Generally, we don't adopt to families with children under five (5) years of age. We only make exceptions to families that can demonstrate to our satisfaction that all children under 5 have lived with and successfully interacted with large dogs. This policy is for the benefit of your children. The goal is to make the adoption process more realistic and set the realistic expectations for prospective applicants.
WHO WE ARE:
· GRR is an all-volunteer, 501(c)3 non-profit organization, active in central Texas.
· Our goals are to educate the public about responsible dog ownership, particularly with Golden Retrievers.
· GRR places homeless Goldens in new, loving homes.
AREA WE SERVE:
· We serve Austin/San Antonio and the surrounding Central Texas area.
· We cannot consider applicants outside the state of Texas
· We do not ship or transport dogs.
If you live outside the Central Texas (Austin and San Antonio) area, before applying, please email us to determine if we have volunteer resources near you. You must also be willing to drive to Austin or San Antonio to meet and adopt the dog. If you live in Houston, we recommend you first contact Golden Beginnings Golden Retriever Rescue or Golden Retriever Rescue of Houston. If you live in Dallas, we suggest you contact Golden Retriever Rescue of North Texas or Dallas/Ft. Worth Metro Golden Retriever Rescue.
· You must provide a loving, humane and safe environment for the Golden, which includes keeping the dog inside a climate-controlled home without access to the outdoors when the dog is home alone.
· You must provide regular veterinary care and all state or locally required vaccinations to comply with a vaccination schedule under the direction of a licensed veterinarian as well as heartworm testing and preventative year round as directed by your veterinarian.
· You must comply with all local laws regarding leashing and licensing of your dog.
· You must provide a safe, physically fenced yard for the Golden to play and exercise in. (See "Why Do I Need A Fence?"). Exceptions to the fencing requirement are made by the board on a case-by-case basis for Senior (age 8 or older) dogs. (See "Golden Gems" for more info on Seniors).
· You must agree to keep the Golden contained and on a leash when outside a fenced area and not allow the dog to roam free at any time.
· You must return the dog to GRR at any time if the owner is unable to keep the Golden for any reason or if lifestyle changes make the owner unable to maintain the above conditions for the dog.
Application received
Verification that the application fee has been received and is noted on the application.
Submission of your application (and application fee) does not guarantee the adoption of a Golden Retriever from Gold Ribbon Rescue. Nor does it arbitrarily guarantee the adoption of any one specific dog the applicant may have seen (via website or newsletter) from GRR.
Sometimes it may be necessary for the board to recommend that you seek other sources of adoption.
Phone interview with a GRR volunteer
· Completed adoption process and are approved and ready for a dog
· Matched to appropriate dog by Gold Ribbon Rescue Matchmaker
· Once Matchmaker and family discuss a particular dog, that dog is kept in reserve until the meet can take place.
If meet is successful, dog is adopted
If meet is not successful, dog goes back up for adoption
If meet is unsuccessful Matchmaker will continue the search for a more appropriate dog for your family
· ALL family members (including family dogs) are required to attend the meet
GRR DOES NOT guarantee the adoption of any specific dog requested or noted on the application
· All adoptions are given a 14 day trial period in which the Golden may be returned for any reason. If this occurs, your adoption fee will be returned, or another dog provided depending on your wishes, provided the dog is returned in the same or better condition as when he/she was adopted and that there is no evidence of neglect or intentional misconduct. Note that the application fee is non-refundable.
· Surrendered by owner
· Turned in by cooperating shelters
· Strays found by Good Samaritans
· GRR does not buy dogs, but we will pay reasonable shelter adoption fees
· GRR rarely gets puppies under 6 months of age
· Vaccinations brought up to date
· Heath issues identified and treated
· Heartworm tested, treated if necessary, and placed on heartworm preventative
· De-wormed
· Placed on flea and tick preventative
· Spayed or neutered if dog is old enough
· Temperament evaluated
· Activity level evaluated
· House training started
· Crate training started
· Basic obedience training started, learning house manners, but work will need to continue.
What you should consider:
What GRR Matchmaker considers:
· In the event an applicant requests a dog that we believe to be unsuitable for them, GRR reserves the right to offer the dog(s) we feel are most appropriate for the applicant and their individual needs.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder
Ask Yourself:
WE MATCH DOGS TO ADOPTIVE HOMES BY TEMPERAMENT AND PERSONALITY. IF APPEARANCE IS A PRIMARY CONSIDERATION FOR YOU, WE WILL BE HAPPY TO REFER YOU TO PERSONS WHO CAN HELP YOU FIND A DOG WITH THE LOOK YOU WANT.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
1. How much does GRR spend on each dog?
$200.00 - $460.00 depending on:
The health and temperament of Goldens have suffered because of indiscriminate and irresponsible breeding practices. If you decide to purchase a puppy, we encourage you to research the breeder and avoid the pitfalls and dangers of backyard breeders and the puppy mills that flourish in Texas. Although GRR does not have a breeder referral service, we encourage you to read the “Thinking About a Puppy” section of our website. Referrals to the local Texas breed clubs are listed for your convenience.
Copyright © 1998-2011 Gold Ribbon Rescue Post Office Box 956, Austin, Texas 78767-0956. All images, design elements and content on this web site are copyrighted and are the property of the board of directors of Gold Ribbon Rescue (unless noted otherwise). All use and publication rights are reserved worldwide, and are expressly not in the Public Domain. No images or content on this site may be copied, stored, manipulated, published, sold or reproduced without express written permission from the Gold Ribbon Rescue board of directors.