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Grateful golden retrievers rescued by Dick Peterson Public Relations Tara’s fall from the back of a pickup could have been the end of the road for her, were it not for a series of Good Samaritans and Grateful Goldens Rescue of the Lowcountry.  From left are Kriya Benich, Beth Bair and Kerry Mensching with a happy healthy Tara. Instead, it became the plucky golden retriever’s first step on her journey to a secure home with a caring family.  “Ten individuals helped her through the stages to recovery,” said Tara’s foster “mom,” Kriya Benich. Benich, MUSC’s Student Programs coordinator, and her husband, Beau, a student in the College of Dental Medicine, agreed to care for Tara and now have to suffer the pain of letting her go to her adoptive home. But that’s getting ahead of Tara’s story, and it’s not including the critical role Grateful Goldens had in saving her life. “The fall, or jump, from the pickup crushed her right leg,” said Grateful Goldens director Kerry Mensching, outcomes manager in MUSC’s transplant department. “People who saw it happen said the truck never stopped.” Tara was taken to a veterinarian, identified by her tags to her original (pre-pickup) owner, but eventually was delivered to the pound, her injuries too severe and too expensive to repair. Mensching said that her group is usually notified when a golden or golden mixed-breed dog arrives there. “Tara’s right front leg was useless,” she said, describing bone and nerves crushed beyond repair. “Her leg had to be amputated.” In all, more than $1,000 went into Tara’s recovery. “That’s Tara, aka Hip-Hop,” Mensching whispered, drawing attention to her spunky, crutch-like gait. Unperturbed, Tara solicits a scratch behind the ears, a few pats on her side—OK, a belly rub and she’s satisfied. “She’ll even stand up to a door and turn the knob with her mouth to open it,” Mensching said. “That’s so typical of the breed. They’re intelligent and friendly. Don’t expect one to be a watchdog. They’ll help the burglar carry your valuables to his car,” she said with a laugh. It’s the breed’s intelligent and friendly characteristics that makes it so popular, popular enough to require a group like Grateful Goldens to rescue them when their owners discover that fuzz-ball puppies grow into 75- to 80-pound tail–waggin’, face-lickin’ lovers. Seven puppies, Myrtle, Flo, Abbey, Cami, Summer, Taylors and Chester, were rescued from an abandoned trailer. They are waiting to be adopted. It’s a litter of seven fuzz-ball puppies that foster volunteer Beth Bair of the Hospital Compliance office is caring for with the help of her Springer spaniel. “She’s a great mother,” Bair said with confidence about their welfare at home while she works. “She’s great with puppies.” Bair said the pups, who could be golden, because the mother appears to be, were born under a house trailer.  “We couldn’t get the mother to come out,” Mensching said. “Finally, the puppies were old enough to wander and we were able to catch them, but the mother is still there and refuses to move.” She said that while they look like golden retrievers, it’s hard to tell when they are still pups. Most likely, they aren’t pure golden considering the conditions in which they were found, she said. Mensching, Benich and Bair are among 15 foster volunteers in the Lowcountry area who willingly take in abandoned golden retrievers and golden mixed-breed dogs while they are being restored to health and readied for adoption. They receive a full medical work-up, de-worming, blood work, urinalysis, heart worm treatment, vaccinations, spaying or neutering, and attention to other medical needs like Tara’s amputation.  Gus, a 1-year-old Golden Retriever, was rescued from a busy Mount Pleasant road in September. Weighing only 30 pounds, he was emaciated and both eyes were infected. Since his rescue, Gus gained more than 40 pounds and a new life. He was adopted New Year's Day. “We spend on average $450 to $470 on each dog to get them ready for adoption,” Mensching said. Adoption includes a check of the adoptive family, the conditions the dog will live in, even looking into vet records of other animals the family may have had to ensure the dog will be cared for.  “MUSC is a great community. We’ve adopted out many dogs to MUSC folks.” Mensching counts about 50 active volunteers with Grateful Goldens of the Low Country, formed a year ago. She said that the organization always needs foster volunteers and schedules fund-raising events and homecoming reunions during the year to help pay for rescues. She said that her group also networks with rescue organizations looking out for other breeds. “When we get a call from a shelter, we know that animal is living on borrowed time. We try to move on it as fast as we can.” Grateful Goldens for Yappy Hour The Grateful Goldens will host an event entitled, “Grateful Goldens for Yappy Hour,”  beginning at 5 p.m., March 9 at Red’s Icehouse on Shem Creek in Mount Pleasant. Don’t forget to bring your canine friend. Palmetto Paws will be there with goodies for the furkids.  If you are interested in volunteering for GGRLC in any capacity, e-mail info@ggrlc.org. Already the largest need is foster homes. If you are interested in opening your home to a golden in need visit the foster page online at http://www.ggrlc.org and complete the Foster Home Information Form.  For more information on the Grateful Golden Rescue of the Low Country, call 971-9483. ON the SIDE MUSC is full of people who do extraordinary things, both at work and “On the Side.” Whether it's climbing a mountain or volunteering in the community, we'd like to know what these folks are up to when they leave the campus. If you know of someone who should be featured in this monthly section, e-mail catalyst@musc.edu Friday, March 4, 2005 Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to petersnd@musc.edu or catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Community Press at 849-1778.