In exasperation, she said to Ray, "Help! Pick up the paper!" And, what do you know, he pounced on the paper and carried it all the way into the house, prancing and tail held high! You could almost hear him saying, "Finally, somebody gave me that command!"
We worked with our vet and Dianne for months on end to get his medications right, for allergies, arthritis and general nutrition. He was like a too-thin and too-fat orangutan with a bad rear leg, painful neck and constant itching when we brought him home, so for months we had notes like this from Dianne, "Ray was very stiff today, you should put him on Chondroitin if it's OK w/his medical history" and "Ray couldn't put his right leg down when he got up today at lunch; needs a softer cushion under his bed" and "Awfully small poop for such a big dog!"
All that has changed in eight short months with good food, supplements, medication, love, attention and exercise. Wrestling is one of his favorite activities - we find it nearly impossible to exercise on the floor! He pulls our socks off very slowly and gently when we sit shoeless to read or watch TV - it's absolutely endearing. Being brushed is another one of his favorites; his tail is now a beautiful plume that he wags and wags. He carries his toys and follows us everywhere in the house. Walking well again, he adores all outings, on leash or off. Just this morning we took him for a 45-minute hike through the woods. Ducky and Wanda, his dachshund pack members, greet him with "boops" and they all sleep in their dog room with fur touching.
He may still be waiting for his former, familiar owner to appear and the tragedy of his life is, of course, that this will never happen. But he is calmer, less anxious and he really seems to love and need us now. Nothing could have prepared us for how much fun it is to have this divine, busy dog. We are a happy pack - humans, dachshunds and Golden. This is Ray's home for life. This is the right thing to do.
A Survivor Among Many
YGRR received a call from a shelter requesting urgent help for a senior Golden. He was described as a very skinny, sweetheart of a dog. The shelter was very crowded because they had taken in many dogs who had been found at the home of a deceased woman who had evidently been a collector of animals.
When the Golden, named McCain, was admitted to YGRR it was evident that he had significant discomfort in his hips. Even though he was well into his golden years, we knew that he deserved to have surgery to try to correct the condition. Upon performing the surgery, the veterinarian determined that in fact McCain had had hip surgery once before but that it had not been done well. As a consequence, his bones were literally rubbing together which must have been excruciating for him. (McCain may not have moved around much in the collector's home, however, because he was found in a crate and perhaps spent a lot of time there.) Hip surgery was performed and McCain began his recovery at Riverview while the search for his new home began.
A Dog With a Big Heart
After we lost Toby (YGRR #1173) and Leah (YGRR #1065) this year, we wasted little time in applying to adopt from YGRR once again. We were lucky enough to be approved very quickly. We had indicated a preference for seniors, and open-mindedness about special needs.
We got very excited when YGRR called us about McCain. McCain had quite a story. He appears to have been a stray who was taken in by a "collector" -- in this case, someone who had taken in almost thirty dogs. The collector then died without making any provision for the dogs, which weren't even found for sometime. Almost half of them had to be euthanized. McCain was one of the survivors.
YGRR took him in and got him medical attention, as his health wasn't very good. Among other things, he had, at an age estimated at ten years, a condition in one of his rear hips that caused his bones to make noise as he walked. YGRR arranged for him to have hip surgery to ease this problem. I gather that he became quite a cause celebre among the YGRR staff as he recuperated in the senior room of the Hudson house. No kennel for him! (More than one staff member has asked after him since we adopted him.)
YGRR called us to see if we would consider adopting McCain. We quite quickly decided that after what he had been through, he deserved a nice home. The next step was to pile our other two canine critters (yes, in the meantime we had brought two other dogs into the family) into the back of our Subaru and drive to Hudson.
We will never forget our first glimpse of McCain. Just as we arrived, he was returning from a walk with one of the staff members. He looked just like a great big good-natured Gund teddybear as he limped into the Hudson house, used his paws to adjust the filling of a pad to his liking, and lay down on it. He was very sociable: received our initial pats with no hesitation, and (of course) asked for more. What a sweetheart! I could see why the YGRR folks loved him.
