Kathy Sheridan and Marc White have rescued many dogs but Farley is different

Kathy Sheridan and her partner Marc White have opened their home, and their businesses, to rescued dogs for years. Their latest rescue, a Golden Retriever named Farley, has a story all his own.

When Kathy learned that beautiful golden retrievers were being left to fend for themselves in Turkey once they outgrow their golden status symbol, she knew she needed to help one more.

“It’s a status symbol in Istanbul, Turkey, to have a golden retriever puppy,” said Sheridan. “But when they get to be between one and two they kick them out onto the street.”

The sight of hundreds of golden retrievers running loose in Istanbul caught the attention of an employee with Golden Rescue. The organization hired Turkish couples to capture the dogs for them, which are then taken to a vet to receive all the medical attention required to pass through customs. Air Canada flies 10 of them a month to Canada for free.

“All they require is love. It’s pretty emotional at the airport, there’s not a dry eye,” said Sheridan.

Golden Rescue names each group of dogs by a theme. The theme for Sheridan’s dog was author and her pooch is named after Farley Mowat.

“He’s adjusted really well,” said Sheridan. “None of them seem aggressive. He does have some scars on his face from fighting for food, or the lack of fighting for food.”

They showed us, at the airport, what the shelter looked like. I guess I pictured a shelter like here. It’s not like a shelter here. They are fenced-in dirt areas, with a slab of concrete at the end. They have wooden boards for protection from the sun and rain. They drink their water out of a trough. They have a big, metal bowl and there’s probably a hundred Goldens in there and they put one bag of food in and it’s every man for himself.

Golden Rescue finds a home for every dog and hasn’t put even one down. The organization also teaches the new dog owners basic commands in Turkish.

Sheridan and White are no strangers to taking in rescues. – Farley is their tenth.

We’ve had five dogs at once. People thought Marc and I were dog walkers. Don’t get me wrong, I love puppies but because I own Reflections of Muskoka and take my dogs to work and Marc takes them to work (at Spectacles), it’s the perfect scenario to rescue an older dog. A lot of people end up not keeping the dog because they don’t give it the time it deserves. I feel a dog is like a child. If you can’t give it the time it needs then you probably shouldn’t have it.

Sheridan and White currently have three dogs at home

“At our house dog hair is an accessory,” says Sheridan. “People say you don’t know what you’re getting when you get a rescue. But I think differently, I think the dog becomes who they are from where they live and how they’re treated.”

Farley came with badly infected ears and skin issues from malnourishment. Sheridan said Golden Rescue looks after the vet bills and checks up on owners to ensure all is going well.

Two months ago he was in a shelter in Turkey and now he sleeps with his head on a pillow in our king sized bed. It’s the pleasure they give you every day. Knowing that whether they have two or 10 years, you’ve given them the best two or 10 years.

Sheridan encourages other prospective dog owners to reach out to her if they have any questions about working with Golden Rescue.

“Consider rescuing a dog before getting a puppy. Whether you have a puppy or a rescue you’re still going to go through the bad habits. I think a rescue dog loves you more because they’ve been on the other side of the fence and they understand,” said Sheridan.

For more information on the organization visit goldenrescue.ca.

Mandi Hargrave

About Mandi Hargrave

Mandi was no stranger to Muskoka growing up and as she got older she knew this was the place she wanted to call home. She loves time with her dog, being outside and laughs shared with friends. She loves sitting down to chat and hear your story, one you’ll hopefully let her share with the Huntsville community.

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