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Massaro: Unwanted dogs golden to volunteer

By Gary Massaro, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published January 24, 2006 at midnight

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GOLDEN - Where she lives is appropriate for what Mary Kenton does. She's president of Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies.

"Someone said I should move the mailbox to Arvada," Kenton said.

She told them no.

Kenton is president of the organization that members alphabetize as GRRR.

"She's the reason I volunteer for GRRR. I've never met a more compassionate, giving, determined person than her," said Gloria LeFree, whom Kenton recruited. "There are so many people that have negative outlooks on animal rescue. Mary always has the most positive outlook."

Kenton has a full-time day job. She's an administrative assistant in the Qwest marketing department.

On her own time, Kenton puts in at least a 40-hour week - weekends and nights mostly - to take in, find homes for and care for unwanted dogs.

"She works until the job is done," LeFree said.

In addition to rescuing golden retrievers, Kenton works with All Breed Rescue Network.

For that dedication alone, Kenton is the Minoru Yasui Community Volunteer Award winner for January.

Kenton, 50, noted that dogs "never let you down."

She started volunteering in 1998. A woman she worked with knew that Kenton loved dogs and took good care of her own. She also knew that Kenton's Lab had just died. So over Thanksgiving 1998, she asked Kenton to temporarily take in a golden retriever - foster care, Kenton and her colleagues call it.

And when they place a dog, they call it putting them in "forever homes."

That's part of Kenton's job, too. And LeFree said she does it quite well.

"She wins people over to the idea that senior golden retrievers make wonderful pets, especially if you're older, don't have any kids in the house and want a mellow dog for companionship," LeFree said.

Most of the dogs aren't abused, just unwanted, or else families aren't able to care for them, Kenton said.

She works with all kinds.

Some people don't want to or can't pay vet bills for older dogs who get seriously ill.

Kenton is a Golden native. She spends most of her time with the dogs, even taking their pictures for the Web site:

"I do all of what I do for these goldens and other breeds because of Murphy, a black Lab that passed away from cancer at 5 years old," Kenton said. "His memory lives on through my volunteer work for the dogs. I give the goldens the love I had for him. I would not have become involved if he had not died."

For Kenton and the dogs, it has been a golden opportunity.

"It's the most rewarding thing I've ever done in my life," she said.

When Gary Massaro listens, people talk. or 303-892-5271