Hi!

My name is Gracie (the blonde) and this is my BFF, Josie (the redhead).

We were just babies and met the first time in a really crummy place with a bunch of other dogs like us crowded in a cold, hard pen where we lived day and night without anyplace else to go. Some humans yelled at us and threw food to us once in awhile and we all scrambled to get as much food as we could. It was a lonely and scary place to be with only other dogs to play with. We were there about a year and sometimes our dog friends were taken away and some were very sick or injured.

One day lots of our dog group were taken to a marketplace where other humans pushed and shoved us around and we were more scared than ever and had no idea what would become of us. Happily, some kind looking humans gave the market man something and they took 20 of us away to a new home with more space to live in. We were given coats to wear because it was cold and nice beds to sleep in. Food was good and came daily and we didn’t have to fight for it. For two months, these kind humans gave us baths and trimmed our hair, checked us all over and took us for visits with other people in white coats that gave us shots and helped many of the pack that were sick. We really started to like all the attention as they pet us all over and spoke to us in a nice way.

Finally, 19 of our pack were all put in our own small house with a window and water bottles and locked in. It was very early in the morning and we kept moving from place to place until we stayed in a big metal place for hours and hours and hours. We mostly slept, were very hungry and uncomfortable and became very scared again. Some of us barked (Josie) and whined a lot until we finally were stacked high in a new space with activity all around us. After many more hours of waiting, some very excited and happy humans put our little houses into the back of these big individual boxes and started moving again. Each moving box had some nice humans that gave us water and some chicken & rice to eat until we went to a big space and finally got out of our little house to stretch our legs. Lots of our pack was there and we were thrilled to see them all after so long moving places!

Josie and I went to a room with two humans we had never met and got more chicken and rice and a bath and we slept with them on nice beds for the night. They seemed so happy to be with us and gave us lots of love and attention. It was such a relief and we felt pretty hopeful that something good was ahead for us with these humans.

Well, we moved again but it was nicer and roomier and we stretched our legs often and got more food and water. When we stopped, it was in the mountains with big trees and we went to a house with wonderful things we never knew existed. It was weird to walk on grass and in the woods, but when it snowed, we couldn’t get enough of it and played for hours and ate some of it too. Our humans give us so many toys and showed us how to chase balls and don’t seem to mind that we tear them all apart. Josie is more outgoing than I am, but we wrestle all the time and discovered a small door that we use to go outside whenever we want. There are lots of other dogs nearby and we visit with them during the day when they are walking with their humans and we are friendly with everyone. It’s just our way!

It’s been a few months now and we are growing healthy and strong and figuring out that this is our home where we are now safe from harm. Our humans take lots of pictures and take us on trips to exciting new places we could never have imagined. They tell us that they have been waiting for us for over a year and that they are very happy that we are now in their family. They say that Goldens (that’s us) are the best dogs ever, even after having such a rough start in life and they are so thankful for the amazing humans in places called China and RAG that “rescued” us for them. One day soon, we will get to go to something called “Bark in the Park” and maybe get to see some of our friends that got to get their own new Humans along with us last December. That would be amazing.

Josie and I are beginning to forget those difficult early days, but we sometimes wonder about the other dogs in our pack left behind. Will those nice humans find a way to take them away from that scary place and get them to a safe place like us?

Gracie and Josie's story would not have been possible without the support from people like you. Please be a part of a future success story by contributing to our efforts or consider volunteering with us.