Last Chance to Support AGA This Year

 

Only TWO days left to remember Adopt a Golden Atlanta in your charitable giving for 2011! 

AGA relies solely on donations and has a 501 (c) (3) classification with the IRS. Your donation is tax deductible. We also meet the requirements for corporate matching, employee giving and volunteer grant programs.

Help us save more dogs like Finnegan next year!

Wishing you a Golden 2012,

Lauren Genkinger, President & Founder  

A Christmas Message from Shasta

Hi everyone, Shasta here!  Just wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and to say thank you again for allowing ME to even have a chance at having another Christmas.  I am probably leaving some wonderful folks at AGA out of my thanks so I would appreciate it if you would pass them along for me.

I am so happy to have a Mom and Dad that love me so much (they tell me all the time) and my very own home.  I have learned to hop up onto the couch whenever I want to and love to stretch out, and I am getting around better and better.  Mom and Dad tell me all the time how beautiful I am and mom calls me her "velveteen rabbit" because she says I am all soft and fuzzy and real.  

I wasn't sure what she meant until she read me the following, and I like it now when she calls me her own velveteen rabbit because even though I kind of limp sometimes, and I can't hear real well, or my eyes or a little watery, it means I am really, really loved and I am special.

The Skin Horse had lived longer in the nursery than any of the others. He was so old that his brown coat was bald in patches and showed the seams underneath, and most of the hairs in his tail had been pulled out to string bead necklaces. He was wise, for he had seen a long succession of mechanical toys arrive to boast and swagger, and by-and-by break their mainsprings and pass away, and he knew that they were only toys, and would never turn into anything else. For nursery magic is very strange and wonderful, and only those playthings that are old and wise and experienced like the Skin Horse understand all about it.

"What is REAL?" asked the Rabbit one day, when they were lying side by side near the nursery fender, before Nana came to tidy the room. "Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?"

"Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real."

"Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit.

"Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. "When you are Real you don't mind being hurt."

"Does it happen all at once, like being wound up," he asked, "or bit by bit?"

"It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."

"I suppose you are real?" said the Rabbit. And then he wished he had not said it, for he thought the Skin Horse might be sensitive.

But the Skin Horse only smiled. 

I couldn't have wished for a better Christmas.

Love,

Shasta

PS - The pictures above are some that my Mom took of me today on our walk to show you how beautiful I am now that I have so many folks who love me.  The 2nd picture shows my left side with my bad back leg--it feels so much better that I even use it now rather than just swing it along.

Swimming Lessons, Gracie's Way

Before I learn to swim in my pool, I need to get used to sharing a large water bowl.  I love to dig in it and soak the bathroom!

Love,

Gracie (aka Candy Cane)

A Note From Pingo's Pal Pat

To all Golden lovers, 


Just a note about adopting a senior dog or senior pairs... I adopted Pingo, 8 years old and cannot say enough about how wonderful adopting a senior dog is. Please consider adopting a senior dog; they are your forever friends, loving companions and grateful to have a wonderful home. 


Needless to say, they are housebroken, quiet and above all very few, if any bad habits. Adopt a senior dog -- its very gratifying to know you can give love and attention to an older dog and allow him to live out his life in a wonderful world!  


Pat 

Go, Buzz, Go!

Buzz (formerly AGA Jordan) competes in his first agility trial in Conyers as his mom tries to keep up. He took first place in the Novice A Standard division! Congrats, Buzz!

Spook-tacular AGA Halloween Pups Go to Wonderful Homes

Three lucky families got some very special treats this Halloween! AGA’s “boo-tiful” Halloween Pups Jack-O-Lantern, Pumpkin, Casper, and Wendy all went to wonderful forever homes this past weekend.

Jack-O-Lantern and Pumpkin, who had already formed a special bond, were both adopted by a terrific family in Atlanta. These adorable pups look so happy with their new Mom and Dad! They are thrilled that they got to stick together, and can’t wait to explore the family mountain house and meet their human siblings.

Wendy, the pistol of the litter, was adopted by a great family who has been anxiously waiting to get a female golden. Wendy has an older golden brother named Stanley, also from AGA, to show her the ropes around her new home! Wonder if Stanley’s what has her attention in the picture?!

Casper found a forever home with his new Mom and her lab mix, Ella, in Greenville, SC. Casper and Ella will be the perfect puppy pair; Ella is very independent and Casper is a bit needier so the dogs should be a good match for each other. Casper’s Mom is a grad student so Casper will get to go to class with her from time to time, what a smart pup!

