The Flat Coated Retriever Society of America or FCRSA was established in 1960. One of the main missions of this organization is "to do all in its power to protect and advance the interests of the breed" Part of FCRSA's mission is therefore aimed at rescuing Flat Coated Retriever dogs that may be in distress or peril, and may be in need of finding new homes. FCRSA does not personally "rescue" all the dogs that are passed on to its organization. Instead, the organization works with many other organizations like local or nationwide animal rescue centers, local veterinarians, animal behavioral evaluators and animal placement agencies. The FCRSA remains a vital link to the nationwide "rescue" efforts to help preserve the health of Flat Coated Retriever pets.

Rescue may mean two things: rescued and referral dogs.

To put it succinctly, rescued dogs are Flat Coated Retriever pets that may have undergone life-threatening conditions (like abuse, deprivation, dog fighting arenas, maltreatment, squalid living conditions, etc.) These animals may have been rescued by local or government services like ASPCA or some other animal rescue unit, or surrendered by someone else to animal kennels and dog pounds.

On a broader scale, rescued Flat Coated Retriever dogs may come from one or more of these: Flat Coated Retriever pets rescued from immediate peril or life-threatening situations; Flat Coated Retriever pets or strays that are relinquished to animal shelters or in emergency situations. Basically, any Flat Coated Retriever that cannot stay in its present home (whether it is willingly or unwillingly) or when the owner of the Flat Coated Retriever refuses to take further responsibility for the pet (whether it is willingly or unwillingly) is considered a rescue case. Rescued cases are always given priority when it comes to aid, evaluation, medical assistance, and home placement.

Referral dogs on the other hand, are Flat Coated Retriever pets that are not in any immediate peril but in need of the services provided by an animal placement agency.

Referral dogs may include: Flat Coated Retrievers that are living with present owner in a non-life threatening atmosphere and Flat Coated Retrievers returned to breeders or stud owners. As a rule, Flat Coated Retrievers that are considered as referral cases are in good health, have adequate medical assistance (from vaccination shots, to spaying or neutering, to de-worming, etc.), and (for older dogs) may have already started on one or more types of basic dog training.

Other referral dogs like those raised specifically for showing or for breeding are placed with more experienced adoptive "parents" who can give the Flat Coated Retriever the proper attention, care, and future training.

Unfortunately, the sad truth is that not all rescued Flat Coated Retrievers are rescued in time, or evaluated safe for home placement, or given new homes at all. Many of the Flat Coated Retriever pets succumb to death in squalor or others are suffering from too many behavioral problems that they pose threats and are eventually put down as well. Other Flat Coated Retrievers that are cleared for adoption jump from one foster home to another and never really settle with one family. And lastly, some have too many medical conditions like diabetes or cancer that very few adoptive parents can endure.