Golden Retriever Rescue of Southwest Florida

Beautiful little Cherry needs a home!

It's not even Christmas, but we have our miracle! Jack #742 was returned to us this year by his adopters after seven years because they could no longer afford the vet bills for his major skin issues. This poor boy had suffered from horrific oozing sores and intense itching for many years. He had been treated by area vets for many years and came to us with 134 pages of medical records. Sadly, no treatment ever worked and this sweet fellow suffered immensely. During his first few months with GRRSWF, we continued to struggle to find answers, with vet bills reaching $12,000. Jack’s miracle came when a retired veterinary dermatologist, Dr. Alice Jeromin, reached out to us about doing some pro bono consulting while she wintered on Sanibel. The result was nothing short of life-saving. Thanks to her keen eye, Jack has been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, Pemphigus, that is treatable. After just a few short weeks, he has improved dramatically. Yes, he will require lifetime maintenance, but the meds are not costly. And most of all, he is happy and comfortable for the first time in many years. We are so grateful to the amazing confluence of events that brought Jack and Dr. Jeromin to us so this boy could be healed. And special thanks to our wonderful medical team, Alesia and Lynette, as well as Jack's foster, Kathleen, for getting this boy the care he so desperately needed. Please join us in celebrating this Christmas miracle.

Hello, My name is Connor! I am 5-years old and I weigh 90lbs, but I am not overweight, I am just a BIG BOY! I am looking for just the right person or family to adopt 😀 Let me tell you about myself and maybe YOU are the right person or family! I am currently boarding at a very nice facility with super nice people taking care of me! They all love me here and I love them, but I really need my own family and home now. While I have been here for over a month, one of my favorite people here is my trainer. She has been working with me on some of my, well, not so good habits. She is such a good trainer that I have overcome those bad habits. You see, I like paper towels and tissue, so I would counter surf and get those things. When I did, I had an attitude with whomever would try and take them from me. So, because of my paper addiction, I can’t be allowed to get those fun paper things anymore. They tell me it is called resource guarding. My GOOD habits outweigh the bad ones though. I am basically a good dog who loves everyone and loves to cuddle and lean on you 😀 Because I am a big boy, I might accidentally knock you over if I lean on you! The awesome people at GRRSWF said that whomever I adopt, will need to keep up with my training while we all get used to each other. If you live close to where I am boarding, the trainer I work with now is happy to help (she knows me the best 😀) I like to walk, but I really like a fenced yard I can play in. I have lived with other dogs and cats in my previous homes. I like children too, but I can be a bit too much for them because of my size, so I will need an adult only home. For more information about me, contact GRRSWF at [email protected] or [email protected].

Cathy got to meet the puppies today! What adorable babies! We are still processing applications and may still have several males available. www.Grrswf.org.

We love happy updates like this one from Kimberly: Enzo (Frank) is doing great! Adjusting very well to our household. Going on walks, running in the backyard chasing his ball. He’s eating very well and from what we can tell, he is gaining weight. He recovered wonderfully from his neuter surgery. Both my daughters, love him. Hhe also loves baths and getting his teeth brushed, LOL!

A happy update to share! Sweet Finley is settling into his foster home beautifully. His labs showed a couple high values but most likely related to his skin inflammation. We will recheck those in a few weeks. He is heartworm negative and his thyroid is fine. Unfortunately, being from a shelter, he has come down with a respiratory infection. Thankfully his foster parents have a separate home office for him to quarantine. He eats like a champ, loves to explore the yard and quickly learned the joys of a fluffy dog bed. Like many shelter dogs in his condition, he is catching up on much needed rest. He is finally safe, out of the elements with a full belly so he can sleep without one eye open. We wish all homeless dogs had the same.

Happy Rescue Dog Update! Many of you may remember the 3-month-old puppy we took in a year ago named Bailey (her name now is Lyndi). She was the puppy that Fetch Specialty and Emergency Centers in Brandon contacted us about taking in. She had a liver torsion and was near death, needing major surgery ASAP. So many of you came to her rescue alongside us with generous donations to cover her medical expenses, making it possible for this baby to have a second chance at life. We thought you might like an update on this little miracle a year later! 🥰 She just turned 1 year old on May 21st and is living her best life, doing things she loves the most... swimming, boating and being a typical golden retriever puppy! We thank you for helping dogs like Lyndi (fna Bailey) with your love and donations. She is only one example of how your love and donations work!

Sophie's Journey: Fifteen months ago, a badly damaged breeder girl came to GRRSWF on a transport from Ohio. Sophie #1133 was nearly catatonic from fear and stress, and we knew her journey to becoming a happy family member would be a long one. We are overjoyed to share this video of Sophie and her new friend, Bug, playing at the home of her adopters, Diane and Jim. To say these serial adopters have been a godsend would be an understatement. They "get" Sophie, with all her quirks, and have helped her overcome so many fears. We are eternally grateful to families willing to take a chance on a dog in need. Happy Golden Years, sweet girl!