grrace2.GIF (3409 bytes)

Success Stories for 2002

GRRACE is in the process of updating the success stories pages. If there are any omissions or corrections please let the webmaster know and corrections will be made. Thank you for your patience.

 

I’m Abe and back in 2002 I got a great foster mom Cathy, but when I went home with my forever mom in the fall, I learned how good the “good life” could be.  It did take a little adjusting, I learned to climb stairs, how to tell humans I need to go outside and that furniture was meant for only my mom and her friends, not for me.  It also took me a while to learn that the big basket full of stuff in the living room was actually for me and I can chew on that stuff and not get yelled at.  But now I realize that when I stick by my mom, my ears get scratched, I get brushed, and I get to hang out in the house with heat and air conditioning.  I thought life was pretty good and then one day my mom packed up all my toys and told me we were moving.  We left the Hoosier state and moved to Washington, D.C.  Even though this place has hills, which I don’t like on my walks, I like it even better.  Here, my mom takes me to the Puppy Park where I can play in the woods, chase other dogs and swim in the stream.  I get so excited I even bark at the other dogs.  Everybody laughs, I heard someone say that I sound like a seal.  Even though we’re in the city now, I get plenty of exercise and even get to go into work with my mom sometimes where EVERYONE pets me.  Thanks to GRRACE I learned that humans do care about dogs like me, and that I’m lucky to get a second chance.  I got a great forever mom, she says I’m really sweet and am the best boy ever.

Cassie02-064.jpg (59809 bytes)

Hi!  My name is Cassie.  This is my best friend Scruffy.  She just came to live with us in my forever home.  They call me Cassie because it is short for “Hop Along Cassidy”.  See I only have 3 legs.  When the wonderful people at GRRACE found me I had been shot in the leg and I couldn’t feel it any more.  It just kept getting in my way.  My foster Mom, Joy took such good care of me after my surgery, and she helped me gain some weight.  I was really skinny and had lots of ticks on me.  I got to go visit my foster Mom after I had been at my forever home for almost a year.  She said I was doing great.  I used to be really afraid of people especially men, and I hated the newspaper.  Whenever anyone would carry a newspaper I would have to hide behind a chair.  I am very happy in my forever home.  I have 3 kids to play with (a girl 8 years old and 2 boys 6 and 3 years only) and a huge yard (10 acres) to play in.  My kids love me and I give men lots of hugs.  It sure is a lot nicer than my life used to be.  And when my Mom brought Scruffy home from the animal shelter I was very excited.  I now have someone to play with every day.

Casey02-122.jpg (87116 bytes)

Casey

Gordon02-095.jpg (28952 bytes)

Gordon02-095_1.jpg (88307 bytes)

gordon02-095_2.jpg (76915 bytes)

A Happy Ending for the always good-natured Gordon! Gordon's new family said they just don't know what the kids did before they adopted Gordon. They all have such a great time together. Gordon goes visiting relatives, camping, even just likes to ride along in the car to do errands! His favorite toy is still a football, which is very appropriate since we are all avid Buckeye football fans! Go Bucks! Gordon even sports an OSU Buckeyes collar these days! 

Thank you GRRACE for helping us find such a great buddy for our kids (and for us too!)

jansen-charley02-128.jpg (144629 bytes)

Hi there, my name is Charley (I used to be Jansen). I was a stray, but somehow I wound up at the vet's office diagnosed with heartworms. This nice lady, Jane, from GRRACE rescued me on Christmas eve. Boy was that a neat thing. I had two foster sisters to play with and I was safe and warm. Well, I didn't stay there very long as my new family came to see me on Dec. 31st and it was love at first sight! I now have a great new mom and dad and two girls that are all my own. They say that I am the best dog ever! Didn't take me long to convince them of that. Oh yeah, I got my heartworm treatment and had to stay quiet for awhile. That is a rough thing to do, but that is all behind me now.

max02-097.jpg (30811 bytes)

thanks.jpg (55440 bytes)

