Golden Rescue In Naples, Inc.

Do not mourn the extinguishing of the flame ...
celebrate how brightly it burned.

KASEY

In July of 2009, GRIN Inc was notified by the County Animal Services office
that there had been a homicide which left several Golden Retrievers
homeless. Their greatest concern was an old female who was both diabetic and
blind - this was Kasey. As always when there is Golden in need, GRIN was
ready to assist. We informed Animal Services that we would assure the
medical needs and care of this wonderful senior as soon as next of kin would release her.

Kasey fit our new mission of a special needs senior dog and was going to require special long term care. Kasey was moved to one of our network veterinarian offices where the staff worked diligently to stabilize her blood sugar levels and get her healthy enough to be released from hospitalization. Kasey was practically comatose when she arrived there. However, over time, with compassionate care from the clinic staff and vets, she improved and began to stabilize. GRINinc then knew the day was coming when we could place her in a foster or forever home.

Because of the notoriety around the case, many people who knew the owner were coming forth to assist the dogs. But no one felt capable of taking Kasey....until one family. This family knew the owner and even had dogs from her litters. They were both medical professionals with a long history of Golden Retrievers in their lives. They felt they could help Kasey live out the rest of her life in contentment and safety and, after meeting with them, GRIN felt they could too.

Kasey's care and needs are not easy nor are they inexpensive. GRINinc continues to monitor and assist with Kasey's medical needs and veterinary costs. Your donations and support make this possible. We want Kasey to remain in the home where, being blind, she is familiar with the setting, she is monitored and regulated for her diabetes and, most of all, she is loved by her humans and surrounded by her pack.

Kasey went to the Rainbow Bridge on 05/15/10. She lived her last months in peace, happiness and love. GRINinc will be forever thankful to the Reintsema family for their dedication, sacrifice and love shown to our sweet senior golden girl.

CHARLIE

Recently my Nana (Mary Ellen Metro) lost one of her marvelous Golden Retrievers, Charlie. Charlie was found by himself swimming in a lake in Florida. The poor dog was panting, scraped all along his body, his teeth were horrible, and you could see his ribs. He was shaking off the bitter cold water all along his body. You could tell by looking at this poor dog that he needed help from some source. After searching for his owner and trying 100% to find this dog’s home finally a conclusion came. No owner was found. This dog was obviously abandoned. He was just left somewhere to live. Luckily my Nana saved his life. So what she did was she took him home and cared for him.

Charlie was not just an ordinary dog. This dog had a passion. A passion you couldn’t imagine. Swimming. My grandparents live in a home with a pool and if you can imagine… HEAVEN FOR CHARLIE! By looking in his eyes and body he was just dying to jump into the water. All this dog wanted to do was swim. Nana ordered a life vest for Charlie to use when he would swim. When he saw the vest he was confused. He never saw anything like it. Nana would go over and put it on him. Finally he understood that this vest was a *signal* that he could go into the water and do what he loved. SWIM! If Charlie had a choice he would swim all day! So when you got him in the water, it was very difficult to get him out! When Grandpa would say “alright Charlie boy, its time to rinse off and get out of the water. Comon Charlie! Comon…” Charlie would give Grandpa the eye and ignore him! He would just continue on swimming all around in circles. Finally after dragging him out Charlie would put his head down and go all sad on you because he knew that water time was up! Charlie had a personality like no other. I think that all he went through made Charlie have feelings that no other dog had. He was just a dog you would look at and a grin would come upon your face. He was a happy dog all the time! He brought many laughs and smiles. He was just a special dog. I can’t describe the way he would make me feel when I would visit and see him.

Sadly, we found out that Charlie was diagnosed with cancer everyone kind of knew that his road ahead of him was short. He lived a year longer than expected. That was such a miracle. I think without Charlie here it isn’t the same but, I know that he is happy and looking down at the pool. I miss him so much and I cry whenever I think about him but I know those tears are tears of happiness because I know he lived his life the best after my Nana found him.
I love you Charlie and I always will.
HANNAH P.

We lost our beloved golden boy, Jesse, on November 10, 2009. He was such a loving, sweet and faithful boy. He came to live with us in July, 2008 with his life-long companion, Haley. While they were both happy, we knew Haley had cancer, and it was just a matter of time. We lost little Haley in May, 2009.

Jesse seemed to adjust to life without Haley. He loved his walks, brushings and playtime with us. He always did whatever was asked of him. He became a therapy dog and brought smiles to those he visited even though his work as a therapy dog was short lived.

As luck would have it, we received a call from Mary Ellen asking us to foster a very young Golden. We were just going to keep this dog for 10-14 days. We brought him home and within a day, we knew he had found his "forever home". We named him Spirit because of his willingness to survive his young life alone. Jesse quickly showed him who was boss, and both dogs got along very well. I like to think Jesse found Spirit for us so we wouldn't be alone.

