We understand that giving up your Golden Retriever is a very difficult decision. Dogs are relinquished to RAGOM for many reasons including medical or behavioral issues that the family cannot address. Some dogs are strays or transferred from animal shelters.
Easing a Difficult Decision
Regardless of how a Golden Retriever comes into RAGOM, we are committed to finding a loving family and home where the dog can spend the rest of its life. You can be confident that through our rigorous adoption process, the dogs in our program are placed with carefully screened adopters who match the dog's personality, activity level, and training needs.
All dogs that enter RAGOM are cared for by loving foster homes, where they are treated as one of the family. And although each dog undergoes a wellness exam, we ask that your dog be current on all immunizations and have a current test for heartworm and internal parasites.
Our veterinary costs are our single highest expense; however, no dog will be refused if the owner cannot afford to address veterinary needs in advance of surrendering.
Our Intake Criteria
Breed
RAGOM will consider dogs that are:
- Purebred Golden Retrievers
- Dogs that are known to have one Golden Retriever parent
- Dogs with physical characteristics and personality similar to a Golden Retriever
Medical
RAGOM will accept dogs with most medical issues. However, due to lack of fosters, poor adoptability and potential for low quality-of-life, RAGOM cannot accept dogs with certain severe and permanent functional or physical impairments including:
- Mobility issues requiring physical or mechanical assistance to walk
- Neurological issues that will require lifelong care
- Medical conditions that cause aggressive behavior
- Significant and consistent bowel or bladder incontinence
Behavioral
Due to insurance and liability concerns RAGOM cannot accept a dog that has:
- Bitten a human sufficient to cause open wounds without severe provocation (a dog defending its own life or a dog defending its owner's life or property)
- Killed or caused the death of another dog without severe provocation
- Bitten another dog without provocation (the victim dog encroached on space or resources of the offending dog or the victim dog threatened the offending dog)
- Severe separation anxiety that has resulted in property destruction (going through windows, tearing down wallboard, or ripping off doors)
Contact Us
Email hotline
ragom [dot] org. Please include a contact phone number in your email.
Call the RAGOM Hotline at 952-946-8070, mailbox #1. This is our voicemail system and calls will be returned within 24 hours.
Our Intake Process
A RAGOM volunteer will call you to ask a series of questions about your dog's health and temperament. We will also gather information on your dog's daily routine. This information will help us find a forever home that will meet your dog's needs. The volunteer will also explain our surrender process.
Once we have found a foster home for your dog, a volunteer will contact you to coordinate a time for surrender. At the surrender, you will be asked to:
- Sign a document giving sole ownership of the dog to Retrieve a Golden of the Midwest
- Sign a Veterinary Records Release Form
It is also helpful to provide RAGOM with:
- Up-to-date copies of veterinary records and any other documents pertaining to your dog
- Prescription drugs your dog is currently taking
- Your dog's crate, bedding, toys, food, and anything else that is special to him or her to ease the transition from your home to the RAGOM foster home
Again, we appreciate your confidence in our dedication to finding a forever home and family for your dog.