Hi, my name is Max. Some of you may remember me; I was up for adoption last October. My birthday is November 1, so I’m about 16 months old right now. I was adopted by Sandy and Mark who already had a Golden Retriever. Her name is Lucy. Lucy is a few months older than me, and a few pounds heavier than me, but we won’t say anything more about that. Now she’s not only my ‘sister’ but my best friend. Oh, yeah, they have three cats, too. I’d love to get the cats to play with me, but, well, you know how cats can be – a bit stand-offish. We go on walks twice a day, and sometimes we go for long walks at Fort Ben, or to the dog park in Broad Ripple or just run around in a nearby park. I have plenty of energy. Sometimes my humans think I have ‘too much’ energy, but I ask you: can a young Golden have ‘too much’ energy? Okay, well, maybe. But let me tell you that life would be so boring if I didn’t keep everyone on their toes. Mostly, I love to play fetch, and would play until I drop if Sandy and Mark didn’t get me to rest from time to time. Hey, I’m just a puppy still. Right?  I guess my nickname “Energizer Max” fits.

Buddy02-125.jpg (51877 bytes)

Hi, my name is Jaxson alias Buddy.  Sometimes my family just calls me Jax.  They almost called me Thumper because I am so happy when I’m with my family that I wag my tail and wiggle my butt and then my tail hits whatever I’m standing next to, and makes a lot of noise.  I joined my new sister,  Nala after her mom got sick and had to be put down.  Nala used to lay around looking sad and lonely, but now that I’m here she has really livened up!  We have a good time together.  I didn’t play with my toys to begin with, but now I play with them all the time.  Boy, do I love those rawhide bones too!  And I sure do enjoy sleeping and playing indoors with my family instead of being outside all the time.  I just can’t seem to lay close enough to my family.  I can’t let them out of my sight!  My new yard is big and has an invisible fence, but I caught on quick.  Oh, and I also have a feline brother named Oreo.  We get along fine now that I figured out what a cat was.  Life is great!!!   

Sandy02-098.jpg (72563 bytes)

Sandy: "But I don't feel like smiling even for my audience. They know that I love them."

Chloe02-099.jpg (88991 bytes)

Chloe: "Is this my best side?"

Casey02-092.jpg (64541 bytes)

Hi, my name is Casey. Yep, that’s my original name. My new two-legged brother, Joey, wanted to name me “Liger” after a character on a cartoon show, but my new parents convinced him that Casey was a good name for me. I’ve been with my forever family for about three months now. I have a four-legged sister, a Sheltie named Shelby who’s almost 12 years old. She let me know that she’s the “queen” dog here. I try to get her to play with me, but her arthritis bothers her and she prefers to rest. Mom and Joey took me to obedience school. I’m pretty good at “sit” and “lay down,” but I still need some work on leash walking and “stay.” I didn’t really know how to play before I came here, but now, Joey and I play “chase,” keep away, and a game I invented called “mouth him until he screams!” My new yard is big and has lots of squirrels, birds and other dogs walking by – those things really excite me, and unfortunately the sheer drapery gets in the way! My new mom knows it’s not really my fault, cause I’m just being a dog! I think things are working out just great!

lacy02-113.jpg (43762 bytes)
lacy02-113_1.jpg (21456 bytes)

lacy02-113_2.jpg (31785 bytes)

lacy02-113_3.jpg (26513 bytes)

A BIG thank you to Mary Liz and Kera who helped us adopt the most "wonderful" 4 year old Golden for our family.....LACY!! Lacy has joined her forever family which consists of her Mommy, Daddy, Charlie who is 4 years old and Jack and Natalie who are twins and are 2 years old. We were blessed with Lacy right before Thanksgiving and she is the most lovable dog! Lacy likes to go on walks, chews bones, carries her toys around in her mouth, loves laying on couches and enjoys making snow angels. She loves being a part of the children with whatever they may be doing even if is their bath time.....she has to be with us. We had to teach her to use the stairs which she learned in one day. Once she got upstairs she jumped on our bed and found out how wonderful a big human bed is.....since then she has slept with her Mommy and Daddy every single night. Attached is a picture taken at Christmas of the children Lacy shares her life with and another of her relaxing in her Mommy and Daddy's bed! Lacy is truly a perfect match for our family and we love her to pieces....we could not imagine life without her!!!! Thanks so much GRRACE for our Lacy.....she is being spoiled every day and she will always get lots of love, hugs, and kisses from all of us always!!

cody02-084.jpg (68645 bytes)

