Surrender
We understand that this is a very difficult and emotional decision.. And as difficult a decision as this may be for you, we hope it will ease your mind to know what great care we take in finding just the perfect home for your beloved pet. (Check out our adoption page to see just how careful we are placing dogs into new homes.)
As a first step in the surrender process, we would invite you to call one of our intake counselors. It’s possible we have the resources available that may make it easier for you to actually keep your pet – help with unexpected vet bills, behavioral issues, etc. Contact us at INTAKE@SAGRR.org or call (520) 792-4653 and leave a message.
If surrendering your dog is the only option, we will accept your dog into our program as long as it’s a Golden Retriever and is not aggressive. Senior dogs, dogs with health problems and dogs with special needs are all accepted and given the care they need.
Why Rescue Is Better
We believe rescue is the best option for your dog because we will watch over him or her for the rest of their lives – giving you peace of mind about their future.
You might have a family member, friend or neighbor willing to take your dog – and while it might work out just fine, it often doesn’t. If it doesn’t, the dog is then given to another family member or co-worker. Each change stresses your pet. It must adjust to yet another family and a different routine. Problems can appear. Maybe it’s not getting enough exercise and starts pulling on its leash or running away. Perhaps it starts to chew out of boredom. Frustrated, the new family gives it away again. It can become a downhill spiral that leads many dogs to rescue groups every year. A survey by Ralston Purina and The National Council on Pet Population Study & Policy (NCPPSP) shows that the majority of dogs turned into shelters were obtained from acquaintances and family members.
Before you consider listing your pet on a social network or in the newspaper, think about whether you want a stranger in your home. If the answer is no, then why would you consider giving your best friend to a stranger? Did you know that Golden Retrievers are used as “bait” dogs for training fighting dogs because they don’t fight back well? Did you know that many people look for dogs to “resell” for more money – making up a story about having to give up the dog? And then there are people who only want unspayed females or intact males so they can breed them.
The shelters try very hard, and do their best, but there are just too many dogs in need. Being a purebred does not guarantee adoption. Over 60 percent of the dogs that enter shelters are euthanized – and 25 percent of dogs in shelters are purebreds. Dogs with health problems and older dogs seldom make it out.
We know you don’t want anything bad to happen to your dog – and neither do we! We are a committed group ready to guarantee that your dog will be taken care of for the rest of its life. If for some reason a family cannot keep one of our adopted dogs, it comes back to us for rehoming.
Consider rescue. Your best friend will thank you, and you will have peace of mind.
