Students Eager To Go For The ‘Goldens’

By Larissa Lytwyn

Reed Intermediate School’s Interact Club, a community service student organization managed by Newtown Rotary, is continually seeking service projects to tackle throughout the school year. 

Going for the “goldens” may just be their next project.

During the club’s last meeting on October 29, Newtown residents Sherry and Tom Paisley discussed their involvement with nonprofit organization Yankee Golden Retriever Rescue (YGRR).

According to its mission statement, YGRR is dedicated to “providing veterinary care, comprehensive evaluation and adoptive homes to golden retrievers who are abandoned, mistreated, neglected, or left in pounds” throughout New England’s six states.

The Paisleys are two of hundreds of volunteers committed to finding safe homes for goldens, a goal they aim to achieve through constant networking and education.

“The Paisleys first visited our school a few weeks ago, interested in talking to students about YGRR,” explained Reed Assistant Principal Tony Salvatore, who is also the Interact Club’s advisor.  “I told them that I had the perfect group for them, which, of course, would be the Interact Club!”

Thus, Mr and Ms Paisley arrived at the October 29 meeting armed with voluminous numbers of YGRR brochures.

To the delight of club members, they also brought their own two goldens, Amy and Al.

During the presentation, Ms Paisley talked extensively about what owners should expect from goldens in areas ranging from behavioral to financial.

One student shared a story about how their neighbors had to give up their golden because their 5-year-old child was frightened of him.

“That’s a very common story,” said Ms Paisley. “YGRR does not allow adoptions in households with children under 10 years old.”

While measures such as these may seem harsh, she said, they had been streamlined over years of experience since YGRR’s founding in 1985.

“Goldens are very outgoing, big dogs,” she said. “They’re not for everyone. They demand a lot of attention, and they can be a financial consideration.”

Feeding one medium-sized golden costs about $300 to $400 a year. 

Routine veterinary expenses run approximately $200 to $300 a year. Many additional expenses include items such as food dishes, leashes, collars, brushes, shampoos, and toys.

“The process of adopting a golden is like adopting a baby,” Ms Paisley declared with a laugh.

First, a prospective owner must fill out an extensive application identifying the number and ages of the home’s occupants, as well as the home’s physical layout and location, including whether the property includes a backyard or easily accessible open area.

Potential owners are also checked to see if their household’s often-packed school and work schedules can accommodate a golden’s many needs.

“Goldens need about 20 to 30 minutes of hard exercise every day,” said Ms Paisley. “They need a lot of walking and a lot of attention!”

Prospective owners also detail what kind of golden they would like in terms ranging from temperament to coloring.

If the application is approved, a YGRR representative tours the prospective owner’s home to ensure it is appropriate for a large-sized dog to inhabit.

Next, the prospective owner and their family are matched to a dog reflecting their specifications. The family must then visit their perspective golden at YGRR headquarters in Hudson, Mass., to ensure that the fit is a good one.

The cost of adopting a golden is $300 for dogs ranging from puppy hood to age 4, $250 from age 4 to 8, and $100 for seniors age 8 and older. There is no cost to surrender a golden.

The dogs have a lifespan of approximately 13 to 15 years. Ms Paisley explained that the bigger the dog, the shorter the lifespan.

She then described the general atmosphere of YGRR.

“YGRR is a very busy place,” said Ms Paisley. “There is a constant cycle of new dogs coming and older dogs being adopted.”

When a new dog arrives, he or she immediately undergoes extensive veterinary care; if not spayed or neutered, the service is performed at once.

“The cost of caring for these dogs [at YGRR headquarters] is significant,” said Ms Paisley. “We are entirely supported through membership dues, donations, and special events, such as auctions. We receive no state or federal funding.”

For a $25 annual membership fee, volunteers can join YGRR. By joining YGRR, volunteers become familiar with the organization and can help spread the word about what YGRR does.  Volunteers also automatically receive YGRR’s quarterly publication, Golden Times.

One of YGRR’s biggest fundraisers is its annual calendar, featuring photographs of dogs adopted through YGRR, for $15 each.

“The 2005 calendar is now available,” said Ms Paisley, who had brought along a copy to share with her young audience. The students cooed and clapped in delight as they saw some of the pictures.

“You can order the calendar online through the YGRR website or apply to receive an order form,” said Ms Paisley.

While owning a dog is a major responsibility, said Ms Paisley at the end of her presentation, and a decision that requires a lot of thought, the returns are amazing.

“You will never meet a dog with a sweeter temperament!” she laughed, stroking Ann’s soft white-yellow head.

Goldens, in fact, are such friendly and curious creatures that YGRR discourages them being used as guard dogs. They are essentially companions, said Ms Paisley, and if a person could afford one, the investment could be a lifelong one.

One student asked why YGRR only rescues golden retrievers.

“Why not other [kinds of] dogs?” he asked. “And why only in New England?”

The unwanted pet problem in the United States is too great for just one agency or group to manage, explained Ms Paisley.

“By focusing on goldens in New England, we’re able to do the best job possible, whereas other agencies can better serve other [dog] populations in other [geographic] areas,” she said. 

After the meeting, Ms Paisley said she was pleased by the interest the children showed.

“What really struck me is how several students kept asking if, once they surrender a golden, they could ever get it back,” she said.

Ms Paisley also said she was happy to have continued her and Mr Paisley’s mission to spread the word on YGRR to local ears. 

“While there are a lot of volunteers in Massachusetts, where YGRR was founded, there are not many volunteers in Connecticut,” she said. “We are always looking for more volunteers in this area!”

The Interact Club will take action on whether to adopt the YGRR project at its next meeting on November 5.

For more information on YGRR, visit its website at www.ygrr.org.