Whoever thought dogs don't smile have not met me, Cody, dog supreme. I came into GRRACE quite a mess. I had been chained outside for quite a long time with not a lot of attention other than food and water. My coat was such a mess I had to be completely shaved. I am sure glad that was in warm weather. My foster mom Kera took me to a Petsmart meet & greet and this really nice guy and his wife stopped by to see the dogs. Well, it was love at first sight. I attached myself to this guy and literally won his heart on the spot. After all the formalities I finally had a new forever home. I will admit that I put my new dogdad and dogmom thru some really trying times but as time passed we began to understand each other and all became great for everyone. Now we are a very happy family. My dogdad takes me with him every place he is able and he takes me swimming in a neighbors pond and he even swims with me and throws the ball for me, is that really cool or what. I try to be the best dog I can be so that I will never be left out again. The smile on my face is because of my new found happiness.

chistoso02-066_new.jpg (91685 bytes)

Thank you GRRACE for helping me find my new home. With my new home came a new name. I am now Maxwell (I was Chistoso). I have been to obedience training, where my master did very well, I might add. I now have a back yard to run and play in with my two sisters, Chloe and Shadow. I go swimming almost every  time my "owners" go swimming. I am frequently included in car rides (I ride very well). My people treat me just like one of the family. I am always getting new toys, I sleep on the bed, and watch TV on the couch with one or both of my people. I can't imagine not being here and my people say they can't imagine not having me. I know people think the adoption process is a little excessive, but without it, my story might not have had such a happy ending. Thank you again GRRACE and Michelle and Kim. I also have to thank my first owners for realizing they couldn't handle me and for doing the responsible thing in contacting GRRACE 

barney02-114.jpg (50792 bytes)

Hi! I'm "Sheldon" (formerly known as Barney). I'm the handsome guy in the middle! These other beauties are my sister "Della" (left) and my brother "Player" (right). I hate to get too mushy, but my new mom & dad keep telling me I am such a delightful guy, and that I'm such a perfect boy that they wonder if I'm even a real dog!! All I know is I feel pretty real!
My beautiful fur has grown back, and I have the most wonderful bed to sleep in, more woobies and tennis balls than any guy could dare to wish for, and THE most wonderful mom, dad and four-legged sister and brother. I sure am glad I got my teeth taken care of or my new mom may not have ever found me. I guess it was kismet!!! My mom works at a vet's office, and I get to go visit and get ALL KINDS of lovin! To know me is to love me!!! <blush> Thanks for my new life! I couldn't be happier! Four paws up I say! And special thanks to my foster mom Marcie for being so wonderful!

Sundance02-078.jpg (42851 bytes)

We were told that Sundance would probably not be a very active dog due to numerous knee surgeries. In fact, the animal shelter said he was unadoptable due to his condition. Well..........Sundance loves to fetch and run around the yard just as much, if not more than any other pooch we've seen. Sundance's forever home consists of Lulu, our feline, who he loves to chase around the house, (no harm intended, of course) and our 13-month old daughter, who just loves him to pieces.  Sundance sleeps at the foot of the bed until his dad gets up for work and then he crawls in bed and takes dad's place. He wouldn't want mom to get cold. Then when baby wakes, he welcomes her with lots of kisses on her face until she laughs with joy. Oh, breakfast, of course....one cup of  food and then he rests his head under baby's highchair for any extras that my come his way. He spends most of his day following baby, cat and mom around or just napping in front of the fireplace. One long walk in the evening after dinner and he's exhausted, ready for bed to begin another day.

brandy02-116.JPG (60852 bytes)

Hi, I'm Brandy (alias Mandy) My family insisted that I sit still for this picture. It only took me 3 takes to get the best one! I feel like a movie star with all the flashes going off! I wanted to look my best so I have my Christmas bandana on. I feel lucky to have such a warm and caring family to adopt me, especially since I have allergies, a thyroid problem, and a few other things I don't really need to go into right now. They didn't care, they wanted me anyway, and that meant a lot. I can't get enough of their loving, so I keep digging my nose under their hands to keep them petting me! Pretty good trick, huh? And, when they think they have outsmarted me by hiding their hand so I can't reach them, I go for the foot rub, which I equally love! I met a boy yesterday, a next door neighbor that thinks he's so cool, his name is Barney. He is a short little, white as snow, Westie. He wanted to play but I didn't want to have anything to do with him. Then he got really bold and started barking at me, telling me that he wasn't happy with my decision and wanted me to leave the porch, stay on my leader, and come to the driveway to play! He finally got my message and left. (He really was kind of cute!) His owner allows him to run free. My forever family are very protective of me and don't let me out of the yard. I have already picked out my Christmas presents at Petsmart. That was fun. I am also very curious about this bright colored tree in my new home. It has stuff hanging all over it! I am very happy with my new forever family, and look forward to each day with them. I can't thank Janice and Mary Liz enough for helping me find them. They were super to me also.