The decision was a "slam dunk." The meeting with the other two dogs was an anticlimax -- they barely noticed each other. Then we piled all three into the Subaru, so they were at very close quarters for several hours as we drove home to Connecticut. No problem whatsoever!
McCain has now been with us for almost three months, and he is doing very well. He has an excellent appetite, and is probably slightly overweight now. He still limps, and will probably continue to do so for at least a year, but he is getting regular exercise, and has no shyness about using the leg. It has already gotten a good bit stronger.
And what heart McCain has: that weak leg sometimes gives out on him, and he falls. But he gets right up afterwards, and continues as if nothing had happened. He's very competitive -- he doesn't let the other dogs lead him anywhere! And his coat is shiny and gorgeous. You should see him when he sits and surveys his surroundings (his kingdom, actually) -- very regal and dignified. He continues to get along well with the rest of our brood, and is a huge success for us. We adore him, and he takes every advantage of it! We really want to thank YGRR for giving us the opportunity to bring McCain into our family -- he's a wonderful addition.
That's about it. Tune in again next year -- we're expecting him to be around for a long time!
A Best Friend Who Needed a New Home
Burghley's broken hearted elderly owner had to give him up because he was no longer able to properly care for a big dog. The sorrow at having to give up his companion was tempered by the knowledge that YGRR could and would find a wonderful home for an older Golden.
Absolutely, it was worth it!
No words could ever convey the joy and happiness that were added to our lives the very day we adopted our beautiful SENIOR Golden, Burghley, YGRR #2600 in April, 1999. We had been looking for a younger dog as a playmate for our then four year old Golden, Rocket. But when Burghley, ten years old, came out of the kennel and sat backwards on my husband's feet and sat back up against him for a belly rub, we were HIS, and he was OURS!
Little did we know how many more belly rubs we would be giving! From that moment on, he never gave us one problem. He blended into our human family of five and our animal family of four cats and Rocket as though he had always been there. We had been afraid a senior dog wouldn't have enough energy and zip, but we were very wrong! He took long walks in the woods, swam in the lake, roughhoused with Rocket. He would bounce up from a deep sleep to greet us with a toy in his mouth as soon as he heard our car arrive. He never did it for other cars, just ours! He never missed a chance to hop in the car for whatever adventure he might find. He enjoyed everything and everyone and showed his pleasure by loud thumps of his tail -- in fact, his whole rump wagged!
Sadly, in the Spring of 2000, Burghley began to limp and we began another phase of his journey with him -- his battle against bone cancer. To extend his life and eliminate his pain, we decided to amputate his leg and give him chemo. He handled both beautifully.
Burghley had so much spunk and spirit, even the cancer couldn't hold him down. He still walked in the woods, swam, played with Rocket and jumped up to greet us. His life was different, but had real quality. He tired more easily and definitely aged. But he lived life to the fullest and was happy.
Our last full day with him was spent in New Hampshire with family where he swam (with the help of his life jacket), begged for hot dogs and rolled over for belly rubs! The next day, very suddenly he just had nothing left and very clearly, his time had come. We all held him as he quietly passed from our lives. We will feel the pain of his absence for a very long time.
Was it worth it? Our emotional pain, our financial sacrifices, the energy it took -- ABSOLUTELY!!! Of course we wanted him to live forever and we only had a year and a half with him. But that time was rich in good times and unconditional mutual love between him, Rocket and all of us. He gave us so much! To have those sparkling, lively brown eyes look at us with love and trust and enthusiasm for life -- YES -- it was definitely worth it. We will see you again Burghley, on the other side of Rainbow Bridge. Listen for us. Sharing life with you has been an honor.
Thank you YGRR for bringing Burghley into our lives and for the wonderful work you do with these beautiful creatures.
A Casualty of Divorce
Fritz, YGRR #2278 was given up when his owners divorced. The husband could not keep him, the wife didn't want him and he had been relegated to the basement.
The joy outweighs the shortness of time
Though we only had Fritz for a few years, we cannot begin to express the joy and fulfillment he brought to our family. From the moment Fritz first jumped into our car, it seemed as though we had had him since he was a puppy. There was no transition phase like there is now as we deal with a void in our lives.
