April Volunteer Newsletter - Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies

A registered
non-profit 501 (c)(3)
charitable
organization
Published monthly by Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies
n honor of GRRR’s 20th anniversary I have been going through our old newsletters, looking for stories
that are particularly meaningful today. The following is an edited excerpt from the February 2006 Golden
GRRRowl. I found it extremely moving, particularly knowing how much Mary Kenton continues to mean to
GRRR as its Golden Caregiver, as we complete our second decade.
~ Judi Servoss, President
A Decade with GRRR By Mary Kenton, President
This year is the 10th anniversary of Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies. I first have to thank each and
every one of our volunteers for all of the wonderful work they do and the contributions they make for these
precious Golden Retrievers. Without them and everything they do, there wouldn’t be a wonderful rescue
group in Colorado named GRRR that will always strive to do whatever it takes to make these Goldens’ lives
the best we can.
My volunteer life with GRRR started in 1998 when Ann Gitzinger, who worked with me at Jeffco Courts,
asked me to foster a Golden over the holidays. I continued to do little things for GRRR during that year. I
slowly became more involved and began fostering more and more and more… and some more. Fostering is
the most rewarding part of my volunteer work. If a Golden is sick, scared or has other issues, it’s even more
rewarding. To take a sick or scared Golden and make him well, then give him a safe place with a lot of love—
it’s the most rewarding experience of my life.
I have learned and grown so much. I have made some wonderful friends that are like a second family to me,
my Rescue family. My efforts for GRRR have been supported by so many people that I couldn’t name them
all, but there are some that I need to mention.
Laura Terroux, who started Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies in her living room in 1996. Laura took me
under her wing and taught me so many things about Goldens and running a rescue group. Laura and I
became very close friends and I cannot thank her enough for sharing all of her knowledge and giving
me the strength to take on her role when she chose to step down as President.
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Dr. Scott Carpenter (AKA My Hero) and all of the doctors and staff at Arvada West Veterinary Hospital (AKA
my other home). Dr. Carpenter is there for me when decisions need to be made with regard to a Golden’s
medical needs. Most of the decisions make a Golden’s life whole and healthy, but sometimes there are the
hard ones—to end a life of pain. All of the staff are there for me when it’s time to say goodbye, and hand me
tissues when I cry as I hold that precious life as it ends.
Carol McMurry and Ted Terroux, who have taught me an enormous amount about dog behavior, evaluating,
and training. They have been a fountain of information for me and a great resource in helping me solve
training issues with Goldens that come into GRRR far from the happy Golden Retrievers most people are
accustomed to.
Debbie Davis, our volunteer coordinator and newsletter editor, is the best. The newsletter is pretty much
what “hooked” me. I’m so proud to show off our newsletters. Her efforts have really made an impact on the
numbers of Goldens we can bring into GRRR.
My heartfelt thanks also go to all the hardworking volunteers who do so many important jobs—foster,
transport, put on the events, do the fundraisers, update the website, answer the hotlines. You are what makes
this group a success.
I hope you are all proud to know that we are the largest rescue group in Colorado. GRRR is all of us, working
together and giving what we can to give these Golden Retrievers, whose lives have been entrusted to us, a
second chance at a wonderful life. It is astonishing to think that in the last ten years we will have placed over
2,000 dogs and helped so many people understand the significance of our motto, “A Golden Retriever Can
Change Your Life!”
hope by now all of you VIPs have had an opportunity to get to know a few of our ever-so-sweet turkey dogs.
On February 15th at 8:10 p.m., Chris Cooper, Yvette Woodworth, Melissa Shipley, Bill Holcomb and I rolled
into Phoebe’s Place with nine turkey dogs. Sadly, Hayden was too sick to travel, so he made a grand entry to
DIA a few days later, with Mary investing in his first McD’s Happy Meal. It was quite the experience to see
the plane land and hear all the barking as they made their way to the cargo area in Los Angeles. We had two
additional GRRR peeps in LA helping us on the ground as Karen Marten and Brian Kohout joined in. Brian
had the challenging assignment to wear out 10-month-old Tellie before the trip back to GRRR. You can read
all the details and catch up on photos on our GRRR website: http://www.goldenrescue.com/valentines-day-trip
If you have been fortunate enough to visit with or walk these sweeties, I am sure you were amazed at how
loving they are. Very friendly, not at all fearful, and each with their own unique personality immediately
evident.
Thank you to all who have shared your time with these new-American Goldens. They have made their way to
very grateful and loving forever homes. They have been happy since they arrived here and have loved having
their first bed, first toys, regular high-quality meals, and all the love they’ve received from so many.
The number one, most enthusiastic question I get is “Are we going to do this again?” Well, we have worked
out a way to bring them directly to DIA, the media would like to come to DIA for a turkey dog arrival, and
we do have tons of interest. So, stay tuned, I will most certainly let you know. It’s expensive (18 dogs), so the
need to raise funds and obtain more sponsors will need to happen, but hang tight for more to come…
Spring
Fling!