Max Acworth Is Cruisin' Through Life

AGA orphan Max Acworth is stealing hearts with his perfect doggie manners and lovable personality! He has already won the affection of his foster Mom, and this past weekend he made a new canine companion when he met his foster Grandma's dog, Abbey.

Fast friends, Max and his new pal Abbey enjoyed an afternoon drive in the back seat of the car.

A full day of playing with Abbey must have worn Max out! Time for some beauty rest.

...but Max isn't out for long! After a little cat (or should we say dog?) nap, he is back to playing with his purple bear, one of his favorite toys!

To learn more about Max, check out his biography on the AGA website.

Lady: A Hero to Her Family

Brave AGA golden Lady, recently adopted by a wonderful family from Florida, showed some true courage yesterday. Lady was bitten by a water mocassin in her backyard; the owners are pretty sure she was trying to protect her human siblings from getting too close to the snake!

Thankfully, her owner was on top of the situation and killed the snake and immediately took Lady to the vet. After an overnight stay, she is recovering beautifully and is enjoying being pampered by her loving family.

Lady's snake bite certainly isn't getting in the way of her appetite!

This little Lady deserves all the R&R and pampering in the world after her heroic display yesterday, and it looks like she's getting it!

Snug as a bug in a rug! We are so happy that Lady is on her way to recovery. Her family is very lucky to have her.

A Huge Milestone for AGA and Barney

AGA has reached an important and wonderful milestone! Our 312th dog of the year, Barney, is our 2500th dog saved since we began on October 1, 2003 -- 8 years ago this week and guess what... Barney is 8 years old! 


In fact, Barney's date of birth is 10-11-03... ten days after AGA opened for business.  Now you must admit, some higher power had a hand in this one!


It is appropriate that Barney is our 2,500th dog. Barney's owner died and he was being kept by a relative who did not want him taken to a shelter. This is the exact reason why we started AGA -- to work with owners who had to give up their goldens, but didn't want to take their golden to a shelter. 


Barney's caretakers placed him on Petfinders and one of our volunteers saw him.  He is now in our care. Unfortunately, Barney is in pretty bad shape as you can see in his photo. In fact, if ever a dog needed AGA, it is Barney.


Barney has Cushings Disease, which we will treat him for immediately. It simply requires daily meds. Also, he has the following: heart murmur, severe dental disease and a fractured tooth, horribly infected ears, severe arthritis in all limbs, hypothyroid, pendulous abdomen without a palpable mass, diffuse hair lose, scaling, crusting and redness of entire body with extreme leathering of the skin in numerous areas, and severe yeast overgrowth (meaning Barney does not smell like a rose.)


Despite his many medical maladies, his tail has never stopped wagging since we picked him up!


Barney will need our help and we have officially set up theBarney Fund!  We know his care will go into the thousands, so what better number to shoot for in donations but $2,500. We will keep you informed. 
  
Barney also needs a foster family to nurse him back to help. Can you help?


Let's give Barney a wonderful 8th year to enjoy! And HAPPY 8TH ANNIVERSARY, AGA!

Happy Days for Huckleberry!

Huckleberry (Teddy) overcame some major health obstacles and made it through his heartworm treatment and is now doing amazing! This beautiful golden is truly a miracle dog!

Huckleberry (Teddy) looking mighty fine exploring his spacious backyard.

Enjoying some chill time on the rug with a puppy pal. Watching a little Animal Planet, perhaps?

Message from the President: Not All Vets Are Created Equal

Every month we hear heartbreaking stories about medical misdiagnoses, treatment that was started too late, treatment that didn't work at all and dogs who needlessly suffer while their owners struggle to make financial payments to their vet.

We understand loyalty and that you feel your vet is a good person, but give them one chance to help and then if you don't see improvement in your dog, take your dog to another vet and get a second opinion.

Feel free to contact us about your dog's problem. We have probably had experience with the same problem over the years. We can steer you to a vet who has solved the problem. When it comes to troubles ranging from skin problems to bladder issues to seizures, all vets are not created equal.

Lauren Genkinger
President & Founder

Vanilla Rules the Roost

Look how much Vanilla (a Golden/Great Pyrenees mix) has grown since she was adopted 2 years ago! It’s hard to believe that Vanilla, once this tiny little pup, is now bigger than all of her Golden siblings!

Say “Cheese!” Have you ever seen such a big smile? Vanilla’s Dad says his happy girl spends her nights sleeping snuggly in the bath tub when she isn’t guarding the foot of her Dad’s bed.

This look says it all, Vanilla is clearly the furry queen of the house!

It's Raining Puppies!

