Spotlight on Southern California Golden Retriever Rescue and Golden Bond Rescue
If you’re considering bringing a golden retriever into your family, purchasing one from a breeder is not your only option. Believe it or not, purebred dogs need rescuing too. Golden retrievers find themselves in animal shelters or being surrendered elsewhere due to circumstances out of their control. This is where a breed-specific rescue comes in.
A breed-specific rescue is one that focuses on rescuing one specific breed of dog, making them a popular choice among purebred enthusiasts who are looking for alternative options to breeders and pet shops. Like other rescues, most breed-specific rescues are typically nonprofit organizations, foster based, and rely heavily on volunteers and donations to continue saving lives.
“Breed-specific rescue groups work hand in hand with and complement the work of animal shelters. Many shelters maintain a list of breed groups in their area, and when a purebred is received (shelters report that between 20% and 30% of dogs received are purebreds), call for assistance with placement.” 1
When a rescue—whether breed specific or not—removes an animal from an animal shelter, it frees up space for other animals who are coming in. Additionally, rescue groups also take dogs that are considered “less adoptable” like seniors, hospice animals, or those with special needs. This is particularly important when it comes to public animal shelters who are overcrowded and euthanize animals as a method of population control.
Precious lives are depending on the work of rescue organizations. To continue their life saving work, funding is critical. Goldie Palooza™ has been bringing “golden vibes” since 2017, and along the way has raised over well over $100,000 that has been dispersed to selected nonprofits among the years. Southern California Golden Retriever Rescue has been a recipient of Goldie Palooza™ since the beginning in 2017 (a host since 2022); this year Golden Bond Rescue will be attending (once again as a special rescue guest from SCGRR) for the third time.
Southern California Golden Retriever Rescue
Southern California Golden Retriever Rescue (SCGRR) was founded in 2008 by a small group of women who saw an opportunity to do things a little differently and took it. This one big move was to place all the dogs in their care in foster homes instead of boarding facilities or veterinary offices. One small change led to a big impact that has not lost momentum. Today, SCGRR is the third largest golden retriever rescue in the country, adopting out over 300 dogs annually.2
SCGRR current President Liz Miller is passionate about continuing the momentum of the organization and saving more lives. She shared, “We are a non-profit organization, 100% volunteer run, we have no paid staff or volunteers, which allows for our donations to go even further in caring for the dogs we take in. And that is what is most important for us.”
SCGRR primarily focuses on rescuing and adopting out to the Southern California area but are continuously receiving requests and pleas for help saving golden retrievers from shelters, owners relinquishing their dogs, animal cruelty cases, and even international cases. Last year, the rescue traveled abroad to save dogs who were at risk in the meat trade. They also took part in a large rescue of golden retrievers from a midwestern breeding facility that was shutting down.
Above and Beyond
SCGRR goes above and beyond when it comes to the dogs in their care. One practice being they are “one of the few rescues to provide not just basic vetting such as vaccines and sterilizations, but also more costly treatment and procedures for those dogs in need. This may include, but is not limited to, MRIs, ultrasounds, CT scans, treatment and extractions for severe dental disease, orthopedic procedures including hip and knee surgeries as well as treatment for emergency situations for incoming dogs. We go above and beyond to understand the health and behavior of our dogs prior to their adoptions.”
Another unique factor is the SCGRR Foster Program, where each foster volunteer is matched with a foster rep. The foster rep helps train and mentor the foster volunteer, preparing and supporting them caring for the dog, then preparing the dog for adoption, and eventually finding an adopter for their foster dog. This eliminates the need for a weekly or monthly volunteer orientation and allows fosters to get started right away.
Are You Ready to Meet Your Match?
If you are ready to adopt a Golden, there are plenty of amazing Goldens available right now at SCGRR. The best way to familiarize yourself with who’s available and the SCGGR adoption process is to attend an adoption event or visit their website scgrrescue.org. There you will find information on how to meet available dogs and learn their adoption process including things like the adoption application, home check, and adoption fees.
Become a Foster or Sponsor
If you love Goldens but can’t adopt right now, there are other ways you can get involved and make a meaningful impact. SCGRR relies on volunteer fosters to ensure every dog has a loving, temporary home before being adopted. Other foster opportunities include fostering those with complex or special needs or becoming a permanent foster. The Permanent Foster Program at SCGRR that provides lifetime care for dogs deemed not adoptable due to long term health, or behavioral issues. Most are terminal. But the program allows them to live life on their own terms, surrounded by love.
If being hands on doesn’t fit your lifestyle right now, becoming a sponsor is a great way to be involved in a dog’s journey at SCGRR. Your sponsorship could help SCGRR provide life saving medical care, comfort for a permanent foster, or help with a domestic or international rescue mission.
