FAQs

Need more information. Please check out some of our most frequently asked questions below. If your question is not listed, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Donate

There are many ways you can donate to G.R.E.A.T. including: direct payment through PayPal, mail a check to our PO Box (600878 Jacksonville, FL 32260), shop through AmazonSmile, or through our online fundraising campaigns.

Click here to learn about where and how to donate.

G.R.E.A.T. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation.

Adopt

Most of our rescue dogs come from northeast Florida residents who can no longer care for their Golden Retriever. They are also obtained from local shelters and unclaimed stray situations.
The ages of our dogs range from 12 weeks to 15 years.

Some initial disqualifiers include:

  • No children in the home under the age of 5.
  • Must be located in following counties:
    Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Clay, Columbia, Duval, Flagler, Marion, Nassau, Putnam, St Johns, Suwannee, Union, or Volusia.
  • The adoption fee must be paid on the day the adoption takes place. There will be no extended credit or late payments accepted.
  • The decision to place a Golden is at the sole discretion of the G.R.E.A.T. Rescue and its Board of Directors. The main focus is the best interest of the Golden Retriever. We reserve the right to refuse any application.
  • Applications will remain active for 6 months, unless otherwise notified by the applicant, if no suitable match has been found.
  • G.R.E.A.T. Rescue of NE FL, Inc., its associates, and those who work on its behalf act in good faith and assume no responsibility, liability, or costs for Golden Retrievers once they have been adopted. Adopters acknowledge and agree to release and hold harmless G.R.E.A.T. for any and all claims, liabilities, damages, fees and costs for bodily harm, personal injury, and/or property damage with respect to ownership of the Golden Retriever once it has been adopted.
  • Complete an Application. This is free! Please note: prior adopting families, fosters, vet referrals, and approved applicants on file have first consideration.
  • If selected, we begin the interview process. The adopting family has a meet-and-greet with the dog at a mutually agreed upon location. Behaviors during the visit that might indicate a good fit include: 1. The dog is friendly with other animals in the home. 2. The dog’s overall appearance is relaxed, (wags tail, approaches and engages people in the home, tries to play with other animals, etc.) 3. The dog feels comfortable “exploring” his/her new environment.
  • After the interview, you will have 24 hours to make a decision. If you choose to move forward, you must sign paperwork and pay the adoption fee within the 24-hour window to guarantee the right to adopt the interviewed dog.
  • If not selected, you will be placed on our waiting list for a future rescued dog that fits your needs. Applications will remain active for 6 months.
  • The adoption fee must be paid the day the adoption takes place.
  • There is no set amount. The fee varies depending on the age of the dog, if the dog is a purebred or mixed breed, and if there are travel expenses with bringing the dog to Jacksonville (some of our dogs come from Turkey).
  • The adoption fee cannot be lowered or waived.
  • See below for an extensive list of all the services performed before a dog is ready for adoption. The average vet expense is approximately $875 per dog brought in.
  • This is after substantial discounts from our affiliated veterinary hospitals!
  • G.R.E.A.T. is a full-service rescue.
  • You are adopting a dog that has been fully vaccinated, dewormed, spayed/neutered, bathed, and given heart & parasitic worm and flea protection.
  • In addition, the dog has been treated medically for problems such as parasitic worms, heartworms, ear infections, skin infections, and surgical needs.

If, for any reason, the adopter decides that the dog can no longer remain in the home, that owner is REQUIRED to contact the Rescue and return the dog to G.R.E.A.T. in order for the dog to be placed into another home.

No problem! Fostering is a great way to care for the dogs and provide a stable home before an adopter is available. Read more on fostering.

We love to stay in touch with our adopted families! Send any questions, pictures and videos to info@greatrescue.org.

Foster

  • Fostering is a great alternative to adopting a golden retriever and is an extremely important part of the process, as the rescued dogs need a caring and loving environment while undergoing medical treatment before adoption.
  • A foster home provides a safe environment for the dog to live in while an adoptive family is found.

A typical foster time is between 2-8 weeks. However, times do vary.

All foster parents must reside in Duval, Clay, St. Johns, or Nassau county.

Yes. You must agree to the following:

  • Must live in a single-family house. If renting, must obtain prior permission from landlord to foster a dog.
  • Must have a fully fenced-in backyard. The fence must be a minimum of four (4) feet in height.
  • No children under the age of 5.
  • No more than 2 other pets.
  • Must take the fostered dog on daily walks.
  • Cannot leave children or other pets alone with the fostered dog.
  • Cannot leave the fostered dog alone in the yard or off leash.
  • Cannot allow the fostered dog to be approached by people or other animals until you are confident that it is not aggressive or fearful of others.
  • Must provide transport for any necessary medical care designated by a G.R.E.A.T. Rescue-approved vet.
  • Must take the fostered dog to scheduled medical appointments (funded by G.R.E.A.T.) at the Rescue’s designated veterinary hospital.
  • The fostered dog must wear a collar and identification tag at all times.
  • The fostered dog can be seen by a G.R.E.A.T. representative at any time, and you must acknowledge G.R.E.A.T. has the right to reclaim the fostered dog at any time, for any reason.
  • Fostered dogs are the property of G.R.E.A.T. RESCUE OF NE FLORIDA, INC. and cannot be sold, given away, exchanged, placed, or adopted without prior consent from G.R.E.A.T.

No. Unfortunately, foster parents must have a home with a fenced-in yard.

  • Fill out our Foster Application.
  • Your application will be screened by one of our coordinators.
  • If selected, you will be contacted to move forward with the next steps.

The short answer is no 🙂 G.R.E.A.T. is aware of each dog’s needs and behaviors, so we place the dog in a foster home that best meets the needs of that dog. The goal is to make sure the dog will be loved and can thrive, as well as gain its confidence back.

G.R.E.A.T. takes care of all the costs to foster the dog including providing a crate (if needed), a G.R.E.A.T. tag for the dog’s collar, and medical care costs while the dog is in foster care. The only thing we ask for the foster to supply is food, and transportation for medical care if needed.

A crate (if needed); a G.R.E.A.T. tag for the dog’s collar; medical care costs while the dog is in foster care; and of course, more love and appreciation than you can imagine from the dog you foster!

Yes! If you continue to foster a dog until it is available for adoption, you will be given first consideration.

Surrender

If you need to find a new, wonderful home for your Golden, it’s as easy as filling out a Surrender Application.

Volunteer

Yes! Our current needs include:

  • Transporter
  • Foster help
  • Eyes on the ground (dogs for rescue)
  • Shelter search

If interested, please contact us.

Available Dogs

When dogs are deemed eligible “ready for adoption,” suitable approved applicants are contacted and given first consideration. When necessary, dogs are posted on Facebook, Pet Finder, and Adopt a Pet.

Not For Profit Info

A copy of the official registration and financial information may be obtained from the Division of Consumer Services by calling TOLL FREE (800-435-7352) within the State. Registration does not imply endorsement, approval, or recommendation by the State. REGISTRATION #CH34791