Wellesley and his new Mom are as happy as can be together!

Wellesley’s Mom isn’t the only one ecstatic to have her around; Wellesley’s sister Bunny is pretty excited to have a new playmate too!

Adorable brother and sister Princeton and Sarah (now Colby)Lawrence are so thrilled to be able to stick together as they join their big, happy forever family! Living with their Mom, Dad, three human siblings, and 2 kitties, not to mention they have a pool to splash around in, there will always be something fun for these pups to do!

Yale was adopted this weekend by neighbors of his foster parents, a wonderful retired couple with plenty of time to play with their pup! After losing their 13 year old golden in May, it seems that Yale was just meant to be! Yale is looking forward to meeting his parents’ children, grandchildren, and grandogs; he can’t wait to go to the family’s lake house either!

AGA Fosters Needed: Can You Help?

These last few months have been VERY challenging for our rescue.  We have seen so many dogs displaced.  

The list of reasons is endless and so heart wrenching:  I do not want the responsibility any longer.  I cannot afford vet care.  I cannot afford food.  I do not have time for the dog.

One thing that makes Adopt A Golden Atlanta such an incredible rescue is our foster program.  Our rescue is known for taking the needed step of fostering to ensure a successful adoption for the human and dog.  People come to AGA because we take the time to place a dog in a foster home and figure out what the dog needs to thrive and be happy. 

Guess what?  We need help.  We need fosters. Many dogs cannot begin their journey to a forever home until they go to a foster.  If a foster is not available, dogs are stuck at the vet or stuck in boarding with an undetermined wait time.

Will you help?  Fostering a dog is a wonderful gift.  If you adopted from us, someone did it for your dog.  Someone bridged the gap for your dog between orphan and adoptee.  Have you ever thought about it?  


We would love to talk to you about being a foster.  Give a Golden a little bit of your time…the reward is happiness for so many!!

William Enjoys some R & R in Jackson Hole

Looks like William is one lucky pup! He is spending the dog days of summer lounging, playing, smelling the roses, and even watching some TV in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Live it up for us, William!

A Big Weekend for Buckley

Hey friends! It’s Buckley (previously Drake) here, and I just wanted to give you guys an update on my life! I was adopted a few days ago by an awesome family and I just love my Mom and Dad and my big brother named Bentley! He is so much fun to run around and play games with! I have some kitty siblings too, but I don’t know if they are ready to play with me just yet, maybe because I keep growing bigger and bigger every day! Thanks to all of you guys for helping me find my sweet new family!Everyone keeps calling me "adorable". I'm still trying to figure out what that means!

How lucky am I to have a big brother like Bentley??

Lap Up The Doggy Fun

JR and Puddles are working on their best "doggy paddle" this summer at their new home!  Lookin' good...

Hairy Potter and the Sorcerer's Bone

With all this Harry Potter hype, the goldens were starting to feel left out!

Teaching a New Dog Old Tricks

Today is Kylee's (formerly Ricki Bobbi)two month anniversary on her adoption! With a new name and a new home, she is learning quickly! She now understands "No", "Sit" and "Hop-up!"

I Love Lucy

Ricky Ricardo isn't the only one who loves Lucy! And while you may not catch this golden trying to hide candy with Ethel or on TV promoting "Vitameatavegamin," you can find Lucy (formerly Dolly) with one of her best friends Hannah taking a morning walk up the mountain.

Happy Fourth - It's a Golden Explosion!

Hello Golden Lovers!
It's Niki here (AGA Nicole Doodle), with my new sister Dixie and my new Mom and Dad! They said they fell in love with me from the moment they saw me on AGA's website.... So they made a big trip to come and get me, and it was true love after all. I even got to go to the big family reunion on the lake for the Fourth of July!
Thank you for all of your help and Support!
Love,
Niki

Finnegan's Got a Home!!!!!

I know you all remember me from the last few adoption days. I sat in front, the strong dark haired gentleman, I'm sure you'll recall {I look like I might have an old classy Southern drawl}.... And everyone passed by me (I'm rather stoic, ah say - that is.... Reserved....) and went straight to the blond haired young bucks that were clambering for attention.....

Well guess what? I'm HOME now!!! My vet says I'm "gorgeous" and everyone says I'm the most handsome man they've ever seen. My family and I are head over heels for each other - and "right at home" in my new house is an understatement. I'm even showing them what an old professional like me can do when those pesky squirrels get in the back yard! I'm loving long naps and I'm velcro on Mom now that I'm home, too. I just knew my family would come one day - so I hung on tight - just for them.

