I've been with RAGOM since 1998 when I first signed up to foster. I foster-failed with that first dog, and he became mine. His name was Lucky. He lived almost 11 years before he died in 2009. He didn't like other dogs but he liked my resident dog. Because he didn't like other dogs, he needed training. Lots of it. He is the dog that got me involved in obedience training and in agility. 

Since Lucky, I've fostered a bunch of dogs and adopted a few others through RAGOM. I prefer to have multiple dogs, I had four for a few years, now I'm down to three. Jackson (a Red Fox Lab) and Skye (a white Golden Retriever from a breeder who shut down) are my current RAGOM alumni. I also have another dog. He is not from RAGOM, but he is a GR.

I placed my last foster the day before Governor Walz shut down the state in mid-March due to COVID. I am so glad that Katie got to bond with her new family because she never would have left if she'd stayed here until June when quarantine lifted a bit. I know money is tight this year and that life is far from normal. Everybody is asking for money as well. But dogs are still in need and RAGOM still needs to pay its bills. So contribute if you can, but I totally understand if you can't. Thank you.

Goldzilla—RAGOM's annual Fun Fair and Walk for Rescue—supports our mission of rescuing and rehoming Golden Retrievers and Golden mixes of all ages. Donate today and join us at Goldzilla to meet the many dogs you help! This year's event will be a virtual one, held the morning of Sunday, September 13.

Prefer to donate by check? Enter the name of the person you're pledging in the memo line and mail to: RAGOM, 5800 Baker Road, Suite 120, Minnetonka, MN 55345. NOTE: For pledges to be reflected on a walker's fundraising page, checks must be received by Thursday, September 10.