max_success02-110.JPG (33927 bytes)

Here I am, Max, ready to leave my foster Mommy Jane for my new forever home.  These are my two kids (I have one more boy waiting for me at my new home!)  I am so happy!  They told me that tomorrow we are going to "car pool" whatever that means, but I get to sit in the front seat with Mom and look out the window.  That is my favorite spot.  I am sure you will see more pictures of me later with all my kids. Following is another letter from Max!

Dear Jane,
I just wanted to thank you for my new family and tell you how happy we are together. Mom takes me on 4 long walks a day around our lake. You would not believe the smells I track down. There are some killer squirrels and rabbits out there and I am going to protect my family from them!! The kids take me for a short walk before school and then we play outside after school. I am getting really good a catching tennis balls. I get to carpool three times a week and then I run errands with Mom. She's careful though, and never leaves me unattended. I went to Evansville and met more family at Thanksgiving. The baby spilled some milk on me so I got a treat licking it up. Then I was REAL brave when I had to have a bath. Dad is a lot of fun. Mom says "no table food" but sometimes Dad gives me some when she isn't looking. Then after dinner, he has to help me "walk it off", whatever that means! He tells me everyday that I am the best dog in the whole world. One more thing...the kids mention me in their prayers every night and thank God for me. They say they are truly blessed with such a special boy. This weekend, they are having their family portrait taken for Christmas. Guess what? I get to be in it!! I'm one of the family now. I'll send you one. Thanks again Jane. I promise to take good care of my new family because they all love me very, very much!
Love,
Max, the wonder dog 

Cuddles02-083.JPG (47422 bytes)

I'm Cuddles and have finally made it to my forever home. I had heartworms so badly, that I had to be treated twice and wasn't allowed to run and play for at least 6 weeks. It felt like forever to me! Then I had to go to the vet for some bothersome operation. Then, after having waited for eons, my boy and his dad finally came to get me to take me home to play. My boy is Matt and his dad is Sam. I'm having some fun now. I can run all over the house, and I'd better get plenty of exercise since Matt gives me as many treats as he can. I really like that, but I'll bet that Sam won't let that to go on too long. Mat hugs me and tells me that he loves me, and I'm eating that stuff up. I lick him to tell him that I love him back. Not that my foster mom didn't love me too, but I wanted a boy of my own, and now I have one. I've been very good since I've been home, thanks to my foster mom who taught me well. I still need to go to obedience school, and find an enclosed place where I can run to my heart's content. Besides calling me Cuddles, my boy Matt likes to call me 'four and a half year old'. He thinks it's funny that I'm even younger than he is, because he's a 'six and three quarters year old' very loving boy who deserves me as much as I deserve him. I am so happy now, thanks to GRRACE and one of their vets and Matt and Sam. Happy, happy, happy!!!!!!!

Barkley02-097.jpg (26000 bytes)

Hi! My name is Barkley. As you can tell by the smile on my face I am very happy at my new forever home! I have a brother named Bozko, who is a Chocolate Lab. Everyone says we are like two peas in a pod. I am not sure what that means but I think it is good. I also have two sisters, Trudy and Chehalis. They are Cocker Spaniels and they are really pretty. You ought to see the size of my new backyard. It is HUGE and all fenced in so I am very safe, but I must admit that I am curious about what's on the other side. I know that since my new Mommy & Daddy love me very much that I will only see the other side of that fence if I am with them, I sure am glad of that cause it could be very scary out there. They love me so much that they even let me sleep on their bed. I still love and miss my previous Mom & Dad, but they explained that since the house burned down they were just not able to keep me. I just want them to know I understand and that I am really happy here. Thank you GRRACE, especially  Kim for finding me a loving forever home.

sam02-063.JPG (21014 bytes)

