One day in late November
2003 a call came in to the GRRI hotline about 3 adult dogs and
4 golden retriever puppies who were picked up as strays and
brought to the Clifton Animal Shelter. All seven of the dogs
were filthy, frightened and emaciated. One of the adults
exhibited aggressive behavior at the shelter and had to be
euthanized. GRRI agreed to take the two remaining adults and
transferred the four puppies to another rescue group in PA.
Meg and Ryan, as they were
named by shelter volunteers, were placed together in a foster
home where other golden retrievers were in residence. It
became very clear very quickly that Meg was the dominant dog –
she was very protective of Ryan, and she was too much for the
other dogs living in the foster home. Arrangements were made
to move them both to another foster home. Well, that didn’t
work out either; Meg went into heat and had to be kept
separated from Ryan, who was an intact male. Both were too
thin and sickly at this point to be neutered. So once again a
new foster home was needed for one of the dogs. Ryan was
moved yet again.
He was very dependent on
Meg and missed her terribly. While there were other dogs in
the new foster home, he didn’t bond with them, and became
quite needy. He then developed severe separation anxiety, to
the point where he couldn’t be left alone in a room even while
his foster family was home. He began soiling their home and
barking incessantly. The foster home was unable to deal with
this escalating behavior and requested that Ryan be removed
from their home. The question became…what to do with him.
At this point the GRRI
Board of Directors felt Ryan needed to be professionally
evaluated by a certified behaviorist. Off he went with GRRI
volunteers Eileen and Drew McFadden to be evaluated.
Unfortunately the outcome was not great - Ryan was extremely
fearful and the behaviorist said this could lead to fear
biting. He was unadoptable. Eileen and Drew decided to take
him home with them and work with him. They adopted him in
early February 2004.
Under
the care of their holistic vet and a homeopathic vet, Ryan has
shown significant improvement. He has gained weight although
he is still very thin; his coat has grown in and is soft and
shiny; he has learned to play with the other dogs in their
home, he is more outgoing and is not as reactive as he once
was. Slowly the demons that plagued this poor little dog are
being exorcized and he is learning to trust. It’s a very slow
process but it’s one that’s working. There have been set backs
but they are becoming fewer. While he’ll never be the typical
goofy, outgoing Golden Retriever the breed is known for, he is
a lovable, cuddly Golden Retriever who is loved, who is safe,
and who is happy. And that’s what rescue is all about.
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