March crew chief a founding member of dog rescue organization

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Megan Crusher
  • 452 AMW Public Affairs
MARCH AIR RESERVE BASE, CALIF. --  Staff Sgt. Patrick Doyle, a crew chief with the 752nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, drives a sports utility vehicle that is curiously decorated with dozens of paw print decals and Golden Retriever stickers.

But the vehicle's extra flair isn't just an expression of Sergeant Doyle's enthusiasm for dogs; it is to spread awareness about a Golden Retriever rescue organization that Sergeant Doyle helped to create.

Arizona Golden Rescue is a 236-member, non-profit organization that fosters Golden Retrievers until they are able to find permanent homes. The organization has found homes for 49 dogs since it began in last year. In addition to being a founding member of the organization, Sergeant Doyle is an adoptive parent to two rescued Golden Retrievers.
Arizona Golden Rescue members take each new rescued dog to the veterinarian to be medically cleared, a process which includes a check-up, being spayed or neutered and tests for heartworm and valley fever. The veterinarian also implants an electronic chip that will eventually carry their new owner's contact information in case the dog becomes lost.

"You can adopt a golden from us and if it's got any medical issues, we will take care of the medical issues for you," said Sergeant Doyle. "You're pretty much getting a brand new dog."

Dogs normally come to Arizona Golden Rescue after being given up by their previous owner. In other cases, the dogs have come from local animal shelters, no-kill organizations, veterinary clinics or they are found wandering neighborhoods.

Sergeant Doyle said the Arizona Humane Society recently found a four-month-old Golden Retriever puppy alone on the streets. They determined the puppy had parvovirus. Thanks to the immediate intervention of Arizona Golden Rescue, who picked up the puppy from the AHS only 20 minutes before he was to be euthanized and took him to a local veterinarian with an isolation room. The puppy, named Duncan, is now healthy and has been welcomed into a permanent home.

Although Arizona Golden Rescue is a breed-specific organization, members will help any dog in need, often coordinating with similar rescue organizations for other breeds of dogs. Two years ago, Sergeant Doyle rescued a Border Collie and was able to find him a home through a Collie rescue organization.

"If it's not a Golden Retriever we don't just walk away," said Sergeant Doyle.

Arizona Golden Rescue is based in Phoenix, but doesn't consider themselves confined to that area. In one extraordinary case, an Arizona Golden Rescue member was serving in the military in Kosovo and while volunteering at a local animal shelter there, she discovered two Golden Retrievers.

Sergeant Doyle said she accompanied them to Arizona at her own expense and surrendered them to Arizona Golden Rescue. The dogs were adopted as a pair and are now doing well. When the woman returned to Arizona the following year, she brought with her a third rescued Golden Retriever that she ended up adopting.

In the past, members of Arizona Golden Rescue have driven all the way to El Paso, Texas, to pick up homeless Golden Retrievers and transport them back to Arizona for adoption. In El Paso, there are more dogs than potential adopters and in Arizona, there are more approved-to-adopt families than there are dogs to adopt, Sergeant Doyle said.

Currently, the Arizona Golden Rescue has approximately 40 people on the adoption waiting list with only one rescued dog needing a home. Before any dog is adopted, Arizona Golden Rescue screens potential new owners and conducts home visits.

"We are extremely particular about where our dogs go," said Sergeant Doyle.

In fact, Arizona Golden Rescue never completely transfers ownership of the dogs they have rescued. The organization keeps in contact with the adoptive families and stipulates in a contract that the dogs cannot be euthanized or given away without permission, Sergeant Doyle said.

The cost for adoption varies year to year, based on the expenses of the organization in caring for the rescued dogs. This year, the cost for adoption is between $250 and $350, based on the age of the dog.

Last year, two dogs had treatment costs that were as high as $8,000, and the cost for several others was in the thousands. One dog came to Arizona Golden Rescue with a transmissible veneral tumor, a ruptured cruciate ligament and was found to have three bullets in her. Her vet bill was over $5,000. All of these dogs are now recovered and have been placed in permanent homes. The average amount Arizona Golden Rescue spent on medical treatment for all the dogs they rescued last year was over $900, said Deb Orwig, President of Arizona Golden Rescue.

Sergeant Doyle, who is currently at March ARB for seasonal training with the 752nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, has been rescuing Golden Retrievers for six years and is the facility manager for Arizona Golden Rescue. Sergeant Doyle is also responsible for setting up fund raising events, which are crucial to meet the organization's expenses not covered by the adoption fees.

Past fund raising events included: meet-and-greets at PetSmart and PETCO and gift wrapping at Barnes & Noble. During the holidays, Sergeant Doyle dresses up as Santa and pet owners can give a donation in exchange for a portrait of their pet with Santa.

Last year, Arizona Golden Rescue participated in a bowl-a-rama and hosted a golf tournament. This year in addition to these events, AGR will be sponsoring a casino night with a large raffle and a silent auction.

Two of Sergeant Doyle's three dogs are rescued. The latest addition to his canine family is a 14-year-old dog named Sandy who had three previous homes, is a cancer survivor and had severe thunder phobia. She is now a happy, well-adjusted dog.

Sergeant Doyle is still amazed at all the acts of generosity he's witnessed during his years volunteering with animal rescue.

Arizona Golden Rescue President Orwig, for example, holds meetings in her home and feeds all the members herself. She also houses dogs before they've been medically screened and currently has a 4-month-old puppy that she's giving additional training to before she will release him for adoption.

"Every time you turn around somebody's doing something extremely cool to help out," said Sergeant Doyle.