Hi! My name is Sam and I am a golden with a history of ending up in a shelter twice before arriving at my "forever home." Before I came to this house, the people here were rather sad. Their daughter has just gotten married and had taken her golden with her to her new home. So, I had some special paw prints to fill! My foster mom, Mary Liz, did a great job of taking care of me and my adjustment here has been very easy. Who would  think that I am 10 years old? I run like the wind and I'm happy to be outside in my big fenced yard. I can really get up some speed; in fact, I run faster than my new brother, Yukon, who is a 7 year old collie. I've adjusted quickly and even though I am deaf, I love to go to marching band contests and listen to my Megan, who is a senior in high school, play her harp. My new people have adjusted quickly to my always being right at their side and I've proved to be helpful at gardening and navigating from the front seat of their Trailblazer. I am even learning some sign language. Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks...they must not know me!!!

tucker02-037.JPG (99113 bytes)

That's me, Emmitt (on the right), with my new best buddy, Sammy. Just look at the smiles on our faces! My new Mom and Dad just love sports so they changed my name from Tucker to Emmitt. (Dad is a huge Dallas Cowboys fan.) Mom is a Cubs fan so you can guess why Samantha is always called Sammy. I enjoy having another Golden to share my day with and we get along really well. I sleep on Dad's side and Sammy sleeps on Mom's side, on the floor of course. Just don't tell them that we sleep on the bed when they're not home. They have a cat here and he's OK, but Sammy and my new family are a lot more fun to play with. I am so happy to be settled in with my new forever family,

paxi02-069.jpg (41785 bytes)

Paxi, (on the right), compares tennis balls with new pack mate (and sister) at her new forever home. Paxi says, "I have learned many things in my new home, like how to go up and down stairs (great exercise for an active lady). Tennis balls and woobie wars are favorite pastimes. I enjoy settling down with my pack mates at the end of the evening to get groomed and "screeched," a vigorous finger-tip rub down by my new alpha dad. My coat (that was dull) is starting to shine, and my mom & dad say my inner beauty is really starting to show as I take on my new role in the pack". Paxi's new forever family consists of 4-year-old Golden, Chewbacca (left in picture), Scotty (14 year-old Terrier mix), & my Hoomins: mom, dad & 18 year old Colin, who loves to give all of us a workout when we play!

dustyrose02-073.JPG (21858 bytes)

"It is sheer kismet that Rosie (formerly named Dusty Rose) arrived at the shelter the day she did. A GRRACE volunteer was there to pick up another dog when Rosie arrived and the GRRACE lady left with BOTH dogs!!! Rosie quickly found herself with a new loving family that describe her as a ray of sunshine. Their hearts were so lonely after losing their other Golden at much too young an age, and Rosie has filled the hearts of her parents and her new doggie brother! It's like they've been together their whole lives! She has quickly been spoiled with lots of new toys and attention. Her dad says she has the most impeccable manners too! Truly a match made in heaven!"

amy02-031.JPG (30082 bytes)

Amy, who’s estimated to be 8 years old, was picked up along a Morgan County road as a stray. She appeared to have had a recent litter of puppies and, after being turned over to GRRACE by the county shelter, was spayed. Amy’s sweet personality was somewhat hidden by fears from her former life, but she is making great progress and seems happier every day. She and Hunter, who we adopted through GRRACE four years earlier (see 1998 Success Stories), have become great pals and we have a happy foursome at our house as evidenced by Amy’s rambunctious tail wagging.

Casey02-076.jpg (81314 bytes)

This is Casey (formerly Zeke) with his new family. His former family took very good care of him, but, could not spend enough time with him. Casey has found a new forever home with a Mom and Dad who shower him with lots of hugs and kisses, go on daily runs, and family trips. Casey loves to go sailing on the weekends and he has a big wooded yard to romp and play as well as several golden neighbors. He's one happy boy! Mom and Dad are happy too!

Fred02-054.jpg (66846 bytes)

Tucker, (formerly Fred), who came from a life of neglect and numerous unattended ear infections has had a major turn around for his 3 short years of life. He is enjoying a regular nutritious diet which is helping him slim down from his beginning weight of 114 pounds and his ears are feeling so much better, he smiles. Tucker loves his toys and is almost always seen with a tennis ball in his mouth. A gentle survivor, Tucker's calming nature has made him popular with everyone he meets. Tucker is being adopted by a family of four, including 2 teenagers. This family recently lost their 11 year old to cancer and is looking forward to having another special Golden in their life. This is a happy ending for a dog so deserving.

hunter02-019.JPG (46029 bytes)