We are planning on adopting another senior Golden and I urge anyone thinking about adopting to seriously consider a senior. The love, joy and companionship that come with them far outweigh the shortness of your time with them. Remember, these are their golden years.
We adopted Fritz in December, 1997 at the age of eleven and a half. Yes, eleven and half. Everyone (except those knowing the incredible rewards of adopting a senior Golden) questioned what we were doing until they met Fritz (aka Fritzy Boy and Fritz Bits). Fritz, and those who met him, thought he was only seven or eight. He had no arthritis and no visible medical problems. (He did have some skin problems from neglect but those healed quickly.) Just two weeks ago, he was running and making dog snow angels, he loved to scratch his back by rolling after a snowstorm. You wouldn't believe he was going to be fourteen.
Yet just five days later, he began having trouble with his balance. Dr. Audrey and Dr. Hunt, who are fantastic, worked hard to find Fritz's problem. Fritz was diagnosed with a probable brain tumor. We took Fritz home and did everything we could to comfort him. He even perked up one day and walked into the stream for one long drink, which we realize now was his last. It took a lot out of him and we had to carry him back inside.
On March 3rd, Fritz's breathing became labored and he hadn't eaten or drunk since the stream. Dr. Audrey told us to bring him in. We picked up our seven year-old son from school and headed to Fremont Animal Hospital, twenty minutes away. When my son got into the car, he petted Fritz who sighed deeply. Minutes later, still being petted, Fritzy passed away. We know Fritz waited to say "goodbye" to all of us before he moved on. The family was together, going for a ride, which was Fritz's favorite thing to do. We are convinced he waited for that moment.
Thank you Fritz. We love and miss you!
Always Room for Another Senior
YGRR is very fortunate to have wonderful adopters for dogs like Fritz, McCain, Eric/Ray and Burghley. Without them, our seniors would not have their second chances for happy lives -- even if for only a few months or years.
From time to time, we have seniors in our program who have terminal illnesses but who are still enjoying a good quality of life. Amazingly, we even have adopters or permanent foster homes for these dogs. Two YGRR members who have adopted several seniors in this category are Judy Clark and Gail Hamilton. Judy has taken in many seniors over the years and given them wonderful lives for whatever time they have left. Most recently, Judy took in Mocha Chip, a senior girl who had advanced melanoma. Mocha only lived with Judy for a few weeks but they were quality time.
Gail has had several of our seniors as well. Most recently, she adopted Buddy, a senior boy whose owner remarried but the new spouse did not like dogs. On admission to our veterinarian, Buddy was found to have a malignant tumor on his thyroid gland. The tumor was removed, but Buddy is still in jeopardy because the cancer may have metastasized. Despite the fact that he may only have a year, Gail opened her heart and home to him and he is truly enjoying life to the fullest along with her two other Rescue Goldens, Apollo and Cody.
Thank you Judy, Gail and all adopters of YGRR seniors.
In Conclusion
Several years ago, the adopters of a senior YGRR Golden established our "Look Beyond Time" Fund for the care of senior and special needs Goldens. This fund is the bedrock of our senior program which makes it possible for us to provide all senior Goldens with the complete and/or specialized care they required. That financial support, along with the enthusiasm of our adopters for our senior orphans, is the reason that we have a senior program. Sadly, many animal shelters and pounds have no choice but to euthanize dogs over the age of five because the adopting public is not willing to take those dogs. YGRR, and the Goldens it exists to help, is truly fortunate to be able to help senior Goldens in New England. Thank you everyone!
These are a few of many heartwarming tales of adopted seniors. We are grateful to the generous people who open their hearts to seniors and to the many whom donate to the Look Beyond Time Fund which partially underwrites the cost of their care.
Please click here if you would like information about the Look Beyond Time Fund.
If you would like to help senior Goldens like Ray, McCain, Burghley and Fritz, please
become a YGRR member or consider a donation. Thank you.
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Rescue and Adoption services for Golden Retrievers from the six New England states. Address: P.O. Box 808, Hudson, MA 01749-0808 Hotline: 978-568-9700 Adopt
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