Year in Review 2017

 

2017 was a year of steady visibility and stability throughout the Southland. We maintained a strong presence at our annual local events, such as OC Pet Fair, and Strut Your Mutt Los Angeles. In fact, Strut Your Mutt LA remains on of the biggest fundraisers for Rescue each year. In addition to these events,we continue to participate in Holiday Bone-Anza (Long Beach) and Home for the Holidays (Irvine) and put on unique fundraisers such as Paint and Pinot, a social event that brings contributors together over wine, paint, and our beloved goldens. We also participated in one of the largest gatherings of golden retrievers in California, with the Goldie Palooza event in Huntington Beach.

Our volunteerism is steadily growing especially in outlying areas further from the major metros. We recently added volunteers in Ventura County and Inland Empire to increase our presence in these areas and better serve our communities. If you would like to become a volunteer, please visit our website (www.grcglarescue.org)

On the adoption front, we adopted 73 goldens over the course of 2017. Orange County took top honors with 32 adoptions, and Los Angeles County finished in second with 31 adoptions. Overall, we adopted experienced a 18% drop in golden adoptions this year vs 2016, having adopted out 90 goldens the previous year.  With golden retrievers being one of the most popular breeds in the US, this supports the notion that animal rescue is at the forefront of the social conscience and that fewer animals are needing assistance to be adopted out.

Strategically, our permanent foster program once again proved invaluable as we took in several dogs last year in need of major medical care and have continued to provide them a wonderful quality of life.

Finally, we would like to thank our veterinarian partners throughout the Greater Southern California area. Their invaluable service to our Rescue allows us to care for a large number of goldens.

If you are in need of vet services, please visit one of our partners and mention GRCGLAR.

            Beach Blvd Animal Hospital - Huntington Beach

            Culver Palms Animal Hospital - Culver City

            Eye Care for Animals Specialty Hospital -  Tustin

            Golden Oak Veterinary Hospital - Rancho Cucamonga

            Pasadena Pets Veterinary Hospital - Pasadena

            Family Member Animal Hospital - Mission Viejo

            Pacific Coast Veterinary Hospital - San Clemente

            Orange Canyon Animal Hospital - Orange

            Access Specialty Hospital - Torrance, Culver City, Woodland Hills

With the close of every year, we look forward to the challenges of the upcoming year. Financially, we are disciplined and strong. We are committed to serving the greater purpose of animal rescue whenever we are called to action. And we look forward to helping our communities save these beautiful canines that bring us such joy in life. Thank you for your support of GRCGLAR. We look forward to seeing you at an event this year.

Regards, 

The Board of Directors 
(Gerri, Leslie, Joanne, Mary Pat, Marty, Donna, and Gary)

Board of Directors - 2017- 2018

GRCGLAR is proud to announce its' new members of the Board of Directors for 2017-2018. 

Effective this month, our volunteers Marty F, Donna M, MaryPat K. and Gary S. will be joining the Board for a 2 year term. They will be joining our existing Board members Gerri M, Leslie W, and Joanne D. in forging the direction of the Rescue in the coming year. 

GRCGLAR would like to thank outgoing Board members LisaMarie H, Julie W, and Nancy A. for their service over the past year. The Rescue has overcome some challenges this year and your dedication has served our communities well.  Thank you for your dedication to our Rescue and a job well done. 

GRCGLAR is always looking for quality individuals who can dedicate a little time to save one of the most beautiful canines known to man. If you would like more information on how to become a volunteer for GRCGLAR, please check our website at:

http://www.grcglarescue.org/volunteer.

Midyear Adoption Update - 2017

 

2017 is moving fast and here is our mid-year report on all the dogs we've placed throughout Southern California.  We've had 38 dogs placed since the beginning of the year and while this is a bit lower than last year,  GRCGLAR has found that we have had a greater impact where we rescue.  Our shelter scouts are finding more dogs being retrieved from shelters by the public at large, which means that awareness is growing about canine rescue and specifically golden retrievers.

Geographically, the numbers are similar to where we stood last year. Half of our goldens were placed in Los Angeles County with second place going to Orange County. 10% of our dogs went to the outlying counties (Ventura, San Diego, Riverside, and San Bernardino). In an interesting twist, we had 1/5 of our dogs adopted by current GRCGLAR volunteers, keeping our "failed foster" program alive and well.

To all those NEW families who have welcomed a golden retriever into their family, we welcome you into the GRCGLAR family. Our ever-growing family expands each month, thanks to your support of our Rescue.

We at GRCGLAR thank all of our communities around the Great Southern California area for their gracious assistance in adopting a golden retriever. Hopefully, we will welcome you to our gorwing family in the future.