This is Hunter with his new "forever kids". Hunter has mastered taking a bite easily from a small hand. The baby thinks that everything he eats should also be given to Hunter. Needless to say he and Hunter are best buddies. Hunter has met the dog next door and they seem to be good buddies as well. They sniff each other and run along the fence. Hunter is going to have a great time with his new family and we think the new family will have a great time with him as well. Best wishes to all of you from GRRACE.

sadiepup.JPG (47929 bytes)

Sadie came to GRRACE as a puppy with a bad foot due to a birth defect. At this writing what may happen with her foot is still unknown. Her breeder would not take Sadie back and the family that received Sadie, as a "Christmas gift" no longer wanted her. Fortunately for Sadie a wonderful family saw her and thought she was the greatest, and they adopted her on the spot. This family is aware that possibly later in life this deformed foot may be a problem that could require amputation, but they are happy to have her anyway. Thru this whole process no one has told Sadie that she has a problem, so she is now very happy with her new Golden sister and runs and plays to her families amazement. Sadie’s wonderful new family has said they can’t imagine life without her.

Bailey2.jpg (32151 bytes)

Six year old Bailey came to GRRACE thru a veterinarians call. She was brought to the vet to be euthanized because her family could not deal with her food allergies. Once placed on an allergenic diet, Bailey is leading a happy, healthy life in her new home. She and her Dad, Mike, like to take long walks and play together. Bailey is fond of "woobies", fetching tennis balls, and loves to watch squirrels play in the back yard.

sheila1.JPG (18629 bytes)

Look at the smile on my face!! I'm SHEILA and I was rescued just in the "nick of time" from a local animal shelter. You should have heard my new momma go on and on about me. My confidence is soaring. She says she has been waiting for ME to come along for a long time, but the wait has been worth it. I am her sunshine dog. We get to go on walks, run around full speed in the yard (me, not her), go on car rides and play in my new pool. I even get to sleep in the bed. I plan on taking VERY good care of my new momma. Does life get any better than this?

Sophie02-049.jpg (62980 bytes)

Hello, my name is Sophie…I’m 7 years old and very happy with my new parents…Let me tell you my story…About 4 months ago my original parents had to put me up for adoption…I was sent to a foster home that had 2 other Goldens just like me…That was s-o-o-o-o cool because we could play all the time if we wanted to…My foster parents, Marcie and Jim, were really nice to us…I thought I would like to stay there forever…But one day, they took us for a ride to Kokomo (man, I never saw so many stop lights)…We stopped in the parking lot of the Red Lobster to go pottie and there were two people waiting for us…The man, Bruce, put my leash on and took me for a short walk…The lady, Judy, was talking to Marcie…They all talked for a little while and then Bruce and Judy put me in their van and drove away..."Hey, what’s goin’ on" I thought…I want to be with my buddies…Well, they took me to their house (actually a condo) to live with them and I’m glad they did…I love my new home and parents…I have lots of toys to play with and they take me for lots of walks…They have a cat named Katy, but she’s OK (for a cat)…The best part of my new home is that it’s on a beautiful river and Bruce and Judy take me for rides on their pontoon boat…Wow, have I got it made…I’m sure glad my parents used GRRACE to find me a new home!
Love and Kisses,
Sophie

Chloe.jpg (17664 bytes)

Well, my name used to be Chloe, but now they call me Maggie. I am so happy here in my new home, I don't care what they call me! I think that my new Golden brother, Cody, used to get our names mixed up sometimes, so they changed mine. That's O.K., though, because I love him anyway! We have SO much fun together: we just play all the time until we are just too tired to play anymore! I tried to play with the kitties too, but I don't think they liked playing tag as much as Cody does. They kept telling on me to Mom and Dad, and then I would be the one who got scolded. I finally gave up, and now I just hang out with Cody instead. We both have a great big yard to play in, and Mom and Dad are just great! I used to have to spend most of my time in a garage, because my family said I was too much for them. Now my new Mom and Dad take us all kinds of places, and play with us all the time! This is definitely the life for a girl like me!

abbey_2002.jpg (23474 bytes)

Hi, I'm Abbey and am I one happy gal. The wonderful GRRACE people believed in me, knew I needed a better life and found my forever home.  My new family gives me lots of hugs and kisses (which I love), takes me on great walks and gives me all the bones and toys I could want. They say I have something called hip dysplasia but told me not to worry. Right now 
they are giving me something in peanut butter that makes me feel much better. I have a golden puppy sister named Millie. Since I've been a Mom myself, I help my family by training the puppy. They tell me I'm doing a great job teaching her all the golden retriever traditions. I also have a golden cousin, Daisy, who comes to stay with us once in a while. WOW--three 
Goldens together. (I'd rather get all the human attention myself but I'm learning to share.) I'm so happy now. I just want to tell the wonderful GRRACE folks (particularly Cathy) how much I appreciate what they did for me. You all are GRREAT!!

