FAQ

“Love a Golden” Rescue is an all-volunteer group dedicated to the rescue of Golden Retrievers and education about responsible dog ownership.   We are a charitable 501 (c) (3) nonprofit Missouri corporation.

We find permanent homes for Golden Retrievers who have been surrendered by their owners or who have been abandoned or abused.  Our focus is on needy Goldens in Missouri and Southern Illinois. 

Golden Retrievers are such pleasant loveable dogs that people often ask why would a Golden ever need to be rescued.   There are many reasons.  Sometimes owners die or become too ill to care for their dogs; children can become allergic; financial or housing changes can force a family to give up a beloved pet.  Many of our dogs are rescued from shelters.  Some of these Goldens have been removed from abusive owners or more often they are unclaimed strays who had no collar identification or microchip.  One Golden we know ended up in rescue after his owner lost him as a bet in an illegal cockfight.  Occasionally, older dogs from puppy mills find their way into rescue after their prime breeding days have past.  These puppy mill dogs are particularly needy, challenging and rewarding additions to a family.

Love a Golden has a number of volunteer “Foster Homes“.  Each of these volunteers cares for one or more of our rescued Golden’s while awaiting adoption.   This is far more than a limbo period.  While in the foster home the dog receives all needed veterinary care; is brought up to date on vaccinations and is spayed or neutered.   The foster family provided basic socialization and training and studies the dogs for personality traits and any behavioral problems so that a proper match can be made with an adoptive family.   Most of our dogs are in foster home for at least a month of observation and veterinary follow-up.   Before a dog is placed in its forever home we are well acquainted with it’s habits and personality and can assist prospective adoptees in making a good match.   In addition to the daily care of the Golden, the foster volunteers are responsible for transportation to the vet.   Love A Golden funds pay for the veterinary care.   

The amount of background information varies from dog to dog.   We typically know nothing about the background of strays but often know quite a bit about dogs that are “owner surrenders”.  For this reason the period of observation and socialization in our foster home is extremely important.  Usually, after several weeks in the foster home we know a great deal about the Golden’s temperament,  habits and needs.

Love A Golden Rescue spends a significant amount on veterinary expenses for our typical Golden foster. We ask for a minimum donation of $300 for dogs 1 year old and older. For dogs under a year old or international dogs, we ask for a minimum donation of $500. The donation is made when an adoption is finalized to cover part of the average expense. 

a.  We look for families who want to make their Golden a member of their family.
b.  Who plan for their Golden to be an “inside” dog.
c.  Who have a fenced yard so that their Golden has a safe place to exercise.
d.  Newly adopted Goldens require significant focused time and energy as they adapt to their new homes and families.  For this reason Love A Golden adopts to families whose children are 6 years of age and older.

PLEASE NOTE: All dogs already in the home at the time of adoption need to be spayed or neutered unless there is a valid medical reason why they are not.

We make a visit to the home of each adoption applicant to do everything we can to match the right Golden with your family.   Whenever possible we bring the Golden your are interested in to your home.   We can then see how that dog relates in your home, with your family members and with your other pets.   Some of our Goldens have special needs and we can access how well these needs can be met in your home.  It also allows us time to answer all your questions about Goldens and our adoption process.

The adoption process can take from 2 weeks to several months depending on how quickly we can set up a home visit and the medical status of your dog.   Each Golden must be medically cleared for adoption. 

Before a Golden is released for adoption the following veterinary service are provided:
    Physical examination
     Fecal testing and worming if necessary
     Heartworm testing and treatment if necessary
     DHLPP shot with boosters
     Rabies vaccination
     Bordetella inoculation 
     Spay or neutering
     Microchipping
We have each Golden treated for any treatable condition which is discovered during the physical examination.  If a Golden has a medical condition which will be ongoing or untreatable we obtain an assessment and prognosis of this condition and explain this fully to prospective adoptive families.  These are our “Special Needs” Goldens.

All of our Goldens are placed with their adoptive families for a two week trial period.  If things are not working out, Love a Golden Rescue will refund the adoption donation when we take the dog back. Only at the end of the trial period is the adoption considered complete. As stated in our adoption agreement, if at some time in the future it becomes impossible for you to continue having your adopted Golden in your home, we require that the dog be returned to Love A Golden for readoption.

Golden Retrievers have been bred not only to be excellent hunting dogs but also to be hearthside companions.  Goldens become very attached to their humans.  They don’t understand that we humans are different species from them.  They see us all as part of the same pack.  This is most apparent when you return home after being gone more than 10 minutes.  You are greeted with enthusiasm and affection and were obviously greatly missed.   Goldens who are outside dogs, living most of their time in the yard or kennel, miss their human family, become bored and sometimes develop undesired behavior problems. 

