2025 Annual Report
Thank you to everyone who made 2025 such a monumental year for The Golden Bark Foundation — our fosters, adopters, donors, alumni, volunteers, team, and Board of Directors.
Transparency is a core value of GBF, and we’re proud to share how donations were used, the impact we made in our community, and the milestones we reached throughout the year.
If you have any questions about anything in this report, please contact our Executive Director at seth@goldenbarkfoundation.org.
Mission
The Golden Bark Foundation is dedicated to rescuing and advocating for at-risk senior dogs, fulfilling their immediate needs and sending them off to a love-filled retirement home.
We focus on rescuing senior dogs because they are often forgotten and cast aside at the point in their lives when they need the most care. When they end up in shelters, people prefer to adopt younger dogs that require less care and maintenance with fuller lives ahead. We plan to rescue and find homes for these senior dogs. They deserve to know love in the latter portions of their lives.
Every dog deserves a loving home to live out their golden years, no matter how many days, months or years they have left.
Values
How we do this work matters just as much as the work itself.
Transparency
Transparency is a commitment we take seriously. We believe trust is earned through honesty, consistency, and openness in how we operate.
We share not only our successes, but also our challenges, decisions, and financial impact so our supporters can clearly see how their generosity is directly helping senior dogs.
Transparency also means leading with integrity — making thoughtful, ethical decisions that prioritize the comfort, dignity, and quality of life of every dog in our care. When our community supports us, they deserve to understand the why behind what we do. That openness strengthens trust and keeps our mission grounded in accountability.
Community
Community is what makes this work possible — and it’s something we actively nurture and invest in. While rescue is our core mission, we believe real impact happens when people come together around a shared purpose. We don’t operate in isolation — we operate in relationship.
Through grief support groups, senior living visits, educational outreach, and community events, we create spaces for connection, healing, and advocacy. We listen and step in where support is needed.
By caring for both dogs and the humans who love them, we strengthen a community built on compassion and shared responsibility.
Collaboration
Collaboration is how we turn shared commitment into action. We work closely with shelters, veterinarians, fosters, fellow rescues, partners, and supporters to step in when senior dogs are most at risk and coordinate the care they need.
Through thoughtful medical planning, foster support, and strategic partnerships, we ensure each dog receives individualized care and a real opportunity for a safe, loving future.
By working together with clarity and accountability, we expand the safety net around senior dogs and create stronger outcomes than we ever could alone.
How We Operate
We focus on helping senior dogs across Utah, primarily pulling those most at risk in shelters and, when we have the space and resources, assisting with owner surrenders.
As a foster-based rescue, our network stretches across the Wasatch Front and into parts of Idaho. Each dog is placed in a foster home where they can decompress, feel safe, and settle into a more comfortable routine. During their time in our program, we cover all of their care so fosters can focus on providing love and stability.
When a dog enters GBF, their health is our first priority. Many of the dogs we take in have untreated medical conditions, and we are committed to addressing those needs thoughtfully and responsibly.
Some dogs, after diagnostics, are placed into our hospice program and remain in our care for the rest of their lives, with a focus on comfort, quality of life, and dignity.
Once a dog is medically stable, we begin the process of finding the right retirement home. We carefully match each dog with an adopter who understands their needs and can provide a safe, loving environment.
Whether they are with us for years, months, or only a short time, our goal remains the same — to provide comfort, respect, and a place to call home.