Sebastian1.jpg (56223 bytes)

Sebastian is one of the most gentle, cuddly, patient and loving Goldens that you would ever meet! The minute he set paw in his forever home, everyone just knew that it was a match made in heaven... especially Sebastian. At first he had seemed a bit timid and shy, but that was because he was in a foster home without any kids. As soon as he met his new siblings, all was right in his world! We are all pretty sure that he thinks he is just another kid...he just plays and plays, and even lets the other kids dress him up! We don't know exactly where Sebastian came from, but we know where he'll be forever and ever!

ZoeWithBall.JPG (30597 bytes)

Zoe spent her first year tied outside to a tree. She was overweight, and had heartworm when GRRACE picked her up. At first, she barely knew how to behave in a house. Also, she didn't realize that other dogs could be pals to play with, and not always a threat. This made the first few weeks in her foster home rough, but luckily Zoe is very smart, very sweet and eager-to-please. Within just weeks, she had learned good house manners, and was even playing with the other dogs. Zoe is now in the best forever home a Golden could ask for. She has all the love and attention she could have ever dreamed of, and she has even become best buddies with her new canine sister. Thanks to the patience and dedication of her wonderful new parents, Zoe is free of heartworm, and has even lost most of her extra weight. Truly, Zoe is a lucky dog!

cotehele-effie02-052.jpg (18948 bytes)

Cotehele, is a young female that came from a local shelter.  The shelter she was in was full and things were looking really bad when GRRACE came and saved this sweet and smart girl from the shelter. The timing was really good for Cotehele, because GRRACE had a family that needed this dog as much as she needed them. This family had recently lost another Golden and were really hurting. Now the family has a new Golden to give lots of tennis balls to (and Cotehele really likes tennis balls). In return Cotehele gives bedtime cuddles and much love. This girl should have a very good life from now on because she is with a GREAT family that takes wonderful care of their pets.

Sierra_Truman.jpg (74439 bytes)

When Truman and Sierra, ages 9 and 5 this July, came to our family, they had obviously been well trained, cared for, and loved.  They just needed to lose some weight and of course get to know us!  They had already begun to get used to a new diet and exercise program, which their foster homes had begun. Each has lost about 30 pounds now, and Truman is like a new dog – frisky and playful, always ready for a walk.  When he first came to us, he was stiff and could hardly get up and down stairs.  Sierra has always had boundless energy, and she loves chasing squirrels in our back yard. We have a business in our home, and two of our sons work here; so the dogs are rarely alone.  We take them on two or three walks a day.  If we even say the word “walk” in a sentence, they get excited. They snuggle in bed with us in the morning. They both are very loving with hearts of “pure gold.”  Truman and Sierra have enriched our lives and our family in ways we could have never imagined.  We have fallen under the “golden spell” for good.

Mindy2.JPG (28558 bytes)

Mindy is now living the high life with all the attention a dog could ever hope for. She has a new Mom and Grandma showering her with love, and, a new Golden sister to be with. Seems Mindy landed with real winners.

ThornWithBall.JPG (16026 bytes)

Thorn was in a foster home for quite a while, just waiting to find the perfect family. During that time, he worked his way into many GRRACE hearts, especially his foster Mom's! Well, his wait was worth it, as Thorn now lives with a wonderful new Mom and Dad, in a beautiful house with a gigantic yard to play in, and a pool to swim in too! He even gets to go to work with Mom and Dad occasionally. It seems, however, that Thorn has recently started to find work boring (imagine that!) and gets more and more anxious to go home to his two Golden playmates. His Mom tells us that he always has woobies in his mouth, and carries them everywhere he goes. Mom also told us that quite often, Thorn falls asleep on his back, "spread-eagled" with one paw in his mouth. That image is one of our favorites...we are all hoping to see a picture of that pose someday!

