GRRI has helped find rescues homes for a decade

This article originally appeared in the Hoboken Recorder July 20, 2002

A New Jersey organization called Golden Re-Triever Rescue, Inc. (GRRI) has been breathing new life into the lives of abandoned and unwanted Golden Retrievers for ten years now.  What started as a small group of concerned Golden Retriever owners and breeders joined together to find permanent loving homes for homeless Golden Retrievers, has grown to a membership more than 100 strong.

In the years since officially incorporating as a non-profit in 1997, GRRI-NJ has successfully dedicated itself to its goal and found homes for nearly 400 goldens.  This was no small feat considering that the organization receives no government funding and is not the recipient of ongoing private sector funding.  GRRI is funded solely by donation, adoption fees and its own fundraising efforts.  The organization has no centralized office or kennel facilities and its volunteers reside throughout the state contributing their time, space and work for free.

What does a volunteer for GRRI do? The answer to that question varies greatly from volunteer to volunteer. Each person brings a set of special skills and has a different lifestyle and schedule. Some of the volunteers are parents with small children, professionals with long workdays, or breeders and trainers who have dedicated their lives to working with animals.  What each volunteer has in common is a love of animals, a special connection with Golden Retrievers, and a strong desire to help dogs in need. 

Some GRRI volunteers provide behavioral evaluations of the dogs being considered for the program, visit shelters to assist Golden Retrievers who are going unadopted there, or provide foster care for homeless dogs.  Some speak with surrendering owners who feel they must give up their dogs or interview prospective adopters.  But in order to keep the organization afloat, other volunteers make it their business to conduct ongoing fundraising efforts, staff information booths at events statewide, and provide administrative support to the group overall.

Over the years, lucky Golden Retrievers have been rescued by GRRI and placed with countless families, several police departments, and even a residential nursing care facility.

GRRI has even helped Goldens from Hoboken.  The most notable placement was that of a rambunctious and thoroughly untrained red Golden Retriever named Jagger whose Hoboken owners no longer wanted him.  After GRRI place him in a training program for several weeks, he became well mannered and was permanently placed with the Port Authority Police Department. (See Hometown hero nominated for G.R.A.C.E. award, below).

To learn more about GRRI, visit their public website at www.dogsaver.org/grri.  At this site you will find more information about the group, as well as information about volunteering or contributing to the organization or adopting an animal.  You can also read the organizations quarterly newsletter on line at www.grrinews.org The Newsletter contains feature stories relevant to the golden Retriever owner, as well as news about the groups activities, letters from adopters, and photos of the many dogs GRRI has helped.

To reach the New Jersey GRRI organization, email them at GRRINJ@hotmail.com or call their hotline at 973-208-7414 to help rescue a Golden Retriever in need.

Printed with permission - GRRI

Hometown hero nominated for G.R.A.C.E. Award

This article originally appeared in the Hoboken Recorder July 20, 2002

Most people probably aren't familiar with the awards established to honor special Golden Retrievers nationwide.  Although it may seem like a silly idea, winning a G.R.A.C.E. award means a lot to any rescued Golden Retriever; it means he was lucky enough to get a second chance at life, spirited enough to do something with it.

Golden Rescue And Community Excellence (G.R.A.C.E.) Awards were created in honor of an Arizona rescue dog named "Grace" who maintained her dignity and sweet disposition despite years of abuse, neglect, and eventually abandonment.  The purpose of the G.R.A.C.E. Awards is to recognize rescued Goldens all over the nation who have accomplished something significant and exceptional, overcoming the odds of being an abandoned or unwanted animal.  All nominees have been rescued and given a second chance at a useful and happy life.

Hoboken is lucky enough to have a local named Jagger nominated this year.  His story is a happy one that shows how small organizations are able to do so much locally to help the community by helping animals.

Anyone who has been to a Rolling Stones concert has seen Mick Jagger's thin, lanky body literally bounding across the stage.  Imagine the same raw energy in a nine month old, untrained, unsocialized male Golden Retriever puppy.  Here in Hoboken is where the story of Jagger the Golden Retriever begins.

In April 2000, one of our volunteers of a local organization called Golden Re-Triever Rescue of New Jersey (GRRI-NJ) heard about a man walking down the streets asking everyone he met if he or she wanted a Golden Retriever or knew someone who might.  The volunteer was soon able to locate this dog owner and offer him the services of GRRI-NJ.  As no one up to this point had seemed interested in the puppy, the owner was prepared to take the unfortunate puppy to a shelter the very next day - a shelter that was not a happy place to be due to overcrowding and abysmal adoption rates.

The volunteer immediately set up an appointment to go to the dog owner's home to complete an intake evaluation.  In her report to GRRI, she wrote "I have NEVER met a more out of control dog than Jagger.  It was like he was spring loaded, and the least bit of anything -- attention, food, any distraction -- would set him off BIG TIME."

Transporting Jagger out of Hoboken the next morning proved to be a nightmare for his rescuers. He panted and paced non-stop int he back seat for the next hour as he was driven to board and train facility where he would remain until an Adoption Coordinator could figure out where he might be placed.

Despite Jagger's hyperactive nature, he had a friendly nature and deserved a chance.  The volunteers at GRRI-NJ knew that rescue was his only hope.

