# Rescue in 5 Upper Midwestern states (RAGOM)



## Retrieve a Golden of MN (Nov 5, 2005)

Retrieve a Golden of Minnesota is a non-profit rescue that has been in existence for 20 years. We rescue, foster, vet check and rehome golden retrievers and golden retriever mixes in Minnesota, Iowa, North and South Dakota and western Wisconsin. Our website shows dogs available for adoption in our service area. It can be visited at: www.ragom.org

Our adoption process requires a home visit, so interested parties who are not located in our service area cannot be considered for adoption (sorry!!)

We recently had three of our volunteers (separately) go down to assist in the rescue mission after Hurricane Katrina. Two of them were able to get HSUS to release dogs to us to foster and attempt to locate their previous owners. One of the dogs gave birth to 5 lovely puppies (3 in shades of blonde and two very black puppies). At least one of these volunteers will be interviewed on Oprah soon!

We will attempt to post our quarterly newsletters on this forum, with the next one due before Thanksgiving. 

We look forward to assisting the public in learning more about rescue operations such as ours. Informed owners are the first step in reducing the number of dogs that get turned in to be re-homed because the adoptive family wasn't prepared for the issue, whether it be shedding (lots of it), hip dysplasia (don't buy a dog from a puppy mill or pet store- use a reputable breeder), lack of socialization (the first 12 weeks are the very most important to see and do as much as possible with people and dogs), running away (making a time commitment to your pet), or health issues (feed high protein, not high carb food to your dog).

Thanks for the opportunity to share information.

Louise Dobbe
President
Retrieve a Golden of Minnesota (RAGOM)
www.ragom.org


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## Brandy's Mom (Oct 5, 2005)

Louise, thanks for posting such great information about your group! Hopefully we can help spread the word among Minnesotans about RAGOM and find wonderful homes for your orphans.


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## shaneamber (Apr 20, 2005)

:welcome: Welcome Louise,This forum is by and for people who love Goldens.The goal of this forum is to provide a place where Golden lovers can share their stories and ask for others help.
We are very happy to welcome you and your group,what you do is very difficult and we thank you for it.
We wish that every rescue group would post here so that everyone here can learn about rescue's and spread the word.
If posting here gets one extra Golden adopted to a forever home,it's well worth it.
KUDO'S to EVERY Rescue Group,:appl: :appl: :appl: 
Shane


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## Retrieve a Golden of MN (Nov 5, 2005)

*I forgot One VERY IMPORTANT THING!!!*

We have always had spay and neuter as a requirement for our adoptions. Every single one of the Katrina dogs we brought in was not altered. I guess it's either a cost/benefit analysis or a cultural attitude, but our volunteers said the rate of unaltered dogs they found in Lousiana and Mississippis was so high they couldn't believe it. So, unless you have an AKC champion that you intend to show and have had it vet checked for hips, eyes and skin, and all tests were good to go, I would highly encourage every family to spay and/or neuter their animal. Spaying cuts down the rate of mammary cancer in females and neutering makes males more friendly and less territorial. They do NOT put on excess weight from the procedure. If you want to "show your children the miracle of birth", link up with your local humane society or rescue organization to be there when it happens so they can see "the miracle of birth", and you will not have to bear the costs of vetting 10 puppies and finding them appropriate, loving, caring, committed homes. 

RAGOM believes that Golden Retrievers are sensitive, loyal, smart dogs that can easily become full family members. With training (as much for the people as the dogs) and consistency, your Golden can achieve GReat things!!


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