While we want to place Goldens in homes where they will be “inside dogs”, Goldens are also bred to be hunting dogs and need lots of exercise in a safe environment.    Almost all Goldens love to play “fetch”.   Throwing a ball or Frisbee in the backyard will provide a great exercise opportunities without tiring out the human half of the game.  A fenced yard is also a perfect place to teach obedience training.  Goldens also love walks but usually need to be trained not to “pull”.   Underground invisible fences do not protect your dog from other animals that might enter the yard..

Some of our Goldens have had a rough time prior to rescue and have ongoing physical or behavior issues which may present a special challenge to their new family.  These challenges might include recovery from heartworms, a physical trauma such as a missing leg, severe allergies, difficulty living with other dogs, fear of thunderstorms, etc.   We like to believe that there is home for every Golden and many Goldens with serious issues have been adopted with wonderful, successful happy endings for both adopter and adoptee.    We will provide as much support and guidance with a challenging adoption as we can but we also want prospective adoptee’s to know upfront that a challenge awaits them.

Everyone wants a puppy, or so it seems.   However, we rarely get puppies in rescue.  When thinking about a puppy, please consider the following.   A puppy will take a while to housetrain.  Most of our rescues are already housetrained.   You really won’t know the temperament or personality of your puppy until he is grown.   (Goldens are puppies for at least one year and do not usually display the behavior of a mature dog until at least 3 years.)  Our rescues are living in foster homes and our volunteer foster parents will be able to describe in quite some detail the personality and behaviors of our rescues so that an excellent match can be made with your family.   Goldens are so lovable and adaptable that bonding to a new family is rarely a problem.

Love a Golden is an all volunteer not-for-profit 501(c) (3) Missouri corporation. Our major expense by far is veterinary fees. Several vets provide substantial discounts to us but we spend a significant amount on medical care for the average foster dog. Some foster Goldens need heartworm treatment, lumps removed, entropion surgery, or care for another serious condition. The adoption donation is the primary source to pay for these veterinary services. We really need to ask for $300 per adoption and gratefully accept any additional amount. This income is supplemented though the sale of items on this web site, and at craft shows and canine events. We also receive financial gifts from generous friends and our “Foster Buddy” (see below) program has been most successful.

Many Goldens are in Foster Homes for extended periods of time while they are receiving medical care and while we find just the right forever family.  As mentioned above, this medical care is expensive.  In our “Foster Buddy” program a Golden in foster care is sponsored financially by his “Foster Buddy”.  The financial gift will assist in the dog’s care until the Golden’s Forever Home is found.  You can name your own canine friend as a sponsor or you can sponsor one of our Goldens as a gift in memory of a friend or loved one.   Your name will be acknowledged in the newsletter unless you wish to remain anonymous. There is no minimum contribution to be a Foster Buddy. Your new Golden Buddy thanks you for your help!  This can even be done over the internet.  For more information go to our “Foster Buddy” page. 

Yes, Yes, Yes!   We always need more volunteers.  Although most of our Goldens are centered in Eastern Missouri we also have active volunteers in Illinois.   Please see our Volunteer page for more information about what volunteers do and how to become one.

Providing a Foster Home for one of our Goldens can be one of the most challenging and rewarding ways to volunteer to help Golden Retrievers in need.   It is also our greatest need.  We could save more Goldens and place more in loving forever homes, if we have the capacity to house and care for the Goldens while they are evaluated, while they receive medical care and while we match them with their new family.   We need you, please go to our Foster Home page for more information.

Yea, we can’t lie they do have a lot of hair but it’s wonderful hair and it’s manageable.   First the wonderful part –  Goldens have a double coat – a short undercoat which keeps them warm when swimming (Yes, they have webbed feet too.) and a longer outer coat.   Their natural oils shed not only water but dirt.   It is amazing how dirty and muddy a Golden can get playing in the rain but when they dry out a good brushing will usually take care of that grime.  No need for a lot of bathing.    Brushing is also the key to controlling the shedding hair.   A good brushing with the right equipment once or twice a week should remove most of the loose hair and a good vacuum is also essential (for the carpet not the dog.)    Some Goldens shed slowly throughout the year.  Others “blow coat” furiously for a few days a couple times a year with much less shedding in between.   Really, it’s all quite manageable.   Having beige carpeting and furniture also helps.