Zoe

Status: 
Adopted
Gender: 
Female
Positive for heartworms?: 
No
Extraordinary Golden Fund recipient?: 
No

GRR Number: 16-098

Type of Surrender: Return to GRR

Status: Available

Age: 7

Personality: There’s nothing like that Golden grin! Just look at Zoe’s beautiful smile—don’t you want to smile right back? And when you learn what she’s been through, well, that happy face is even more cause for celebration. If ever there was a true survivor and a genuine rescue Golden, Zoe is that girl.

She first came to GRR way back in 2016, with a heartbreaking story. When she was very young, just about 6 months old, her then-owner entered into a relationship that quickly turned abusive, both physically and emotionally. Even as a half-grown adolescent, brave little Zoe tried to intervene, to shield her mom from the blows & screaming & yelling, but instead was herself showered with the same cruelty and abuse. This went on for almost a year before the owner finally extricated herself and Zoe from the situation.  By this time, the young dog had been living so long in a state of constant stress, fear, and heightened alert that it’s no surprise she was left with ingrained emotional damage. To this day, she is startled by sudden movements, alarmed and defensive at the sight of younger men (especially in baseball caps), and very protective of the women in her life until she is positive of any newcomer’s good intentions.

Luckily for Zoe, she ended up with the very best GRR mom she could have hoped for: a lady who specializes in helping human trauma victims and did the same for the little dog in her care.  With time and infinite understanding and patience (and further discoveries: “I figured out that a lot of the abuse must have occurred in a closed bathroom, because at first Zoe would just flip out if I went in the bathroom and shut the door; I had to open it to show her I was okay”), Zoe began to settle down and gain confidence. She discovered the pleasures of playing with other dogs, she made friends with neighbors, she learned to go for walks, and she even got comfy with mom’s clientele coming and going to the in-home office. This past fall, however, Mom ran into some health issues that left her unable to care for Zoe “in the way she deserves”; even at the age of 7+, this blondie is full of spunk and loves play & vigorous exercise. So Zoe came back to GRR – and now she’s looking for another perfect home.

At this point, Zoe has had many more happy, loving years than sad ones, and it shows! In so many ways, she has become a typical Golden. She has handled the upheaval of moving from mom’s home to a friend’s house for a few months to a new GRR foster home surprisingly well. To women who let her approach on her terms, she’s friendly and sweet and adores being petted and scratched. She loves treats and thinks peanut butter is the greatest! With careful intros, she does just fine with other nice dogs. She’s manageable on her leash & interested in her surroundings.

Ideal Home: She’s a calm, gentle companion as you read or work at the computer. The emotional scars will always be there, she’ll always need careful attention to her triggers & will have a more circumscribed “comfort zone” than other dogs, but none of that will stop her from being a sweet, attentive companion to the right person or couple. She deserves only the best and we know the perfect family is waiting for her! If you would like to learn more about Zoe, please contact our GRR matchmakers and we’ll give you more details.

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