Announcing the arrival of from Reagan
Teddy Jackie
Lady
Bess
Ike
Kennedy
The SEVA GRREAT “Turkey Dogs” are Here!! M
any of our SEVA GRREAT supporters have been following the story of the “Turkey Dogs” on our website and facebook page. But for those that are not regularly on the internet/social media, we are happy to share a little about their journey to Virginia. Istanbul struggles with a large population of homeless dogs, and many of them are Golden Retrievers. It is estimated that as many as 2000 goldens are living on the streets and in Turkish shelters. A concerned American living in Turkey contacted Adopt A Golden in Atlanta last year, and efforts were started to bring some of these goldens to the U.S. After months of planning, the first 36 goldens arrived in Atlanta in May of 2015. Since that time, the rescue effort has grown tremendously. 30 Golden Retriever rescue groups across the country have teamed to bring over 500 goldens to much better lives in America. (For more information about the history of this mission, visit our website at www.adoptagolden.com and select the Turkey Dogs tab.) After careful consideration, SEVA GRREAT joined that effort this summer and welcomed 7 grateful goldens (Ike, Lady, Jackie, Kennedy,
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Reagan, Teddy and Bess) to Virginia last month!! Being new to international rescue, we didn’t know exactly what to expect from this mission. But we had the help of another experienced rescue and some amazing SEVA GRREAT volunteers to make everything come together. Foster homes were lined up, our veterinarians were contacted, and we received pictures from volunteers over in Turkey of the dogs that needed our help. Excitement grew, and we soon had 10 volunteers willing to make the long trip to JFK airport in NY to meet our new arrivals on June 23rd. It was a long trip for sure (and I was reminded of my dislike for big city traffic), but so incredibly rewarding. Many of us were teary as we watched our precious “cargo” arrive. After an 11-12 hour flight, most of the dogs arrived with tails wagging and ready to explore their new environment. Only sweet little Lady was extremely scared, and didn’t want to walk anywhere. But she soon realized we were there to help, and started to relax. I give her credit for being the smartest one, as there really isn’t much exciting so see at the cargo terminals of JFK! And the
SOUTHEASTERN VIRGINIA GOLDEN RETRIEVER RESCUE, EDUCATION & TRAINING, INC.
transport volunteers will all remember her as the one that literally had to be carried in to the hotel and up to our rooms. Our volunteers and 7 new arrivals stayed overnight at a hotel in NJ for some much needed rest before heading home on Friday the 24th. The dogs all traveled like champs, unlike this driver who was constantly complaining about the traffic! I think it is safe to say we were all happy to be back and getting the dogs settled in their foster homes and under the care of our veterinarians. Yet we were all also very happy to be part of this very special rescue. Be sure to follow our
Bess
Ike