It is hot in the desert, and we are ready to welcome the monsoons – two signs that summer has arrived. It is that time of year where most of us just try to be patient and wait for it to end so we can go back to the best things about Arizona – October through May!
 
Unfortunately, this summer brought some bad news for many dog rescues, and it came from the Centers for Disease Control. On June 14th, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a Notice of Temporary Suspension of Dogs Entering the US from Countries Classified as High Risk for Dog Rabies. No one, least of all non-profits that rescue dogs, disputes the importance of ensuring that dogs with rabies do not enter the United States. But our perspective is different from that of the CDC, and it is based on our experience. 

We have not had a single rabies case in any of our International dogs. Rescues like ours follow the guidelines for bringing dogs into the United States. The requirements are stringent and include import permits, rabies certificates and health certificates, all of which must be submitted to the USDA for inspection and verification. The USDA has decades of experience vetting dogs coming into the U.S., and permits are not issued until verification is complete. 

As it stands now, three separate government agencies review the documentation before a dog can enter the United States. In fact, the import and medical documents are available for CDC review once they are uploaded into the Customs and Border Patrol system. The documents are reviewed a final time by Customs and Border Patrol when the dogs land in the U.S. before they are released to the rescue volunteers there to welcome them. 

Our mission is to help Golden Retrievers in need, and that does not stop at the U.S. border. More than 70% of the dogs we have rescued so far this year have come from other countries. 

Rescuing Golden Retrievers from other countries does not mean fewer resources for the Goldens we rescue in Arizona. What it does mean is more Goldens saved from unimaginable situations, and more families with a furry blonde (or red) best friend.
 
We are working alongside other reputable Golden Retriever rescues across the United States to ensure our collective voice is heard. A letter was sent to the CDC last week explaining our perspective, our process and asking for an exception. 

Soon after the CDC’s announcement, we joined forces with another rescue to save 24 Golden Retrievers from the meat trade in China. Doing so would mean bringing them to the U.S. just days before the ban goes into effect. 

You may have seen our social media posts or the message we sent last Friday asking for help to bring 12 of these dogs to Arizona and into the homes of loving families currently on our waiting list.  

RAG has been around for 23 years, and we have an amazing community of supporters across this great state. We are so grateful for the generous support of our fans and followers throughout the year. We try not to ask for help on specific matters too often. But with the urgency of the situation and the expense involved, we decided to ask for help. 

WOW – did you answer the call! Thank you, thank you, thank you – from the bottom of our hearts! In just 72 hours, you helped us raise the money we need to make it happen. Your donations literally have saved these dogs lives. 

We just learned that the other rescue has also raised the money they need for the other 12 dogs, so as far as this particular mission goes, we are “golden!” We are finalizing the details and working to rally our transport team volunteers who will drive to Los Angeles to bring the dogs to their forever homes all across the state of Arizona. 
We can’t wait to share more – stay tuned!
  
Thank you,

Kelly Cook (and Jake)
President 
Rescue A Golden of Arizona

By Bob Schillaci, Director of Golden Operations

So, it was a tough year for us humans, but your dog may have felt as if it was wonderful.  After all, you were around all the time - lots of pets, lots of treats. But now the lockdown is over, and schools and business are getting back to normal. And behaviorists are reporting that the dogs are not thrilled. Dogs are creatures of habit and “routine” is important to them. They adapted to a new routine when you were around — but now the routine is not changing for the better as far as they are concerned.


 

Bo'fore and Bo'after

 

Rainbow Bridge

Mark your Calendar

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.