Nearly a year ago, a dog named Golda was running out of time.
Pulled from a rural shelter by Swamp Haven rescue, Golda had been labeled unadoptable and placed on the euthanasia list after shelter staff believed she was in heart failure. But rescuers at Swamp Haven weren’t convinced.
“Everyone that meets her says the same thing — she is a perfect angel.”
After a closer look, Swamp Haven determined Golda wasn’t in heart failure at all. She simply needed medication to manage early-stage heart disease. One daily pill later, Golda is, as her foster family puts it, “as right as rain.”
From hospice case to calendar model
What started as a potential hospice situation has turned into something of a comeback story. Golda is no longer considered a hospice case — and she’s about to get her close-up.
Golda is set to appear in the St. Augustine Humane Society’s 2027 Center Stage Pin Up Paws Calendar, joining 12 other pets as one of the featured models. Rescuers are hoping the added visibility will help connect Golda with the right family.
She’s been in boarding, two temporary foster homes and one long-term foster home during her journey — and everyone who’s spent time with her tells the same story.
Good with other dogs and cats, house-trained, crate-trained and calm enough to be left out of the crate unattended, Golda is, by all accounts, a dream companion waiting for a forever home.
St. Augustine Humane Society Gala coming in September
Supporters of Swamp Haven and St. Augustine Humane Society have another reason to mark their calendars. The St. Augustine Humane Society’s 2027 fundraising Gala is set for Sept. 24, 2026, with News4JAX’s Katie Garner serving as emcee for the evening.
More information about the Gala is available on the St. Augustine Humane Society’s website.