January (4)
Scully was adopted by the "F" and "G" family in Long Beach
Corky was adopted by the "G" family in Huntington Beach
Lollipop was adopted by the "M" family in Coto de Caza
Coach was adopted by the "Z" family in Costa Mesa (who is also a GRCGLAR volunteer)

February (9)

Stella and Paul were adopted by the "M" family in Redondo Beach
Dutchess was adopted by the "W" family in San Diego (who is also a GRCGLAR volunteer)
Dova was adopted by the "M" family in West Covina
Leila was adopted by the "B" family in Valencia (who is also a GRCGLAR volunteer)
Dixie was adopted by the "K" family in Laguna Niguel
Music was adopted by the "H" family in San Dimas
Juicy was adopted by the "S" family in Orange
Cooter was adopted by the "I" and "E" family in Santa Barbara

March (8)

Jenny was adopted by the "T" family in Mission Viejo (who is also a GRCGLAR volunteer)
Buster was adopted by the "M" family in Cardiff (who is also a GRCGLAR volunteer)
Quillfish was adopted by the "A" family in Glendora
Harriet was adopted by the "D" family in Redondo Beach
Vogue was adopted by the "H" family in Lake Forest
Mandy was adopted by the "B" in Los Angeles
Evian was adopted by the "V" family in Tarzana
Jacks was adopted by the "P" family in Thousand Oaks 

April/May (10)

Crystal was adopted by the "R" family in Irvine
Aspen was adopted by the "SS" family in Rancho Santa Margarita
Polly was adopted by the "L" family in Glendora
Rebel was adopted by the "G" family in Woodland Hills
Bunny was adopted by the "F" family in Mission Viejo
Matt and Kitty were adopted by the "S" family in Los Angeles
Liberty was adopted by the "FP" family in Culver City
Lucilla was adopted by the "K" family in Redondo Beach
Melinda was adopted by the "S" family in Los Angeles

June

Jared was adopted by the "F" family in Northridge

Vernon was adopted by the "G" family in Simi Valley

Summer was adopted by the "S" family in Garden Grove

Surfer was adopted by the "K" family in Santa Clarita  (who is also a GRCGLAR volunteer)

Gracie was adopted by the "H" family in Studio City

Richey was adopted by the "M" family in Torrance

Darwin was adopted by the "LM" family in Los Angeles

*For privacy purposes, the family name has been omitted.

#grcglar #rescueagolden

Year in Review - 2016

2016 was a year of significant change within GRCGLAR. We successfully achieved several of our goals established at the beginning of the year and are looking to 2017 as a continuation of these efforts. Our strategic outreach program has been very successful and we have grown our volunteer ranks substantially throughout our 7 county service area, primarily in the Inland Empire and San Diego.

Our Speakers Bureau continues its outreach and had a very successful year. GRCGLAR spoke 12 times to civic and philanthropic organizations around Greater Southern California, reaching 5 different groups and spreading the importance message of animal rescue.

During 2016, we placed 94 goldens, a 4% increase over 2015 with our largest number of placements being in Orange and Los Angeles Counties with 38 and 36 placements respectively. We also saw a large percentage increase in placements in San Diego (75% increase) and Orange (80% increase) and our first placement in Santa Barbara in some time.

Traditionally, our placements increase during early summer and early fall. These are periods of time where families have lots of leisure time or when school is in session. This past year was no different as we saw our peak monthly placement rate in October, with our second highest month in June. Events are playing a larger role in placements as we saw a large increase in placements after the OC Pet Fair (April) and the Irvine Home for the Holidays (December) events.


This year our Shamrock Circle Fund celebrated it's 15th year anniversary in its mission to help rehabilitate medically challenged golden retrievers. We had fewer dogs enter the program this year however their care required more intensive treatment compared to years passed. We'd like to thank all of our special donors who participate in this program for their generosity. Without their support, this valuable program would not exist.


Shamrock Retrievers 2016
Merry, Casey, Beau, Baldwin, Carissa Anne, Marisa, and Dixie.


Finally, GRCGLAR celebrated its 15th year of operation in 2016 and proudly released its revamped website earlier this year, providing all the pertinent information about our organization in a much more readable format. In addition, we added the Petchella event in the Mar Vista area of Los Angeles to our schedule. More exciting changes are in store in the coming year so please become part of the GRCGLAR family by donating here.

As we progress into 2017, we in the Rescue are constantly reminded of why are in business. There is a strong need to advocate for these beautiful canines and GRCGLAR is dedicated to be part of the social fabric of our communities. Thank you for your continued support throughout the years and we look forward to the next 15 years throughout the Southland.

Holiday Greetings from GRCGLAR!

