***You meet the nicest PEOPLE at the Animal Shelter.****

Spoiler Alert! This Story Has a Happy Ending!! If you were hoping for a sad story about a pitiful dog with a tragic conclusion…move on. This isn’t it.

This is a true story about Goldie (a beautiful adult golden retriever). 

Fayette Friends of the Animal Shelter (FOTAS) began with simple goals. 

  • Make shelter life more like a home
  • Do the “extra” things that make shelter pets more adoptable
  • Create more opportunities for our neighbors to adopt a pet (expand opening hours)

We have accomplished the first two goals with amazing volunteers.

What we have learned is that new projects have unforeseen obstacles.

We have had some challenges. 

Case in Point: A lovely affectionate golden was delivered to the Shelter. Her name was Goldie.  Everyone thought “What are you doing here, sweet girl?” 

Her situation was not particularly unusual. Her owner was elderly and had become unable to live at home. Goldie had nowhere to go. A pet owner in that situation is a classic conundrum. That person wants and needs a companion. Goldie is calm and faithful. Perfect, right? Perfect for owner and dog until the owner is unable to care for her. With advanced age that possibility is real and challenging.

So now we are faced with that scenario. 

FOTAS member Jamie Davis noticed Goldie.  Jamie says “Goldie always greeted everyone with enthusiasm.” 

Over all Goldie was like the proverbial girl that everyone likes. Maybe not the youngest or the prettiest but friendly, a good dancer and made her own clothes. You know the type. You can’t “not” like her. The difference between Cinderella Doodle and Goldie is that Cinderella Doodle asked for a Prince and a Castle. Goldie just wanted a night off and a dress. 

We needed a safe loving place for Goldie. 


Goldie was surely wondering where was her owner. Where was her favorite pillow and toys?  This hotel is nice but I want to go home and rate it on Doggy Trip Advisor (3.5 stars only).

Jamie Davis passed the torch to Brandi Corbett. Brandi is resourceful and persistent.  

So, “What did she do?” 

Brandi called golden retriever rescues because they specialize in a single breed, do not euthanize and have a high adoption track record.

Brandi managed to find a golden rescue in Birmingham that would take Goldie.

Jack pot!  A day off, a dress and maybe even a ball to attend!!

Goldie going to BIrmingham —>

So, Brandi went to the Shelter, collected Goldie and, even though not in a converted pumpkin coach, they made their way to Birmingham with Brandi’s father at the wheel.

As they drove, Goldie, ever trusting, rested her head in Brandi’s lap. For Brandi the emotions of the situation became too heavy to bear and she sobbed as she was leaving Goldie.

Since Goldie arrived at the Rescue, Brandi has been informed that Goldie is on a path to being adopted by a loving family. 

<— Caroline, Goldie and Brandi

Most are unaware that there is an organization that is assisting those creatures who give their love so generously for years and then find themselves homeless. They become homeless through no fault of their own but they become homeless nonetheless. 

We are doing the very un-glamorous work, every week of bathing pets, exercising pets, giving them much needed attention and often, intervening  for a good outcome for a deserving pet.

Working with homeless pets may sound depressing. It isn’t. You feel like you are making a difference and doing so with other great people.

Support efforts to create reasonable incentives to have every pet “fixed”. Without it we will continue to have an avalanche of puppies and kittens abandoned in our community or brought to the Shelter. They overwhelm the Shelter.

Join us for a Pet Welfare Day. You will feel better about yourself. You can see the list of events scheduled at fayettefotas.com/events  Click on any event to see the details and register.

References are made to the story of Cinderella Doodle which can be seen at https://fayettefotas.com/the-story-of-cinderella-doodle/