Rescue A Golden of Arizona

Rescue A Golden of Arizona (RAGofAZ)

 is a 501(c)3 non-profit
 organization that rescues Golden Retrievers who have lost
 their homes through no fault of their own and places 
them, through adoption, in their forever homes.
We have been rescuing Golden Retrievers since 1998
 and operate in the State of Arizona.
Select the available dogs tab above to view dogs ready
 for adoption.

Rescue A Golden of Arizona, RAGofAZ, is an all-volunteer, non-profit,
501©(3) organization which is dedicated to maintaining a rescue program
for abandoned, mistreated or unwanted Golden Retrievers

RAGofAZ was incorporated on October 15, 1998, with 15 members.
Membership is now over 600, and we have rescued over 3,000 Golden
Retrievers.

Our rescue efforts cover the entire state of Arizona. Due to the number
of waiting families, we are currently not accepting applications from
outside of Arizona.

By Email, ragofaz@golden-retriever.org,

By phone, 602-404-WOOF (9663),

By mail, RAG of AZ P.O. Box 71987 Phoenix, AZ. 85050,

Website, www.golden-retriever.org

Membership is open to anyone desiring to support our rescue efforts.
Membership dues are $10 for students, $35 per individual or $50 for a
family; memberships are good for one year. Membership application forms
can be obtained by calling or e-mailing us, or by downloading an
application from our website. Our adoption fee includes an individual oneyear
complimentary membership!

Volunteers can help by joining any of our various teams: Intake, Home
Visit, Placement, Transport, Follow-up, Shelter Walking, Vet Care, Foster home,
Fundraising, Membership, Marketing and Grant Writing.
In addition,
a variety of short-term volunteer opportunities are available throughout
AZ. Contact our volunteer coordinator for specifics: volunteer@goldenretriever.
org. Donations in any amount are gratefully accepted for the
care of the dogs. All donations are tax-deductible.

When first accepted by RAGofAZ, each dog is given a medical examination
by a licensed veterinarian. If the dog’s vaccines are due, or if the vaccine
history is unknown, vaccines are given. If the Golden is not spayed or
neutered already, this procedure is done. If the dog is ill with a treatable
condition, medicine is provided by RAGofAZ. We do not usually do any
blood testing except for valley fever, unless the doctor
feels it is warranted. About 20% of the Goldens we have taken into
Rescue have valley fever. Since the medication for this treatable condition
is expensive, we provide it for three months following adoption. Potential
adoptive families are always told about any medical problem that is known
about a rescued dog.

It depends on the age of the dog. When adopting a pair, the second dog
is half price.
The adoption fee includes: a health evaluation by a RAGofAZ veterinarian,
spay or neutering, testing for valley fever and heartworm, microchipping,
and vaccinations (rabies and DHPP). Additional treatment is considered
on a case-by-case basis. It depends on the age of the dog. When adopting a pair, the second dog
is half price.
The adoption fee includes: a health evaluation by a RAGofAZ veterinarian,
spay or neutering, testing for valley fever and heartworm, microchipping,
and vaccinations (rabies and DHPP). Additional treatment is considered
on a case-by-case basis.

When RAGofAZ takes a Golden into Rescue, we incur some significant
veterinary costs. Sometimes these costs are minimal, as when only a
general physical is needed. In other cases, we have considerable medical
expenses. What little money we might make on the adoption of one dog
will go to offset the medical expenses of the next dog. Adoption fees by
themselves will never cover all of our expenses with rescued dogs. In
2011 the average cost to RAGofAZ to rescue a Golden was approximately
$1040.

