GRRIN -- Turkish golden retrievers find home in Nebraska

Thursday, June 30, 2016
Erika and Seth Ryser of Omaha with the golden retriever, "York," a rescue from the streets and forests of Istanbul, Turkey. (Courtesy photo)

OMAHA, Neb. -- Dogs don't ask for much. Just a bowl of food, a bowl of cool water. Somewhere comfortable to bed down.

Someone to love, and love them back. To be part of a family.

When that stream of love dries up in a country halfway around the world, it doesn't matter to a group of Americans the difference of 5,000 miles, or if the dogs speak only Turkish. They're welcome in families in the United States.

"Valentine" (inset) is another "Turkey Golden" available for adoption through Golden Retriever Rescue in Nebraska. (Courtesy photo)

Seth and Erika Ryser of Omaha are involved with a group they affectionately call "Grin," a group that helps to find new homes for golden retrievers, including relocating abandoned goldens from the streets and forests of Istanbul, Turkey, to new "furever" homes in America.

Erika, a native of Papillion, grew up with golden retrievers. Seth, a McCook native, grew up with springer spaniels. So it wasn't unusual for the couple to become involved with "Golden Retriever Rescue in Nebraska," or "GRRIN," eight years ago. Since that time, through the organization, the couple has fostered 16 golden retriever dogs, and provided a loving home for four.

Erika is the corresponding secretary for the group, and she and Seth are involved in the relocation of one of 18 dogs who came to the U.S. from Turkey in May.


Seth said recently that Yasemin Baban of Istanbul, Turkey, started ten years ago rescuing golden retrievers abandoned in Istanbul and has created partnerships with rescue groups in America to give these goldens a chance at a new life.

Baban has explained through the years that the Turkish fall in love with golden retriever puppies, but abandon them -- along with any other breed or mutt -- when they grow up. Stray dogs are very common on the streets and in the forests of Istanbul and are accepted by the population as part of the city's "appeal" and "culture" ... "it's identity."

Because goldens are so docile, gentle by nature and family-oriented, they don't do well trying to fend for themselves on the streets, Seth said.


On May 20, 18 "Turkey Goldens" arrived at O'Hare Airport in Chicago, after 11 hours in flight, in crates. Each dog had his or her own passport, which included vaccination records and clean bills of health, Seth said. The dogs were spayed or neutered and received rabies vaccines while living in Turkey. Dogs with health issues are not allowed to travel outside of the country, he said.

After the dogs passed through customs, they were turned over to rescue groups' transporting crews.

The dogs were anxious to get out of their crates after 14 or 15 hours, Seth said, "but it's absolutely amazing how well they did. Not one of them had pooped in their crates," and once they were taken out and fed, "they just laid around and watched what was going on around them."

"You have to remember," Seth said, "these dogs are alone on the streets. Being isolated is nothing unusual for them."

Of the 18 dogs, three went to a rescue group in Minnesota, seven went to a rescue group in Ohio and three went to a rescue group in Kentucky.

Five of the goldens came to the golden retriever rescue group from Nebraska, and have been named for five Nebraska communities: Valentine, Madison, Aurora, Sydney and York. Aurora and Valentine are 1-year-old females; Madison is a 2-year-old female; Sydney is a 3-year-old female; and York is a 2-year-old male.

"York" was paired up with Seth and Erika, and the trio spent the first night in a motel in Iowa City. "We double-leashed him in the open just in case, but there were no behavior issues at all," Seth said. York rode with the Rysers to Omaha.

Each of the five dogs is now living with GRRIN-approved foster families who are getting to know them as they get acquainted with American homes. York's foster family reports that he is adapting well to his new surroundings. York himself "wrote" in late May, "I enjoy taking walks with my foster family and spending time outside. I even tried wading in my very own pool last week!"

GRRIN foster families report that each of the other four goldens are adjusting well and learning English and how to get along with other dogs in the home.

Seth said, "Erika and I are case-working York until the day he gets adopted. That means we are York's advocate and get to help make sure York gets a fantastic forever home."

GRRIN's website, grrin.org, explains that their foster care network is "a key component of GRRIN's rescue program. The principle behind fostering is to provide the dogs entrusted to our care with a home environment in order to evaluate their habits, health and behavior and to offer the new owner more information about the dog. GRRIN dogs may be fostered for as little as two weeks but usually require more time." The organization cannot guarantee the availability of dogs participating in their foster network and on their website.

The adoption fee for a "Turkey Golden" is $600, which is double GRRIN's standard adoption fee of $300, but it helps to cover transportation expenses to America. The GRRIN website states, "GRRIN will process applications (for Turkey Golden) like we do for all of our dogs that need fur-ever homes. A fenced yard is required and dogs must live indoors as part of the family. We may have more specific needs for each dog."

The site explains that the care and adoption of the Turkey Goldens does not mean that American goldens will go without homes or have to wait. GRRIN officials explain that there has been a decrease in the number of foster dogs within GRRIN due to a lack of surrenders. "We used to foster at least 50 dogs per year, but since 2010 we have averaged only 25-30 foster dogs per year, and we still receive the same number of applicants and always maintain a waiting list. Some of our families wait a year to adopt a golden through GRRIN. We know that there are many loving families within our state who are more than willing to help a pup in need. That's why we've decided to participate in rescuing Turkey dogs."


Seth said it's easy to fall in love with York or any of the other goldens available through GRRIN -- and he and Erika have done just that. Shiloh was the couple's first foster, who is still living with them.

Bo and his sister, Stella, were brother and sister and always together. "They would have had to have been adopted together," Seth said. Stella has since died, of lymphoma, and Bo is regaining his health, down from a crippling 147 pounds to a very comfortable 85 pounds.

"Max" is an older dog, a "permanent foster" with Seth and Erika, who came to GRRIN after his family had a new baby human and not enough time for an aging dog. Max was alone way too much and had developed some mental and medical problems, Seth said. "With us, he's never alone, and he's doing fantastic," Seth said. Max is 16 years old.

Seth and Erika are expecting their first child in November, but they don't plan any changes in the dog population in their home.

Seth is a teacher and coach at LaVista Junior High, and Erika is a nanny for a family with four kids.

Seth is a 1997 graduate of McCook Senior High and the son of Shirley and Randy Ryser of McCook. Shirley was a special education paraprofessional for McCook Public Schools before her retirement; Randy was a teacher and coach for MPS before his retirement.


For more information on Golden Retriever Rescue in Nebraska -- and to see profiles on the Turkey Golden rescue dogs and other goldens available for adoption -- go to grrin.org

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  • The younger and older Ryser families are good people but for gosh sakes, the USA has more dogs than people want. That is why the humane societies in most towns have so many dogs they need to hustle just to provide food for them.

    -- Posted by dennis on Thu, Jun 30, 2016, at 4:14 PM
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