about

Hi! My name is Rochelle Lesser and this is Golden Darcy. I am a School Psychologist, engaged in Animal-Assisted Therapy. As founder of the nonprofit 501(c)(3), Land of PureGold Foundation, I am developing creative media (Gotta Dance Documentary) that embraces the human-canine bond to fund research in comparative oncology. We currently provide monies for cancer treatment for working dogs through our grant program, as well as fund research in comparative oncology.

The Land of PureGold Foundation became a 501(c)(3) charitable and educational nonprofit corporation in February 2005. This allows for current donations to be tax deductible. The formation of our organization follows a span of seven years that the Landofpuregold.com has been a presence on the web, supporting and engaging in various charitable endeavors and providing numerous educational activities to promote the human-canine bond. We have personally seen this special healing power, time and time again, and have felt such joy as we continue to celebrate the wonders of The Bond. And, this 1,000+ page website is clearly testimony to this celebration.

It was Dr. Albert Schweitzer’s belief that until man could extend his circle of compassion to include all living things, he himself would find no peace. For, while animals may not be our whole life, they do much to make our lives whole. Yet–how often do we take the time to understand and embrace the power and wonder that happens between animals and people? And, do we truly appreciate the healing power that animals have on humans and the happiness and sense of well being that they engender?

According to Dr. Marty Becker, “Our pets lend a touch of grace to our lives. They teach us the real meaning of unconditional love and bring out the kindest and most generous impulses of humanity.” And, Dr. Allen Schoen speaks to the premise that “Far from a luxury, pets are now recognized as a necessity–friends who fortify us daily with their gifts of love, loyalty and laughter.”

Our foundation’s mission is to support and promote responsible dog care and ownership as well as respectful and consistent training practices–the love shared between mankind and dogs so engendering a mutual strength and healing power. We are therefore endeavoring to maintain and extend that purest of relationships. However, the magnitude of the problem with cancer is huge. In the general population, one in three persons are developing cancer, this same rate of occurrence taking place in our companion animals. And, sadly, over 45% of dogs older than 10 years of age are dying of the disease, as cancer is the leading cause of death in this age group.

While we are embracing the latest in canine cancer treatment regimens, the costs for such treatment are often beyond the means of many pet owners, and especially those who are disabled and have working dog partners. To address this problem, we provide grants for cancer treatment for our important working dog population.