As sheer luck, or divine intervention, one of the training officers from the Port Authority Police Department (PAPD) K-9 unit soon called the GRRI hotline inquiring about the availability of a high energy young dog that they could train to be an explosives sniffing dog.  They were looking for a male or female, between the ages of one and two years.  While Jagger was only nine months old, the volunteers knew they couldn't let this opportunity pass; Jagger was perfect for the job, and had few other options for placement.

After hearig a lot of fast talking and some pleading, the PAPD decided to meet Jagger.  They soon agreed to take him under the condition that the dog could be returned if he didn't perform to their high expectations.  While the idea of a returned animal is not one volunteers like to consider, it was a chance they decided to take for Jagger's sake.

As PAPD training classes didn't start for two weeks, Police Officer Richie Colon, Jagger's new partner, took his feisty new dog home.  It was a rough two weeks in the Colon household as they tried to keep Jagger from literally destroying the place, but this small sacrifice soon paid off.

Throughout the twelve-week class, Jagger was introduced, or imprinted with over 14 different odors, ranging from gunpowder to dynamite to any substance used to make explosives.  He was taught to search over, under, in and around vehicles, buildings, parcels, and trees.  He searched warehouses, rode on subways, planes, trains and automobiles.  Jagger's instructors had never seen anything like him; he was a natural.  He would immediately drop into a "sit and point" the moment he caught the scent.  There was no fooling him.  Jagger was on the brink of his new career in law enforcement.  He was officially adopted on May 30, 2000.

It was a very proud day when the GRRI_NJ volunteers attended Jagger's graduation from training school.  He was now an explosives detection dog, certified by the United States Police Canine Association (USPCA) and was an official, badge-carrying police dog!  GRRI presented Jagger with a bag of all-natural dog bisquits, and his partner Richie with a Golden Re-Triever Rescue T-shirt.  The new crime-fighting team in turn presented GRRI with an appreciation plaque from the PAPD.

Jagger and Richie were assigned to patrol the World Trade Center complex across the river in lower Manhattan.  Every morning they would start their routine, patrolling each and every level of all sever WTC buildings, investigating all trucks and vans entering the garage and sniffing every parked car in the perimeter of the complex.  Then they would move outside and do their "high profie" walk - sniffing the grounds outside.  They became a very well known sight as they made their rounds, man and dog, each wearing their badge and doing the job they loved.

Thankfully, Richie and Jagger were off-duty on September 11, 2001.  However, his classmate, Sirius, a young yellow lab, was not as fortunate, and was the only canine service dog killed in the line of duty.

Although the towers were gone, Richie and Jagger's job wasn't.  New threats were coming in daily.  Tunnels and bridges were closed; the city was in lockdown.  Rich and Jagger were re-assigned to Teterboro Airport in New Jersey.  Their job was to search every plane that was cleared for take-off as the airport was closed down.  Eventually they were moved to tunnel-duty, conducting searches that alternated between the Lincoln and Holland tunnels.  These partners still do daily checks of trucks and vans bound to Manhattan from NJ.

This however, isn't Jagger's only important job; he's also the VIP greeter at both LaGuardia and Kennedy Airports.  This means that every time a visiting dignitary comes to New York City, Jagger and Rich are there prior to the visit, ensuring everything is safe.  They search the landing strips, the airport complex and the waiting limousines.  Jagger has even met the President of Zambia and the Consul from South Korea.

Whenever President Bush visits the area, it's our own Jagger who searches the lead cars associated with the car pool, secures the tarmac, the airport terminal and the exits.  Nothing is left un-sniffed by this hometown hero.

Quite often this PAPD-duo partner with other police agencies to investigate bomb threats at municipal buildings and area high schools.  Recently they searched the Jersey City Department of Motor Vehicles building and five high schools.

As if keeping the citizens of New York and New Jersey safe were not enough, Rich and Jagger also assume the responsibility of teaching the public about what they do.  They frequently visit local elementary schools, demonstrating Jagger's amazing sniffing capabilities to the delight of local youngsters.

If this story sound familiar, you might have heard of Jagger when he and Officer Colon were featured in reports on several area news stations.  If you have never heard of Jagger before today, you still have your chance to catch the duo in action.  On September 11, 2002 the first anniversary of the terrorist attack, the television network A&E will feature a two-hour exclusive broadcast on the aftermath of the WTC attack and Port Authority security.  Officer Colon and Jagger will be shown searching trucks at the George Washington Bridge crossing between New Jersey and New York.

It's amazing that Jagger's life took such a dramatic turn - from a life of neglect in the shadow of the New York City skyline to that of police dog assuming a critical role at the tallest buildings in New York.  GRRI-NJ has many reasons to be proud of Jagger's success and hopes that Hoboken will cheer him on to victory at the G.R.A.C.E. awards.

Jagger and his partner risk their lives everyday to keep us safe - something especially appreciated in the aftermath of the horrific events last September.  For his dedication, loyalty and commitment to the job, Golden Re-Triever Rescue of New Jersey felt obligated to nominate Jagger for the 2002 G.R.A.C.E. Award in the area of Law Enforcement.

For more information about Jagger and his nomination or to donate funds that help GRRI rescue other animals or assist in paying for travel to the award ceremony in Florida, please visit the GRRI-NJ website at www.dogsaver.org/grri .  If you would like to learn more about the G.R.A.C.E. awards, visit www.golden-retriever.org/grace.asp