Hannah 2002.jpg (47892 bytes)

Hannah is one of the sweetest Goldens you'll ever meet. She is also absolutely beautiful, although you could hardly see that through the dirt all over her when she first came to GRRACE. Hannah's original owner had become ill, so Hannah and her son, Thorn, had been forced to live outside. Hannah never lost her sweet, gentle disposition, even though she really missed her owner's attention. Luckily, her owner contacted GRRACE, and now Hannah is living the good life! It's obvious she likes being kept clean and beautiful, because it makes her an absolute " hand magnet". Her coat is as soft and silky as a rabbit's fur! Her wonderful new Mom and Dad dote on her constantly, and she gets as much attention and love as she could ever have dreamed of!

kidsdog.jpg (33664 bytes)

This is Casey with his favorite kids. Casey in his early life was to be used as a breeding dog, along with many others. There were so many of them that from time to time the owners would take Casey to the animal shelter just to relieve overcrowding. The good folks at the animal shelter figured this out pretty quickly and called GRRACE. Casey was put into a foster home where, without a lot of effort, he won the hearts of the foster family and convinced them he should stay forever. Casey now has, besides his 2 leg brother and sister, a Mom and Dad, a Golden brother, a Cockapoo, two Cockatiels, a cat, and a hamster as well as fish in a pond. His favorite thing to do is to try to catch the fish in the pond but he has not been successful as of this writing. He really enjoys the water and even got into motor boating in New York on vacation. This guy has really got a life to be excited about now. It is really great there are families like this one to offer new happiness to an animal in need. 

Henry02_059.jpg (46066 bytes)

Henry had his new forever family a bit concerned about his not eating the first few days he lived with them. The only thing he really ate that was of any substance was a sock (which passed neatly thru) and a couple of peanut butter sandwiches he got from the little 2 leggers. Then totally out of the blue, Henry decided to eat like a normal dog. Adjustment time complete is the diagnosis in this case. Henry is now acting like a normal Golden. His heartworm treatment is progressing nicely and when he has a clean bill of health he will be able to run and play and chase balls and all the other things a Golden does so well. And of course he will begin with his obedience training. Henry and his forever family seem to all be very happy. And we all hope that happiness lasts for a very long time.

maizey02-060.jpg (34874 bytes)

"Sweet, gentle Maizey (in the middle with the bandana!) came to GRRACE at a whopping 120 pounds. Although she was deeply loved by her family, they just didn't have the time to spend getting her enough exercise. Maizey was adopted by her GRRACE foster family because after spending 6 weeks there, they fell completely in love with her! She has lost 22 pounds and is still losing! GO Maizey! She is a perfect fit in her new family, kind of like one more pea in the pod!!! She spends lots of time going to the dog park and swimming. Although she is welcome to sleep anywhere in the house, she prefers her new feather dog bed! Life is good for this ole girl!"

Sunny02-057.JPG (25707 bytes)

Sunny

emma_02-061.jpg (67988 bytes)

Emma

Buddy02-058.jpg (101345 bytes)

Buddy

twix02-053.JPG (11038 bytes)

Twix is now in a new forever home and is beginning to learn some new things. He has to be on leash when outdoors for now because the new fence around his yard isn't finished yet. He has lots of new toys to play with but hasn't quite figured them out. He has figured out that if he chases someone, they will turn around and chase him back. This was a hilarious sight, and, you could see the SMILE on his face. His new house has a circular floor plan which is great for this game. Twix will get on the bed and give lots of night time kisses then lays beside the bed to sleep for the night. Twix's little two legged best buddy stayed with a friend overnight and Twix slept by the door as if waiting for him to return home. Rumor has it that Twix could get a 4 legged brother or sister somewhere in the future. He is keeping his paws crossed and going to be very good. 

kobe02-051.JPG (240902 bytes)

Kobe

trevor02-072.jpg (42692 bytes)

When Trevor joined his new forever family with 2 kids and 2 other dogs, he was fairly solitary. He didn't want to have any playtime or any kind of affection. He was always looking for food it seemed. In the few weeks he has been in this new home he has become very much an integral part of the family, playing with another Golden and coming to his people just for attention. The kids enjoy playing with Trevor and the entire family really enjoys having 3 dogs.

Molly02-071.jpg (49500 bytes)

molly02-071-2.jpg (207537 bytes)

Molly