2015
Mark your calendar and bring your dog. Let’s celebrate spring with some food, fun, sun, people, and
dogs. This annual event is a blast. Bring your pooch and come out to Phoebe’s Place on May 15th for
some serious playtime. The dogs love seeing old friends, making new friends, playing in the kiddie pool,
and running around like kids on a playground. Dog parents love seeing old friends, making new friends,
and enjoying some great food. Not sure you’ll want to play in the kiddie pool though.
We have a BBQ and lots of eatable goodies in the kitchen. We even have sentinels to keep the dogs from
indulging in the people food. We can pretty much guarantee you will have a pooped pup that night.
We have a raffle and some dog/human games, and all our fresh new GRRR merchandise will be
available. Lots of new items to go with our ever-popular traditional GRRR garb.
So plan on a fun day and come on out to dog headquarters. You won’t want to bring your small dogs
though, as they tend to get very overwhelmed.
GRRR Spring Fling:
Grand Slam!
Sunday, May 15,
new time:1-4 pm
Phoebe’s Place - 15350 W. 72nd Ave, Arvada
Anni v e r s a r y
h
t
0
2
Spring Fling party for all
GRRR members, volunteers, and dogs!
Merchandise for sale
Raffle Baskets to win!
“Grand Slam” tennis ball retrieving game at 2:30
Dogs playing in new grass yard
Potluck - please bring something to share.
If in doubt, bring side dish, not dessert.
Hot dogs provided by GRRR. Drinks provided.
Sorry, no small breed dogs (for their safety).
Please check website for any weather
cancellations: goldenrescue.com
Hope to see you all there!
opefully many of you had an opportunity to come visit the Turkey dogs while they were here at Phoebes
Place. The VIP team had a wonderful time discovering each of their unique little personalities, whether it
was the ever-energetic 10-month-old Tellie, the ever-smiling Keystone, or the two chief goofy guys, Fraser
and Windsor.
After the great success of our first group of Istanbul Goldens (AKA Turkey Dogs), we are very excited to
rescue more purebred Golden Retrievers from the poor conditions in Turkey. We continue to “never say no to
a Golden in need” and, in fact, we had six Goldens surrendered to us two days before our Turkey dogs arrived.
This time our Mother’s Day Turkey dogs will be flying into Denver and in greater numbers. We will be
rescuing around 18 dogs this time. Something you should also know is that all donations made for the rescue
of the Turkey dogs stays totally separate from the rest of the GRRR income. The turkey dog rescue effort is
fully self-sustaining.
We were delightfully surprised that, on average, our Goldens from Istanbul were healthier than the majority
of the other dogs we take in. This helps them be able to be adopted more quickly. We continue to have a long
waiting list of adopters for our dogs, Turkish and otherwise, and they are finding great forever homes. It is
remarkable to see all these happy, goofy dogs go to their forever homes. If you haven’t been following the
Turkey dog story, you can find more details, including all the radio and TV interviews, on our website under
the “Turkey Dog” link. Stay tuned for the adventures of Turkey Dogs II.
If you would like to participate, there are several ways to help. You can sponsor a Turkey dog (not adopt,
just sponsor). Sponsors support the effort with a $1,000 donation, which allows you to name the Golden and
to be there at DIA when the dogs arrive. You can also donate and/or show your support by buying a GRRR
Operation Turkey Dog II t-shirt.
This is a very worthwhile endeavor as we continue to rescue Goldens in our region and, now, rescue these
beautiful dogs from the streets of Istanbul, Turkey.
Follow the story on Facebook and the website and look for our GoFundMe crowd-funding page.
www.facebook.com/GRRRrescue
lease give a great big welcome to our new volunteer coordinator, Karen Martens. She’s been a
GRRR volunteer for years, and we’re so happy to have her take on this important position. A little bit
about Karen:
I currently work as the customer service & inventory manager for
Apartment Outfitters. I love and enjoy the personal interaction
with both our clients and staff. Previously, I worked for 20 years at
Western Union as a trainer, tester, and customer service specialist
with Western Union Money Orders, Transfer & Utility Services.
In my free time, I enjoy giving back by volunteering my time at
GRRR, working with two of my pet therapy dogs, hiking, doing
yoga, and enjoying a movie or two every month with friends.
I joined GRRR in 2009 as a dog walker at Sage Valley (I still enjoy
seeing fellow dog walkers from that time at our once-a-year group
outing at Morrison Inn). After a few months of volunteering, Mary
asked if I could foster my first GRRR dog. I still foster today, along
with my other volunteer duties including helping at events and
volunteer coordination. I absolutely love working with GRRR! I have a huge sense of pride in giving back
and I have made lifelong friends (canine and human) along the way.
News Flash:
The GALA is Approaching
Come celebrate GRRR’s 20th Anniversary
Whatagreatyeartocelebrateour20thanniversary.SavethedateofJune11th;it’s
approachingfast.Wesoldoutlastyearandareactuallysellingfewerticketsthisyearso
youcanhavemoreelbowroom.