2016 was a year of tremendous change. We've seen the need for animal rescue grow significantly in several distant outlying areas of Southern California, particularly in the northern and eastern regions.  We have had the most volunteers join our ranks since 2012 and have seen the growth of social media playing a large role is getting these messages out.   With 2017 on the horizon, we see our Rescue providing hope and encouragement to communities we serve.  Animal rescue has become a mainstream social issue and more corporate entities are becoming involved in this activity. We're also continuing to seek volunteers in the northern and eastern outlying areas to provide support and conduct home visits to our ever growing communities. Overall, we are pleased with the number of placements this year and see education as a key area around the Southland in 2017.

To all our rescue volunteers who make this time of year truly amazing for all the Goldens we rescue, I would like to offer a sincere, heartfelt thank you. Without your generosity, the statement of caring and support we offer our dogs would be impossible. In the midst of these challenging times, your graciousness has removed despair and restored hope for the dogs we rescue and the families who adopt. 

Finally, we at GRCGLAR want to extend a warm holiday greeting to all our donors, corporate sponsors and adopters past and present for their support of GRCGLAR. Your constant support is greatly appreciated.

Seasons Greetings, 

Gerri Monohan

President GRCGLAR

December 23, 2016

Holiday Wishes from @GRCGLAR and @PetcoFoundation

The @Petco Foundation annouced its Holiday Wishes Campaign, giving animal rescue organizations, including @GRCGLAR, the change to be awarded financial grants to continue their efforts in their communities. GRCGLAR needs your help TODAY!

If you have EVER ADOPTED your golden retriever from us, please share your story about how your pet brings you more joy each day. We in the Rescue have heard so many heartwarming stories since 1998. But NOW is the chance you get to tell your story to the world. With over 4000 golden retrievers adopted throughout the Greater Southern California area, we KNOW you have a story to tell.

If your story is selected as a winning entry, GRCGLAR will receive a grant and YOU WILL receive a Petco gift card up to $1000. 

So put your memories to pen and ink and tell us your story!
HURRY! The deadline is Oct 15, 2016. 

Submit your story to: http://holidaywishes.fluidreview.com  

And on behalf of ALL the volunteers of GRCGLAR, we thank you for adopting and participating. 

#grcglar #rescueagolden #holidaywishes #lifeisbetterwithadog

Summer Love and Your Golden

Happy Goldens + water = lots of LOVE!

We're in the heart of Summer and the weather has been continually hot in Southern California. Our annual fire season is well underway with sever major fires having burned key areas up and down the region. During this summer there are steps you can take to ensure your golden's safety during this hot dry summer.

1. Hydrate, Hydrate, HYDRATE! Water is essential for keeping you healthy and it's no different for our beloved goldens. Please make sure there is plenty of water available for them during the day. If you decide to go on a hike, please make sure you have at least one gallon of water for you and your pet during your outdoor jaunt. Also, goldens sometimes enjoy ice cubes to keep themselves cool.

Mommy, I want a GRCGLAR Golden....

2. Exercise in early morning or later evening - By walking or exercising during these times, you can take advantage of relatively cooler weather which will make your walk more enjoyable as well.

3. Hot pavement means your dogs pads can get burned - Dogs have thicker surfaces on their paw pads. However, this means they are also susceptible to burning those pads during extreme sunlight or heat. Try and limit the time your golden is walking during the day or on a hot sidewalk or surface.

4. NEVER LEAVE YOUR DOG in a CLOSED CAR - In many states, this is against the law. The internal temperature of a car can exceed 150 degree in a very short time.

5. Kiddie Pools offer a great summer oasis for your pet - Filling your kiddie sized pool with water can provide a quick solution to beat the heat and provide for some great doggie pictures too. But do remember to refill the water if necessary. A shallow pool can heat up quickly if left in direct sunlight.

6. Bring your dogs inside where it's cooler - By keeping your dog inside, you make them comfortable and stress-free. Plus you get plenty of golden loving in the process.

7. In the event of a brush fire in your area, make sure you are prepared to evacuate YOUR PET TOO. Ensure you bring adequate food and necessary medicines with your pet during your evacuation and listen to the news and or social media sources for the latest of the brushfire's progress.

One last word regarding summer and your dog is needed: Heat Stroke is possible for your pet during this time of year. Symptoms of possible heat stroke include: heavy noisy breathing, lethargy or sluggishness, or trouble swallowing. If you suspect your golden is suffering from heatstroke, bring your dog into a cooler area immediately and place cold towels on their head and body to cool their body temperature down. If you do not see signs of improvement, please see your veterinarian IMMEDIATELY.

Keeping your pet cooler during these summer months is not a hard thing to do but requires you to check in with your dog to make sure they are not in distress. By keeping them comfortable, you're ensuring another summer of happy memories for both of you.