Thank You all so much for helping me find my forever home!

Love,

Finnegan

Chloe Lives! But still needs Your Help!

Check out our friend Chloe - "The Little Pup that Could". We need some generous folks to help us with her medical needs... But the great news is - She's gonna make it!!!

Double Double your Retriever!

Hey Guys! I'm Ruby - one of the Breeder 21 pups - I was adopted and then I told mom I really wanted a big sister - so 'voila!' - I inspired my bff Sophie's adoption! We're Double the Fun!!!
----------------------------------

Look Mom - We're British! Kiss Kiss! We're an Extremely affectionate family....

Another game we like to play: "Guess where the Golden starts?"Another score for the AGA team! Is Doublemint Gum still around?? I see two stars here!!! Call an agent!

Bye Bye Bibi :)

A Bittersweet message for all of her friends. Sweet 16 year old Bibi of Bibi&Yang fame (recent video post if you'll recall -on facebook) - was peacefully taken to the Rainbow Bridge in her sunny backyard with a belly full of treats yesterday after a few months of complicated health problems. She was surrounded by her very dearest friends - her best mate Yang, "adopted son" Andy, and her human mommy. Bibi had a wonderful 16 years and the last few with some really great buddies. Her foster mom couldn't part with Bibi or her friend Yang once she took them in - and they got to live together in Bibi's last years in the lap of luxury and happiness.Thank you to everyone that made this girl's life great! We know she'll be our AGA receptionist at the Golden Gates :)

Enough... Is... Enough!!!

Hey AGA Friends! ****Bailey Here! My family brought me home from AGA 3 years ago - and I sure have been enjoying the run of the house.... Well - in walks little miss "Lola" (adopted in March from AGA!) - and this little ball of fluff sure thinks she owns the place! She certainly tries to get on my nerves - but she's too cute so I just let it all slide. Here is baby Lola is "helping me" with my nap!!! Little sisters - gotta love 'em! **** Love, Saint Bailey McPatience

I Hereby Claim this Bed for Sovereign Moosey!

Sorry - Bassett friend, this bed is claimed for me, Moosey! You'll just have to wait your turn!!!

Conway Goes Home!!!

Hey Everyone!

It's me Conway - and boy do I feel lucky! My new family, the Verdeyens, picked me out of 8 littermates at Russell Ridge this weekend. I know it was a tough decision - but after much thought - I won the vote!!!! I have a sister Golden, 2 teenage "sisters", and my Mom works at home - so I'm set for a super fun life! Thank you all so much for the chance to meet such a great Forever Family!

Love, Conway

"Dog!...The Builder!"

Hi AGA friends!

It's me, Cooper, doing some tough construction work here with my baby sister! My new family says they love me so much! Mom's a runner, and she's taking me along for "moral support" all the time. I sure love the wind in my ears! Here's a big sloppy kiss to everyone that made my new home a possibility!

Love,

Cooper

Champ's New Home!

Hi Everybody!

I just wanted to thank all of you who helped me find my new Forever Home with the Davis Family! I'm already as cozy as I can be with Mom, Dad, and especially my BFF (the little doll in Pink!). My new sibling Dodie, the lab mix, thinks I'm a pretty cool little brother, too! :) I sure couldn't have done it without you guys!

Love, Champ

Help us win $20,000 in veterinary and pet supplies! Super Easy!!!!!!

Ok, so we don't ask for much.... And this is REALLY easy!.... Deadline is May 14th so please "Put Some Pep in Your Paws"!

All you have to do is "like" Dr. Becker's facebook page, and POST THIS:

"Adopt a Golden Atlanta, www.adoptagoldenatlanta.com, Atlanta - Georgia!"

Adopt A Golden has a chance to win $20,000 in veterinary and pet supplies!!!
******
Dr. Marty Becker, the resident veterinarian on Good Morning America and The Dr. Oz Show, wants to give more than $70,000 in veterinary and pet products to shelters and rescue groups - and AGA is eligible!
Dr. Becker will randomly select 50 finalists for the voting phase, which begins on May 18. The more times AGA is nominated, the more chances we have to be a finalist!

Luke says, "Greetings From Sunny Florida!"

My Family Loves me so much, I get to come on Vacation, too!!!

This is my "skeptical" face! The pool, you guys? I'm not too sure....But I'll give it a shot... Ok - I definitely don't like the Pool. Yipes! Mom - Help!Ah :) Nothing a little scratch can't fix!Ok, so maybe I'm not going out for the Sychronized Swimming Team anytime soon, but I sure am glad I have a great family that'll let me try new things!!!