# The Importation of Goldens in Need



## OscarsDad (Dec 20, 2017)

Some background information. The Golden Retriever Club Of America (GRCA) recently published a position paper on the Importation of dogs into the United States. As an adopter of a Turkish golden from a rescue which I consider to be operating as the gold standard for a shelter program, I have a very positive perspective on the responsible importation of Goldens. Other disagree. There are two recent documents for your review, the first published by GRCA and an open letter in response by the National Rescue Committee (NRC), which operates within the GRCA. I would suggest reading all of the source material provided by the GRCA, particularly the FOX New article which quotes as an authoritative source, the National Animal Interest Alliance. A review of this organization's lobbying efforts is quite disconcerting.

Here is the GRCA document:



GRCA Hot Topics



The response from the NRC is in an attached file.

It is clear that there are passionate beliefs on both sides of this issue. No matter what position one takes, what is most helpful is to engage in a reasoned and respectful discussion. Unethical breeders, puppy mills and private, inappropriate importations will not go away. It is in all of our interests to champion and support what is being done well.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

As I shared on a different thread, view not just the GRCA statement but the information they provided to back up EXACTLY why they stated what they did. It wasn't just opinion. Scroll down to the links. 

W/R to the rescue community attacking GRCA - baloney on them. And no more donations to them from me.

People who are just staying home have NO IDEA what all is going on out there.

A recent dog show a couple weekends ago - there were multiple dogs getting sick and dying the same day. It was alarming for me because I'd been there with my dogs, including my puppy. We still don't know what caused their deaths, but it's assumed to be the same very aggressive dog flu (brought into this country with a rescued golden from Korea) or something new.

Other thing is picking up these dogs and directly selling them overseas is the equivalent of animal control over here picking up stray dogs and selling them overseas.That's likely what is happening here if we don't actually have a case of puppy mills breeding the dogs and sell them to rescues under the claim that these dogs were out on the street.


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## OscarsDad (Dec 20, 2017)

As noted in the other thread, I have carefully read the additional references as well as the sources within them. If you have not done so, I would suggest you review the open letter from the NRC.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

OscarsDad said:


> As noted in the other thread, I have carefully read the additional references as well as the sources within them. If you have not done so, I would suggest you review the open letter from the NRC.


I read it, and immediately made up my mind to never ever support any of those rescues. Shame on them.


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## OscarsDad (Dec 20, 2017)

Interesting, What specifically troubled you about it.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

OscarsDad said:


> Interesting, What specifically troubled you about it.


The complete disregard for all of the serious cases of dogs dying from new strains of canine flu, distemper, etc... being spread by dogs imported to this country by them. And their complete unwillingness to stop or slow the import of dogs long enough to figure out what exactly they can do better.

I think they should be exposed to lawsuits by those people whose dogs are dying or who have died. Likewise people who have been attacked by the dogs.

Not to mention - there has been no attempt to actually identify where these dogs are coming from. Are they strays (meaning dogs who have owners) that are being picked up and sold overseas? Are they coming from puppy mills who are breeding the dogs and selling them to the rescues?

Consider the pictures of street dogs during the last olympics over in Russia. Did you see any purebreds just wandering around?

I'll go a step further, what is the highest issue or risk for dogs running loose here and left to fend for themselves in the US? They starve, they become feral/fearful of other people, they become dog aggressive or fear aggressive, they become mangy. And they become injured or die when hit by cars or shot or beaten by people who are chasing them away. Here in the US - any golden who goes stray for a number of weeks becomes very skittish and sick. <= So do you actually believe that all these dogs had been living in the streets longer than a day or two?


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## OscarsDad (Dec 20, 2017)

I'm wondering how these quotes from the open letter conveys a disregard for safe importation of dogs?

"Significantly, many Golden Retriever Rescue groups are leading the way in demonstrating and establishing responsible import practices by, for example, going well beyond those governmental requirements. Notably Golden Retriever Rescue groups are coordinating with import brokers and the Ark Pet Oasis at JFK International Airport (a key player in Customs and Border Protection’s “Operation Dog Catcher”) on developing the “gold standard” of import and export compliance practices in order to help distinguish legitimate responsible imports from illegal imports, and then educating others on how to do things “right”.

There are a host of health requirements imposed by each of the foreign countries from which Goldens are rescued before those governments will allow the dogs to be exported. More significantly, on the importing side, there are further strict requirements imposed under the U.S. government’s Animal Welfare Act and the Importation of Dogs Regulations, because dogs intended for adoption are considered a “commercial import” and subject to the same controls as are imposed upon commercial resellers. Thus, the requirements rescues must meet are much more extensive than the controls on imports of privately owned pets.

Accordingly, each Golden Retriever rescued abroad is individually examined and certified by veterinary professionals as being in good health, and vaccinated for rabies, distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, parvovirus, and parainfluenza virus. Additionally, for dogs coming from countries where screwworms or tapeworms are an issue, separate health examinations and certificates are required. Moreover, responsible rescue groups typically choose to establish their own “best practice” of insisting that their overseas partners perform additional tests and checks for other diseases, such as brucellosis or leishmaniasis, even when not required by U.S. governmental regulations."

See next post


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## OscarsDad (Dec 20, 2017)

and

"Additionally, responsible rescue groups also vet the legitimacy of their overseas partners, provide education regarding animal welfare, and specifically detail what is or is not acceptable for the animals they will import. Moreover, responsible rescue groups never pay for the animals they accept, take steps to ensure that the dogs are legitimate rescues, and that they are not facilitating or supporting a foreign puppy mill or commercial export business.