Wewouldlovetohaveauctionitemdonations.Byfollowingthelinkbelowyoucanbuy
tickets,downloadtheauctionitemwish-list,finddonationformsandobtainsponsorship
form,etc.
http://www.goldenrescue.com/volunteer-golden-retriever-rescue-denver/events
Here are the top ten reasons to attend this year’s gala:
1.TosupporttheneedsoftheGoldenswerescue,rehab,andrehome.Wow,over
4,000sincewestarted!
2.BepartoftheGoldenGlobesandwalktheredcarpetandhaveyourcomplimentary
phototakenbythePawparazzi.
3.Meetourfurryinternationalstars.
4.MeetthefoundersofGoldenRetrieverRescueoftheRockies,seeoldfriends,make
newfriends,andhavesomebiglaughs.
5.LookintoourGoldencrystalballandgetalookintothefutureofGRRR.
6.Enjoyanopenbarandaspecialspiritstastingstationduringhappyhour.
7.Eatgreatappetizers,salads,awonderfuldinner,anddesserts.
8.Wehavetableseating.Haveyourveryownseatforthefestivities.
9.Bidongreatsilentauctionitemsandnewliveauctiongoodies,includingtripstosome
newlocations.
10.Enjoythecompetitivethrillofoutbiddingyourneighborforthatspecialauctionitem
ortrip(iPadandsmartphoneauctionbiddingtrainingwillbeprovidedbyBestBuystaff).
Thiswillbesomethingnewanddifferentandawonderfuleveningtoremember.DidI
mentionmeetinglotsofdogs?
Bite hold @ GRRR
Peebody Dog Training Teaching you to teach your dog Carole McMurry 720/979-­‐4535 www.peebodydogtraining.com Bite Hold Dogs at Phoebe’s Place From time to time you’ll visit Phoebe’s Place and see a “Bite Hold” on a run gate. I felt this was the Hope Anastasakis • Carolyn Bonavida • Karen Brady • Jenna Britt • Paul Buckle • Ben Clark
appropriate time to elaborate on this topic as we have a dog right now with a bite hold on him. Anne Conry • Cindy Dagg • Amy Darling • Eric Dencklau • Roberta Erickson • Becky Harms
Alison Harris
• Hayley
Hodges • Tracie
• Bill
Gnegy
• JeanpImbler-Jansen
Depending on the bite circumstances and tGabe
he local animal control olicies, a biting • aLaura
nimal Johnston
may b e Angela Latorre
• Pam
Leonhardt
• Kristin
Libberton
Judy Littrell
• Alicia
Luebbers
KadyAMartin
confined at the local animal shelter, a private kennel, v•eterinary clinic, or the owner’s h• ome. GRRR-­‐
Tonya
McCabe
•
Maggie
McClerkin
•
Tessa
Murray
•
Kelsey
Newman
•
Terry
Niznik
•
Kim
Peterson
dog owner would likely call Mary Kenton directly for guidance and to discuss the circumstances. Quinn
Lisa
Richardson
Brian Shaffer
• DianatShelton
Stamwitz
• Bobbie Stewart
Either Polsinelli
way, Mary • w
ould make the d•ecision to quarantine he dog a•t Marta
Phoebe’s Place (although not a Robin
Strelow
• SandysTaylor
• Jane
VanderKolk
• Jenna
• Patty Walker • Kayleigh Wilson
common occurrence, he does prefer to do this for GRRR Waldmuller
d ogs). Mandatory Post-­‐Bite Quarantine Animal
Care
Marycats, Kenton:
[email protected]
Domestic dogs, or ferrets involved in a human bite must be quarantined for a 10-­‐day observation eriod to eNewsletter
liminate the risk of Stratton:
rabies virus transmission. This period is determined from Golden
GrowlpQuarterly
Debbie
[email protected]
studies demonstrating that rabies virus appears in the animal’s saliva as clinical symptoms o f rabies Volunteer Newsletter Leigh Gannan: [email protected]
appear. Animals that remain alive and healthy 10 days post-­‐bite would not have been shedding Adoption Follow-up Mary Fishback: [email protected]
rabies virus in their salvia, and therefore would not have been infectious at the time of the bite. Placement Roberta Miller: [email protected]
Team
Leaders
Not only is the dog observed for the above signs o f rabies, I am also observing the dog behaviorally. Both Mary and I will get the dog out to exercise and work with him. This is done when no one else is Application
LeFree:
around to rAdvocate
educe the Gloria
risk factor. It is [email protected]
a matter of public safety and health and is taken very seriously. It doesn’t mean hat after 10 days the dog can be taken out—what it means is that he is still being Grant
Writing
JuditServoss:
[email protected]
Linda
Pierrel:
[email protected]
worked with. Transport Coordinator Ron Sommer: [email protected]
Volunteer Coordinator Karen Martens: [email protected]
I want you all to know that, although a dog has bitten, it doesn’t make him a “bad dog.” You cannot VIP
- Volunteer
Coordinator
Sukie McMaster:
cure a biting dInteraction
og, but you Program
can prevent it from happening again. [email protected] 303-530-1655
Executive
Director
Kevin
Shipley:
Please feel free to speak to the [email protected]
og when you are over at Phoebe’s Place and give h im a biscuit. Should there be any growling (which he hasn’t exhibited thus far); I ask that you d on’t look him in the