About

NORCALGOLDEN RETRIEVER RESCUE is a nonprofit, all-volunteer organization whose mission is to rescue and place adoptable Golden Retrievers in Northern California in safe, loving homes, thereby improving the lives of both the dog and the adoption household. 

We are happy to accept Golden Mixes and bonded pairs that include at least one Golden Retriever into our care and placement process.

We have no age restrictions and love our senior dogs.

We operate from San Luis Obispo to the Oregon border and Western Nevada (Lake Tahoe/Reno areas).

We offer placement services for owners who need to give up their dogs because of changing life circumstances such as relocation, financial hardship, divorce, allergies, illness, or death. We offer them an alternative to taking their pets to an animal shelter or humane society. We also rescue abandoned, neglected, and abused Golden Retrievers. Depending on the economy, roughly 100 to 150 dogs per year find a haven when they find us.

Unlike some rescue groups, we take senior dogs (over 8 years old) and find them a safe, loving home to spend the rest of their lives. We also take dogs with medical conditions and pay for treatment, including surgery, where the dog has a reasonably good chance of living a pain-free life. The most frequent conditions that we treat are typically hip dysplasia and other orthopedic problems.

History

Norcal Golden Retriever Rescue originated from the Norcal Golden Retriever Club. Like most responsible breed clubs, it recognized its obligation toward all dogs of its breed and established a committee of volunteers to form a rescue organization. In 1994, Norcal Golden Retriever Rescue was incorporated as a nonprofit corporation under section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Service code. NGRR's Federal tax-exempt ID is 77-0392584.

Volunteers

We have over 250 volunteers throughout Northern California who generously donate their time and love to rescue displaced Goldens. Among these volunteers are a Board of Directors and local area Adoption and Surrender Area Managers who support the 42 counties we serve today. Each  County Area Manager works with a network of Area Assistants who help provide temporary foster homes, rescue Goldens from animal shelters and surrendering families, transport dogs, evaluate the health and temperament of dogs, and perform a myriad of other tasks. We also have people who help us with support tasks such as coordinating volunteers, writing thank you notes, publishing our Newsletters and GoldenGram e-Newsletter, working at events, and community and vet outreach. See our Volunteer page if you would like to help us, or submit our Online Volunteer Application.

Fosters

A special volunteer position is to be a foster. Fosters are people willing to take surrendered or rescued Goldens into their loving homes, care for them as part of their family, evaluate and ensure they get appropriate vet care (at NGRR's expense), training, exercise, and otherwise prepare the dog for a forever home. See our Online Foster Application if you would like to help us by becoming a foster. NGRR covers all dog expenses required to care for our dogs in our foster homes.

Funding

Our expenses are primarily for veterinary care, neutering and spaying, training, transportation, and administrative costs such as printing and postage. We rely upon adoption donations, fundraising, and general Donations for our funding. Our online store sells our yearly NGRR Calendar and other Golden Retriever items.

How we Operate

We interview all adoption applicants in their homes to assess their suitability for adoption and identify the type of dog that would best match the household. 

When NGRR accepts a surrendered or stray Golden, the dog is placed in a foster home where we determine the dog's medical and behavioral needs to determine the next steps. While the dog is in our care, we complete required vet care and may enlist a trainer or a Behaviorist if needed.

Our Area Managers, Area Assistants, and the Foster family will evaluate the dog's needs and determine the best home for our Goldens. Our Volunteers then review the list of qualified adoption applicants and try to make the best match using phone calls, emails, home visits, and our website.

When we identify a good match, we arrange for the selected approved applicant to meet the chosen dog, after reviewing the approved application, and schedule a 1-2 hour meet and greet at the Foster's home. If the meet and greet is a success, we proceed to sign the adoption contract, pay the adoption fee, and the applicant takes home the dog. A follow-up home visit will be scheduled following the adoption process to ensure a successful transition, and only after the follow-up visit do we finalize the adoption.

Our Geographic Territory 
We operate in 42 northern California Counties, from San Luis Obispo to the California/Oregon border, and Western Nevada (Reno, Sparks, and Incline Village). We cannot accept adoption applications from residents outside these areas.