*When the dogs arrive in the U.S. they go through the same, if not more extensive, behavioral assessment as with domestic rescue before entering the adoption process *(my emphasis)*.* The range of temperament these “foreign” Goldens exhibit is no different than that seen in domestically rescued Golden Retrievers. Just as the GRCA is “right” in opposing breed specific legislation regarding dangerous dogs, it is “wrong” to use anecdotal reports to assume or single-out all foreign rescues as being ill-tempered or dangerous. As the GRCA Position Statement on Breed Specific Legislation states, “Such sweeping generalizations do little to increase public safety; they encourage unwarranted and unrealistic urban myths, and ignore the legions of families who own targeted animals without incident.

With regard to rescues supporting more stringent requirements.

"Obviously, more can and should be done to help minimize or contain disease or other risks posed by imported dogs. As imports by rescue organizations are already held to a higher standard than are applied to other shipments, one approach would be to extend the requirements applicable to rescues to all dog imports, including those involving privately owned pets purchased online from foreign sellers. While doing so with legislation in the short term would be difficult as the CDC Report notes, substantial progress could nevertheless be made by breed clubs and rescue groups privately establishing standards or "best practices" for dog importers much as our Golden Retriever Rescue groups are already endeavoring to do."


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

What I said above stands. 

I'm able to read very well, thank you. And what I saw was a complete disregard or disagreement with recommendations to slow or halt import of these dogs until more could be done to prevent spread of diseases from foreign dogs. Which was GRCA's statement.


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## OscarsDad (Dec 20, 2017)

Well I guess we will agree to disagree. I will be interested in the GRAC's response to the letter.


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## puddles everywhere (May 13, 2016)

OscarsDad said:


> Some background information. The Golden Retriever Club Of America (GRCA) recently published a position paper on the Importation of dogs into the United States. As an adopter of a Turkish golden from a rescue which I consider to be operating as the gold standard for a shelter program, I have a very positive perspective on the responsible importation of Goldens. Other disagree. There are two recent documents for your review, the first published by GRCA and an open letter in response by the National Rescue Committee (NRC), which operates within the GRCA. I would suggest reading all of the source material provided by the GRCA, particularly the FOX New article which quotes as an authoritative source, the National Animal Interest Alliance. A review of this organization's lobbying efforts is quite disconcerting.
> 
> Here is the GRCA document:
> 
> ...


I don't want to take sides on this issue but will post my opinion on rescue in general. I have been involved in rescue for over 40 yrs, not always breed specific... just rescue and there have been goldens. Back when resources allowed I pulled animals from kill shelters only to find them good homes. I've "borrowed" dogs to have them groomed.. it's hard to get adopted when you can't see the dog from the matted hair & fecal matter. I've pulled fearful dogs and trained until they can go to new homes. I've pulled sick dogs or heartworm positive dogs and fostered until they were well enough to go to new homes. Sometimes this process takes a year for each dog and did it all at my own expense. Gratefully the vet I worked for gave a discount. So rescue is deep in my heart, they all deserve homes regardless of breed. I've had as many as 8 fosters at a time. They come with mange, parasites, heartworms, and well you get the idea. People used to dump animals on my porch.. gorgeous german shepherds, labs, goldens and a host of small breed dogs left in boxes.

Because I've done this for so many years I know how many really wonderful dogs get put down, every day. There was a post this morning from a local group about someone had a litter of maltese looking pups and dumped them in the park. One of the pups froze to death and trying desperately to catch the others before they do as well. I offered a trap, food and blankets.

My point is anyone that rescues has good intentions and totally appreciate your efforts. But you don't have to bring them in from Turkey or China or anywhere else. There is an endless supply of dogs that need rescuing right here in the USA. There are auction houses that sell purebred (although probably poorly bred pups) on a monthly basis. Puppy mills exist because there is a demand for purebred dogs. This is why I feel so strong about using a quality breeder. I don't want to support people that just want to turn out puppies for profit, no one should.

I know people want to help but have you walked down the the rows of cages at the city pounds? And these are the lucky ones that got caught. But more than half of them will be euthanized. We have plenty of poverty and despair right here at home. I know the rest of the world has problems too but shouldn't we fix our own rescue/stray dog problems before we try and resolve problems in another country? This is just my opinion LOL which of course matters to no one but me. Thanks to anyone that adopts or uses a quality breeder.


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## OscarsDad (Dec 20, 2017)

Your opinion matters very much to me. It is thoughtful, reasoned, kind, and devoid of personalizing the issue. All of that is appreciated. As my knowledge of professionally functioning shelters is limited to YGRR I do know that they have been around since 1985 and rescued over 5500 goldens, most of them domestic. They also rescue "goldens at heart"; other breeds that need help turned over to them. Their mission and charter is for basically goldens only. They are not turning away domestic goldens to rescue goldens from overseas. Their charter drives them to seek dogs who are at risk no matter where they are. They spend way more than than they take in when rescuing. With Oscar, for example, the adoption fee was 500 and there was a surcharge of 400 for his importation. Between air travel, overseas vet costs, quarantine, and housing for six months at the shelter until he was adopted, the actual costs were in the thousands. 

Again, I appreciate and honor the rescue work you have done and your kind contribution to this discussion.


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