GRRMF Coast to Coast – Last 3 events of the season!

Safety Harbor, Palm Coast, Melbourne

GRRMF Store

Includes new 35th anniversary merch!

Be part of our Anniversary party page!

Gathering 35 years of memories

 

Make a Golden Difference in 2026

Volunteer 💛

Fosters needed to save more

Be the difference to save a dog’s life

Did you know – March, 1991

Dances with Wolves wins Oscar for best picture.

Sample page for review

A look back at the world when GRRMF began

For more than three decades, GRRMF has been rescuing and caring for golden retrievers with the same steady heart. The world around us has changed in countless ways — from the price of everyday things to the technology in our homes — but our mission has stayed constant.

This timeline is a light, nostalgic look at what life felt like along the way.

The world has changed. Our mission hasn’t.

Scroll to explore our history →

Prices on everyday items

  • Gas was $1.14
  • A movie ticket was $4.21
  • A gallon of milk was $2.30.
  • A loaf of bread was $1.25
  • A dozen eggs cost $1.01
  • A postage stamp was 29¢

Everyday life looked different, but the joy of bringing a golden home felt just the same.

Technology at the moment

  • Most homes still had dial‑up internet
  • AOL chat rooms were the place to be
  • “Be kind, rewind” was printed on every VHS tape.
  • Blockbuster was still everywhere
  • People carried flip phones
  • Streaming didn’t exist yet
  • The first iPod had just launched

The world was slower, simpler — and rescue work happened through phone calls, paper forms, and handwritten notes.

Top TV shows

  • 60 Minutes
  • Roseanne
  • Murphy Brown
  • Cheers
  • Home Improvement
  • Unsolved Mysteries
  • America’s Funniest Home Videos
  • The Fresh Prince of Bel‑Air

Blockbuster movies

  • Terminator 2: Judgment Day
  • Beauty and the Beast
  • The Silence of the Lambs
  • Hook
  • Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
  • The Addams Family
  • Cape Fear
  • City Slickers
  • JFK
  • Thelma & Louise

Dog culture of the time

  • Most rescues coordinated everything by phone and fax
  • Microchipping was just becoming common
  • Golden retrievers were climbing the popularity charts
  • Veterinary medicine was shifting toward preventive care
  • Foster networks were small and entirely volunteer‑run

GRRMF milestones

  • GRRMF rescued its first golden
  • The foster network expanded across mid-Florida
  • The first website launched
  • Social media brought new adopters
  • GRRMF celebrated 35 golden years
  • The mission remained the same: every golden deserves a second chance

 

And Through It All…

GRRMF volunteers opened their homes, drove long distances, and cared for goldens who needed a second chance. Foster families grew. Supporters found one another. And year after year, the mission stayed steady.

Today, the world looks completely different — but our commitment hasn’t changed. Every golden deserves a second chance.

Thank you for being part of this journey — past, present, and everything still ahead.

Be sure to click on the dog's name below for a close up view and please check back often for updates.

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Safety Harbor Third Friday

Friday, March 20, 2026 | 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM

Downtown Safety Harbor, 401 Main Street, Safety Harbor, FL 34695

2026 Poocharella / East Coast Golden Gathering.

Saturday, March 21, 2026 | 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Wickham Park - 2500 Parkway Drive, Melbourne, FL 32901.

Flagler Humane Society Bark in the Park 2026

Saturday, March 28, 2026 | 11:00AM - 3:00PM

European Village, 101 Palm Harbor Pkwy, Palm Coast, FL 32137

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- Want To Adopt -

If you are writing us about adopting a dog and do not have an adoption application on file with us, use this link to review our policies and process and complete an application.

If you have completed our adoption application, and/or have another inquiry, please use the email link to contact us.

Adoption Application Email Us