“We are so grateful for Goldie Palooza™, it is such a wonderful event. It’s a great way to celebrate the breed we all love, build community, raise awareness of Goldens in need of homes and raise much needed funds to continue saving more lives.”
Golden Bond Rescue
Based in Oregon, Golden Bond Rescue has successfully placed over 4,100 dogs in loving homes since their inception in 1991. Their mission includes finding caring, adoptive homes for retrievers and retriever mixes in need and to educate the public to prevent the homeless retrievers of the future.
Golden Bond Rescue began with a focus on rescuing and adopting dogs to families within Oregon. Jill Groves, President of Golden Bond Rescue shares that “due to the growing crisis of homeless dogs, we expanded our rescue net and areas adopted to, including Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Northern California, Alaska, and Vancouver, B.C. But we will go where we are needed if we can.”
A few years ago, Jill and Liz connected during an international rescue mission. Over the years, volunteer rescue teams from both Golden Bond Rescue and SCGRR have traveled to South Korea, China, Spain, Puerto Rico, and Mexico to save dogs in need. Golden Bond Rescue was invited to attend the postponed 2020 Goldie Palooza™, and they are excited to attend for the third year in a row.
Jill says, “It is a great event, and it gets bigger and bigger every year. It’s magical to be surrounded by so many Goldies, plus it’s a great way to educate and spread awareness. We are honored to be there again this year.”
Don’t Stop Retrievin’
Golden, Labrador, Flat Coat, Mixed Breed, oh my! Golden Bond Rescue welcomes dogs who fall under the “Retriever Breed” umbrella and each one has a story that will melt your heart. Several of the available dogs posted on their website are from international rescue missions. If you’re looking for a pupper with a touch of retriever, like a Lab Mix or a Golden Doodle, they have them too.
The best place to start your adoption inquiry is on the Golden Bond Rescue website. There you can see all the available dogs, read their stories, get acquainted the adoption process, and when you are ready you can start your adoption application.
One of These is Not Like the Other
While Golden Bond Rescue is a breed specific rescue whose focus is on all things retrievers, there have been a few non-retrievers who have wiggled their way in! Jill shares that while in South Korea, she spotted a tiny white puppy with one black ear. She scooped it up. It wasn’t a retriever, but she just knew this was the puppy’s only chance to get out.
Jill named her Peanut because she was so small. Once she arrived back in the U.S. and into a foster home, Peanut started to show that she was a lively, playful, and affectionate puppy. Her breed is unknown, but the rescue shares that she looks and behaves like a Japanese Spitz. She is great with kids, cats, and other dogs. Peanut is a puppy and needs an active guardian who will dedicate time to training and enrichment. Her current foster sibling is a gentle and patient 6-year-old golden retriever, who she loves to play with, and keeps her foster mom laughing!
Sure, Peanut isn’t technically a Golden, but she is a fan of Goldens, and she was rescued with Goldens, so we’re pretty sure that makes her an Honorary Golden.
Become a Foster or Sponsor
Golden Bond Rescue is primarily foster based which means the dogs are living in a home environment, sometimes with other dogs and pets, while they await adoption. They also have a facility called Haven House that serves as an emergency or temporary fostering spot for special cases until a permanent foster home is found.
Sponsoring a pet is a great way to support Golden Bond Rescue. Your sponsorship will be life saver for a deserving dog. Whether they are awaiting adoption, need extensive medical care, or are part of a domestic or international rescue mission. Sponsoring a dog means you are actively freeing up funds that can save another dog.
You can learn more about fostering, sponsoring, and volunteering for Golden Bond Rescue on their website.
Contact & Donation Information for SCGRR
Website: www.scgrrescue.org
FB & IG @scgrr
Email: info@scgrr.org
Phone: 1-866-299-1899
Donate: www.scgrr.org/donate VENMO:
@SCGRR-SCGRRESCUE ZELLE:
Make checks payable to:
Southern California Golden
Retriever Rescue
Mailing Address: Southern California Golden
Retriever Rescue
PO Box 25698
Los Angeles, CA 90025 Federal ID No: 30-0454968 (501c3 organization)
Contact & Donation Information for Golden Bond Rescue
Website: www.goldenbondrescue.com
FB @gbroforegon
IG @goldenbondrescue
Email: info@GoldenBondRescue.com
Donate: www.goldenbondrescue.com/donate-today
VENMO: @goldenbondrescue Donation checks can be sent to Golden Bond Rescue, P.O. Box 25391, Portland, OR 97298 Federal ID No: 93-1112566 (501c3 organization)
