LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Two passenger vans full of hairy golden goofballs arrived in a Las Vegas parking lot near the Silverton Hotel Thursday to cheers and applause from a crowd awaiting their arrival.
Volunteers unloaded the 12 golden retrievers, who'd been rescued from China according to the Goldens Without Borders rescue group, to be united with their adoptive families or fosters like Robert Jones.
"It's amazing that they made it," Jones said.
Jones said he would foster one of the excited pooches until someone steps up to give them a forever home, and give his own golden retriever some company in the meantime.
"These dogs are just about the most lovable dogs that you can possibly find," he said. "They're a little bit excited right now because they've been traveling for the whole day."
The dogs had every reason to be excited.
Goldens Without Borders representative Kathleen Boyd-Jones said they had been headed to slaughter houses in China before their network abroad rescued them.
"We rescue them from South Korea, from China, from Turkey, basically from everywhere," Boyd-Jones said.
She said a change in federal import rules forced the rescue to kennel the dogs in Canada for six months before they could be legally brought to Las Vegas, but the hard work was worth it.
"Seeing that, right there," Boyd-Jones said while pointing to a smiling pup. "That happiness. I mean this is a dog that just got out of probably 18 hours plus another nine hours getting here."
Five of the dogs had been adopted by Las Vegas families before they arrived in the city, but seven still needed to find a home beyond a foster.
"They're absolutely warm, loving, animals," Jones said. "They're some of the most wonderful animals you can possibly have."
Anyone interested in adopting one of the rescue animals can visit the Goldens Without Borders website.
Boyd-Jones said the group hopes to rescue and import another group of retrievers in October and November.
