To the right - over the privacy fence, you can see our main building - and behind it is our storage trailer.

Our main kennel house has been rehabbed - inside and out. Including an expanded, safe play yard.

The main building serves as home for as many as 15 dogs. It is complete with 2 new air conditioners, 2 Micro Heaters (for those chilly winter days), a commercial exhaust fan, and 3 slider windows to let in plenty of sunshine and fresh air.

To the right of the flowerbed is the corner of our "Old Folks" facility where our smaller and less agile residents live. Almost all our residents love being outside on nice days in their shaded yards that are equipped with kuranda beds, toys, doghouses (only to play in - nothing like a good game of "hide and seek"), and prime spots to dig a huge hole.

Play yard #1 and storage trailer to the right

Back Deck and Play yard #2

Playtime

The "Old Folks" kennel is equipped with 2 windows w/screens, a roof exhaust (which pulls in lots of fresh, clean air), 2- 5000 btu air conditioners for those hot summer days, and 2 micro heaters for chilly winter evenings. Right now it is home for Oscar, Jackson, Bessie, and Spirit.

We are licensed here in Hampshire County- proud to say we've been in business for over 15 years as Almost Heaven - and proud to be a founding member of GRREAT in Virginia!

This building once housed some of our adoptables while they were waiting for their new owners to claim them. It is now used for some of our less social dogs, and for storage of supplies.

Our latest expansion included adding these two donated standalone buildings. Each building has been rehabbed - inside and out. Each building is air conditioned, heated, has its own play yard which is accessed by the resident learning to use the dog door. The interior of each building includes laminate flooring and walls for easy cleanup, ceiling fans, night lights, and vaulted ceilings. Kuranda beds, doghouse to play in, and a covered porch to lay on - - - these buildings have been such a blessing to us - - - and to our orphans. We thank everyone that helped make this donation possible - every single day!

Almost Heaven is a licensed Hampshire County, WV rescue. We have been operating at the same location for over 15 years.

Carol Free (Windsor), founding member of AHGRR, is also a founding member of GRREAT, one of the most prolific and long lived golden retriever rescues in existence today.

Almost Heaven was a dream come true for Carol and Skip. It was a place that those dogs who were deemed unadoptable, or hard to adopt, could come to live out their lives, however long that may be. What many people seem to have forgotten is that the name of this organization contains "and Sanctuary" - and, that's what it has become for those that have been left behind, unadopted, and forgotten.

People have asked why a Golden Retriever rescue has become so involved with other breeds. The answer is simple - they needed help. It doesn't take a genius to know that the homeless goldens that find themselves in shelters have a barrage of rescues and rescuers waiting in line to help them to safety and to new homes. Many of these same rescues will not take other breeds - even when they come from the same home as the golden they rescue.

Over the years, many of our residents were transferred to us from other rescues due to lack of appropriate foster homes - or unadoptability. Max was such a case.

Max had spent most of his life in a crate. He was rescued and placed in a foster home where the situation went so well the foster home expressed an interest in adopting Max. However, as the time to make their home a permanent one for Max drew near, they decided a puppy would be a better choice for them. Max did not tolerate this final insult well. He did not do well in either of his next foster homes, and his rescuers wondered if their only option was to euthanize this poor dog who was by now about 10 years old - and still homeless. Max was transferred to AHGRRS where he lived out his remaining days in comfort and harmony.

The same was true of Roo, a golden mix from the south.

Roo only had 2 legs (rear), and could be a small terror when it suited him. He could also be extremely loving, and once bonded to you, was a wonderful boy.

Due to Roo's physical limitations, he was mostly incontinent. During inclement weather, it was not uncommon to change his bedding 3 - 4 times daily. Due to his physical challenges, and his resulting personality quirks - Roo was transferred to AHGRRS. We lost our little Roo unexpectedly last year. He is dearly missed. Visit our In Memory of Our Goldens - Rainbow Bridge Page before you leave our Site. It is a section dedicated to those dogs we were privileged to know and help in their life's journey.

Those hot summer days are no problem here at AHGRRS. This year round, free flowing stream is deep enough in spots for even our biggest dogs to take a dip and cool off in the shade.

Thank you for taking the time to go on tour with us, meet our residents, and look back at our history. Come visit us - - - - - - -