Members of RAGofAZ have done gift-wrapping at Barnes & Noble
Bookstores during the holidays. This is a fun and profitable event with
many opportunities for public education. In addition, members with their
dogs are co-ambassadors for RAGofAZ during Meet and Greet events at
Phoenix and Tucson Petsmart stores. We have regularly participated in Scottsdale’s Parada del Sol, the Glendale
Firemen’s Parade, the Phoenix St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Irish Faire and in
the 2010 Fiesta Bowl Parade. We‘ve sponsored educational booths at
numerous all-breed dog shows, at AJ’s Fine Foods, at the Paws in the Park
event in Fountain Hills, and at the AZ Family Women’s Expo and Big Boys
& Their Toys events at the Phoenix Convention Center and Westworld. We
have also had information booths at the Flagstaff Show and the AZ Animal
Fair. The Dogtober Fest is held on the Court House Square every Fall in
downtown Prescott. We also participate in PACC911 adopt-a-thons and in
their annual Bowla-Rama. In January, we host an annual members picnic (with dogs, of course!) and
fun day called Bark in the Park; our Tucson contingent hosts a similar
event in November. We have sponsored special raffles to raise money to
pay for the significant medical costs of several of our rescue dogs. We
have appeared at Chase Field and US Airways Plaza. Some of our
members have even appeared on TV discussing an upcoming RAGofAZ
event or educating the public about Rescue. All in all, there is a little bit of
everything for everyone and every dog.

Members receive a quarterly electronic newsletter, Golden Tales, plus
regular e-mail messages. The Events Calendar on our website is the best
way to get current information about our activities.

Some of our members belong to the Golden Retriever Club of America. We
cooperate with Maricopa Animal Care and Control Services, Pima and
Yavapai Animal Care & Control, the Arizona Animal Welfare League, the
Arizona Humane Society, and other shelters around the state. Because of
the Golden temperament, many of our rescued dogs are used in hospitals
for pet therapy. Many of our members also belong to the Companion
Animal Association of Arizona and to Therapy Dogs International.

There are numerous reasons why some Golden owners give up their dogs.
The least common reason is that the dog has become aggressive, which is
good, because RAGofAZ will not knowingly take an aggressive dog into
rescue. Sometimes it’s because the dog is sick or too old. People move
and can’t take their pets with them. The list is never ending.

About 80% of the Goldens that we rescue come from private owner turnins.
Some are also rescued from county shelters or from the Humane
Society. A few have come to us through veterinary referrals, others from
Good Samaritans who have found wandering dogs.

RAGofAZ believes that there are already too many homeless and
unwanted dogs. We also believe that breeding of Golden Retrievers should
be done only after careful evaluation of the dog’s temperament, physique,
and general history, the vast majority of people who would adopt a dog
from us just want a companion pet. If a show dog or potential breeding
dog is desired, RAGofAZ recommends that you do research and contact a
reputable breeder.

Most rescued Goldens are housebroken. However, sometimes a dog has
been kept outside for an extensive period. In such cases, some
housetraining will probably be necessary. It is rare that puppies will be
housebroken before they are 6 months old. Even a dog that has been
housetrained may have “accidents” when placed in the unfamiliar
environment of a new home.

The process of adopting a dog from RAGofAZ is structured to match the
dog with the best home we can find. By design, the process is measured
and involved. It is important to keep in mind that we do not make
adoption decisions based on who has seen the dog first, or who has
completed an application the earliest.
The well-being of the animal is our paramount concern. Potential adopters
complete an application and a home visit is conducted with them in order
to help find a match! We feel that getting to know our adopters, results in
a better placement for both the pet and the adopters. We provide as
much information as we can on each pet’s history, disposition and health.
After a placement, we follow up with each new adopter to offer
assistance during the adjustment period. We want each of our animals to
find the right home for them, not just any home. Likewise, we want our
adopters to find the pet who best matches their lifestyle and interests. If
for any reason the match is not perfect, as we had hoped, the dog must
be returned to our organization.

Although puppies under 6 months of age are not often surrendered to
Rescue, each year we do take in several puppies, and we have even taken
in pregnant females that have later produced puppies. We make such
puppies available for adoption after they are 8 weeks old.

All of our Goldens currently available for adoption can be viewed on the
website. Since we do not have a kennel or boarding facility, most of our
rescued dogs come directly from the owner-turn-in, and go immediately
to its new home. This is the best situation for the dog as moving them
from one home to another over a couple of weeks can be very stressful
for the dog. We try not to board our Goldens unless we have no other
option. If we have to bring a dog into rescue before we have been able to
find a suitable home, the dog will go to a foster home.
Sometimes arrangements can be made to meet the dog, if the dog is in a
foster home. We have Meet-and-Greets at several local PetSmart stores
where you may have the opportunity to meet a Golden that is currently
being fostered. These events are listed on our website.