Jesse had a very aggressive form of cancer, and it took him quickly. I like to believe he is now again with Haley enjoying his "forever" home. Jesse died on November 10th - the day the Marine Corps celebrates its founding or birthday - their motto "always faithful". How appropriate for Jesse to leave us on that day as our "always faithful" golden boy. We love and miss you, Jess.

It is with great sorrow that we tell you that Buddy left us last Thursday. He had been playing and greeting people all day Wednesday, but when I came home from work he was unable to stand.

I made Buddy comfortable on his bed, and slept on the floor holding him all that night. On Thursday morning, we took him to our vet. Initial examination showed problems with the spinal cord. X-rays showed fusion of the spinal vertebrae.

We had Buddy cremated, and he is now back in his “forever” home. Buddy was with us almost 4 years. He was happy. He brought great joy to our lives.

Our little Haley came into our lives at the end of July 2008. Within a few weeks, it was apparent that Haley had something wrong. After several visits to our vet, it was determined Haley had an obstruction in her intestine, probably cancer; however, without surgery we would not know for sure.

With the assistance of the vet, we elected not to put Haley through surgery since she was 7 years old and recovery would more than likely be hard on her. We decided to love her, keep her comfortable and do whatever it would take to keep her free of pain and happy. Our vet tried to prepare us by telling us she would not get better and probably Haley would be gone by January 2009. Well, it’s amazing what care and love can do! Yes, Haley continued to lose weight because of the cancer and had some significant problems, which we were able to solve to a degree, but she was the happiest little girl around. She loved her walks, her rides in the car, chasing her birds, watching her dolphins in the cove, hanging out with Jessie, her life-long companion, and, above all, being with her people.

Everyone, who met Haley, loved her. She was a very sweet and gentle Golden. However, little by little, Haley began to weaken and finally indicated to us it was time. On May 12, 2009, with Jessie, her people and her loving and caring vet, our little Haley went to the Rainbow Bridge.

We all miss her but we are so grateful we had the opportunity to give her 9½ months of love and care. Thank you GRIN for all you did for all of us. Thank you Dr. Theiss for your love, compassion and caring.

Sam The Man, first known as Samson, came to us in April 2004. Our first Golden Retriever, Rocky, had passed away just a month before, leaving it apparent to all of us that our home was very empty. Well, that started me on the quest that brought us Sam. I applied to two Golden rescues, one being our beloved Naples group. Mary Ellen responded within a day of getting my application. With having just lost Rocky, the decision would be difficult, complicated by the grieving process. Wanting to make certain this was not a “rebound” adoption which would turn sour quickly, Mary Ellen spent endless hours on the phone talking me thru what was ahead of us. She then said she “had this dog” - something I am certain we have all heard! He was in the owner home, but needed to be moved. It was explained that Sam might not be available by the time I made my decision and I understood that. Within a short period of time, I made the trip across to Naples to meet this “big red boy” who was destined to be my heart dog.

Mary Ellen drove us to what I believe was the Fort Myers area. Sam greeted us at the door. The owners said we could take him for a walk so we could evaluate each other. Sam pulled me all over the neighborhood. Having walked head-strong dogs before, I was more or less prepared, but this was a special day in both of our lives and hanging onto this monster dog was not my focus as much as was our conversation and the decision if Sam was going home with me that day.

Well, Sam did make that trip. We loaded Sam into Mary Ellen’s vehicle right then and there and made the trip back down to Naples. We stopped at the lake that has become a part of our history, both Sam’s and mine. After almost pulling me into the lake with the gators, Sam finally let me sit and sign adoption papers. We said our good-byes to Mary Ellen at the nearby Borders store, Sam was loaded into my truck this time, and we headed back. I stopped part way back to give Sam a “potty break”. He was less worried about his potty break than he was concerned that he got back into that truck before it pulled out without him. Having combined the little we knew of Sam’s history and later information gathered during communication sessions, Sam had been on the run a number of times and had many, many homes before coming to stay with us for the remainder of his life. His behavior that day makes much more sense to me now. He was NOT being left behind again if he had anything to do with it. We finally arrived in Fort Lauderdale, we had intros on the front lawn with my sons, we tossed the tennis ball (which Sam could simply not live without), and then Sam got 3 baths before entering the house. He positively smelled horrible, and although it took a few more baths after that first day, he would finally smell like a beautiful Golden should again.

Over the next years, the stories are numerous, funny, full of good times, overflowing with love, and then the ultimate sadness that we all know who have loved a Golden.

