Thirty-six Golden Retrievers are getting a fresh start after being rescued off the streets of Istanbul, Turkey. An American living there noticed the dogs (considered the third most popular dog breed in the United States) roaming as strays and contacted a Golden Retriever rescue in the United States.
“Ten years ago, Golden Retrievers were seen as a status symbol dog in Turkey. Then a few years later everybody had them, and therefore the status was no longer there. They started abandoning them in the streets of Turkey,” explains Lauren Genkinger, the founder and head of Adopt a Golden Atlanta.
The gentle nature of Goldens meant they did not fare well on the tough streets of Instanbul, where tens of thousands of feral dogs roam. The stark situation has aged many of the rescues. “A couple we brought over, they were living on the streets and they’re two years of age. They look about eight,” says Genkinger.
Genkinger arranged for the dogs, ranging in ages from 6 months to 10 years old, to be flown over to the U.S. “This is the largest known rescue of Golden Retrievers internationally, ever,” she said.
As every Golden Retriever rescue in the United States has a waiting list, it won’t take long for these rescued dogs to be with families who will cherish them.
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