Bob Hope is coming to Barrie on Friday night.
After a 16 hour flight from Istanbul, Turkey and a long drive from John F. Kennedy Airport in New York, Bob or "Bobby" will arrive at his new home with buddies Lucky and Jake.
They are among 18 stray Golden Retrievers being rescued from Istanbul by the non-profit group Golden Rescue.
Hundreds of the loving pets have been abandoned on the streets or left in shelters as casualties of economic decline or fallen status symbols.
"Being so soft natured, the Goldens were having one of the most difficult times surviving on the street." said Viive Tamm, chair of Golden Rescue. "They're used to sleeping in people's beds. They're such gentle souls. They're not scrappers."
Penny Maring has been busy preparing her Barrie home for the arrival of Bob Hope and her other new furry family members.
Maring had Golden Retrievers before but one died three years ago at the same time cancer claimed her husband's life.
The other two passed away last year, leaving a "huge hole in her heart and her house."
"I'm so excited. I'm really looking forward to them coming," said Maring. "I've pretty much been shopping every day at Pet Smart."
Golden Rescue is a non-profit organization that works all over but has a Barrie mailing address.
In its 25 years, the organization has rescued almost 2,300 of the popular family dogs, mostly from Canada.
Operation Istanbul is Golden Rescue's first overseas effort and was inspired by Adopt a Golden Atlanta.
It's being called a rescue mission of love but there is also a high demand for Goldens that just can't be met with local supply.
"Besides being good for the soul, we have a waiting list of up to 2,000 applications," explained Tamm. "We don't have enough Goldens for all the adoption applications we get. "
Tamm and another board member took a personally-funded trip to Istanbul to see first-hand and wound up rescuing four lovely dogs, the maximum amount the pair could bring on a commercial flight.
They went to two shelters in Istanbul and saw one Golden, they thought was a girl, who didn't come to the fence to greet people anymore because a volunteer said the dog had given up hope.
Tamm decided immediately to put her on the rescue list and the transformation was instant.
It turns out the girl was a boy though, and was named Bob Hope instead of Hope.
"As soon as we got out of that pen his head was held high his tail started to wag. It didn't stop. He just knew he had been saved and it was the only time there that I just started to cry," recalled Tamm.
Tamm says some people wonder why Golden Rescue is travelling so far to save these dogs.
"Why rescue dogs from another country when we euthanize dogs all the time. Why don't you help more Canadian dogs?" Tamm says some have asked. "We can only, according to our charitable license, rescue Golden Retrievers. We rescue every single one that comes across our radar."
Penny Maring was on the waiting list and jumped at the chance to fill her home with loving, loyal pets.
"It's like having three new children," Maring said. "I have pictures of them. I'm really nauseating asking people 'want to see pictures of my dogs'?
Maring has bought three big crates, dog beds, toys "like you wouldn't believe," treats, new dishes and embroidered collars.
She even bought a new couch and had her backyard fenced in.
Usually the dogs are fostered first before adoption but this time the dogs will be fostered to adopt, with the intention they will stay in the home.
It costs around $1,700 per dog but on average it's the same cost if Golden Rescue put the pets through its program.
The Goldens are already spayed and neutered with all their shots and microchips when they arrive.
Tamm says Golden Rescue is planning on doing this international rescue every four to six weeks.