I recall the time Sam ate a half dozen bagels, the time he ate a loaf of bread, bag and all. And oh yes, the avocados (pits and all), the peaches (pits and all), the mangos (pits and all), whole bananas, the bags of chips, the grocery bag full of candy (Mary Ellen sternly told me to take him to the emergency vet for this one). We had bright “sparklies” in Sam’s poop for a good two weeks from the Hershey Kisses. And of course Mary Ellen would be amazed every time I would tell her what Sam had most recently consumed, and in her way, she would ALWAYS ask, “how did he get hold of that??” Of course, I knew what she REALLY was saying~!! Sam lived up to his reputation as a “counter cruiser.”

Sam was a Velcro dog, following me EVERYWHERE, from one foot in any direction in a room to another room in the house, he was my constant companion. He slept with me every night, and howled for about 2 minutes after I left for work daily, which I am certain annoyed the neighbors.

Our last days were very painful and uniquely joined to Nicky, another Golden G.R.I.N. boy. I heard a bit of it one time when in a pet communicator session Sam told me that he had most respect and sympathy for Nicky because Nick had a horrible life. Little did I know how true that was, that once Nick left us, Sam would finally reveal that he was suffering excruciating pain from cancer of the pelvis. He carried the burden himself because he did not want to be a distraction from Nick’s last days in our home. Once Nick was gone, Sam finally let us know his time to depart was near, much nearer than any of us had ever known.

Although Sam was a massive Golden, very strong and muscular, sturdy, and seemingly impervious to any illness, his pelvis, eaten away by cancer, became very brittle and finally, my Sam came crumbling down like a rock.

I have felt his presence since he crossed over, and I know he is close by and watching. I wait for his return when he is ready to join us again.

This page contains a few of our favorite Sam pictures. His personality comes thru by the glimmer in his eye, that devilish smile, the tilt of his head. To those who knew him for these past wonderful years, they will look and say, “yep, that’s Sam.”

As much as this is meant to be a tribute to Sam, My Man, it is also meant to show what can be done with a rescue dog, how they fill the empty spaces in our homes and hearts. Once determined to be “disposable” by their family or society in general, those of us involved in rescue do really “get it.”

Sam’s first owner was a young couple who could not afford his allergy problems. Try as they did, he lost all of his hair, and they became more frustrated by his condition. Eventually, he found another home where he was tied out back and left to weather heat and thunderstorms alone. He ran away one night in a lightening display and finally found his way home a few months later. The family had moved. The time between then and when Sam came to G.R.I.N.inc. is sketchy. He was found at a local garbage dump by a couple who gave him to the owners who gave him to G.R.I.N.inc. As had happened many times in this boy’s life, he found himself in a home where he was no longer welcome.

For those of you who often find themselves wondering if they can keep going, keep facing the heartbreaking stories and situations in which we find these most lovely of God’s creations, just know that we must, and Sam The Man is one of the many reasons why.

In closing, this is a tribute to all G.R.I.N.inc. volunteers who, with their hard work and determination, repeat these stories every day. Thank you all.

My Sweet, Gentle Bear Bear,

I am not quite sure where to begin to tell the story of Bear Bear, a GRIN dog whom most know as Curry Bear. As I write this story, he is watching me from Rainbow Bridge and giving me the strength to be able to write.

Bear brought smiles and enrichment to the lives of everyone who had the pleasure of knowing him, especially me. Curry Bear came to stay in my home until he was going to be adopted out. Well, he had a way about him that he would actually smile at you. He smiled only a couple of times and we knew that he was meant to be our dog! From day one in our home, Curry Bear was accepted with open arms from us and paws from Maggie and Lacey… it was like he had always been with us.

Bear was the happiest, most gentle, lovable creature I have ever met. His tail never stopped wagging and he never stopped smiling. Oh how I miss my mornings with him…as I would put my make-up on at the coffee table, he would come and sit with his head on my lap just staring up at me with his big, beautiful, brown eyes. It was his way of saying "I love you, Mom." Every time he would look at me like that I would tell him that I loved him too. His walks and rides in the car were his favorite things to do. Even though his hips and knees were in terrible shape, he would push himself to walk and walk always wagging his tail. When he couldn't walk as far as he once could, we got him a stroller. He loved it!

I would like to end this story by thanking my Bear Bear, my sweet boy for the things he taught me. Thank you, my sweet boy, for teaching me to look for the good in everyone and every situation because that is what you did; for laughing and smiling every day because that is what you did; to enjoy each day we had together because you did; to be thankful for the many blessing we have each day because you did; to always say "I love you" everyday and that is what we did J As much as I miss you and wish you were still with me, I know that you are in the best place you could ever be with our wonderful God and all of the other GRIN dogs that have left us over the years. You are and always will be in my heart. I do feel your gentle spirit around me every day and I thank you for being there J

Not for the last time, but for eternity….I love you Bear Bear.
Alesia P.

If you'd like to share a special story about your
GRINinc. dog for our Golden Flame page,
please email us at mygldns@yahoo.com

updated 04/05/10
Golden Rescue In Naples, Inc. is a 501c3 Non-profit organization.