Private Rescues are different from public facilities: There is no building [and no cages!], no staff, no public viewing hours, and no predictable source of reliable or consistent revenue. Private Rescues consist of an unpaid, completely volunteer network of dedicated individuals and foster families who house and care for companion animals in their own private homes, as cherished members of their families while waiting to move into a new adoptive home.
Funding is accomplished entirely by personal finances, private donations, and adoption fees. You are invited to offer support at whatever level is comfortable by clicking the Donate Button at the top of this page! Average out-of-pocket costs to get a dog restored to health and placed in the right new home run around $400--lots more if there are special medical needs beyond spay/neuter to be met.
Also, please understand that because of the home visit part of our adoption protocol--described in more detail below, and sometimes involving multiple visits to your home--we only place dogs within an hour or two driving distance of downtown Oakland. All factors being equal, preference is given to local applicants, but exceptions can of course be made when it is in the dog's best interest.
We are a small family rescue in Oakland, CA, a member of The Rescue Alliance of Hairless & Other Breeds, Inc., a national 501[c]3 non-profitt animal rescue organization: www.RescueAlliance.org. Mrs. Wren has worked as a vet tech and groomer for several years, been involved with animal rescue work for 4 decades, and has been specializing in rescuing, rehabilitating, and re-homing Yorkshire Terriers since 1995.
We are passionate about what we do and take considerable pride in the care and treatment given to dogs entrusted to us. A great deal of time, personal money and enormous effort is taken to find and place our rescued dogs into the best new home for each individual animal. Dogs in our Rescue stay either in our own home, or with one of our foster families, depending on the individual dog's needs and preferences. Either place, the "furry little 4-legged family member" receives the safety, love and attention each deserves while we keep them healthy and happy during the arduous and frequently time-consuming search for the best-fit new guardian.
Wren Rescue dogs are treated like members of the family, with furniture and people-bed privileges, and free access via a doggie-door to the brick-paved patio and large upper lawn areas. New members of the Wren Pack are taught how and when to use the doggie door; and if they've come into the Rescue system from an abusive or neglected situation, they are given the opportunity to replace unpleasant memories with new ones of safety, warmth, plentiful tasty, and healthy food and treats, and lots of the love and affection a companion animal so richly deserves.
4-yr-old "Delilah" [born 12/4/03] is our "Social Director". A portly 10# purebred Yorkie and former Rescue herself, Delilah is an amazing little peacemaking ambassador who teaches each new one how to socialize and get along with the other dogs, and how to run, play, wrestle, snuggle and generally have a good time together.
8-yr-old "Brittany", a 10# Yorkie/Silkie mix and also a former Rescue, was the "Activities Director" for several years, teaching the new ones how to patiently stalk the bushes and rockpile for hours in search of small game. Brittany, however, recently decided to adopt one of our foster families as her own, where she has reigned as Queen of the Realm since mid-December 2007. We were most reluctant to let her go, but Brittany is so obviously supremely content where she is, that we agreed to the guardianship transfer. Brittany is close-by and comes back for visits now and then to see how the Rescue is going.
New dogs are thoroughly evaluated by Dr. Thomas Foor at Dr. Foor Paws Pet Hospital in El Cerrito, (510) 524-4551, where they are given necessary medical care and treatment, and referred to specialty vets as their health conditions may require.
Each new dog is professionally groomed, spayed or neutered, brought up-to-date with rabies, distemper and bordetella vaccinations, heartworm tested, put on flea and heartworm prevention and microchipped prior to being adopted.
Unlike the larger national Rescues who need to move dogs into permanent homes quickly to make room for more, dogs brought into Wren Yorkie Rescue are kept as long as it takes to learn enough about each one's personality, habits and preferences to make the best permanent match with a new home. Locating the perfect match can take at minimum 1 month, or several years! We always listen carefully to each applicant's stories and offer educational information, suggestions, or referrals as appropriate to help you and your new furry family member find and keep each other.
We carefully screen each adoption applicant with a veterinary reference and personal references from people who know and have observed the applicant as a pet owner, we do telephone interviews and finally a home visit with a Yorkie or two--often a specific dog we may have in mind for that particular person--to observe the chemistry between dog and human. Applicants sometimes do not pass the home visit portion of the process if a particular dog doesn't "take" to them. Placement of our dogs happens only when the correct mutual match for the dog is found.
STEP 1: an emailed request for an application to WrenYorkieRescue@aol.com. Your responses to the questions give us a beginning picture of your particular situation and expectations.
STEP 2: We then chat with you by phone to hear your pet stories, learn more about your "ideal" canine companion, and to answer any questions or concerns you might have about adopting a Yorkie.
STEP 3: We have further chats with your vet and the people you've indicated have known you as a pet owner, and then we
STEP 4: set up a mutually agreeable time to visit your home with a Yorkie, to see where your new dog would be spending his or her time, and to meet all the people and other animals that would be "regulars" in your new companion's life. We use the opportunity of the first site visit to walk what would be your normal dog-walking route, point out any features in the house, yard or neighborhood with potential for becoming an 'issue' with a particular dog we think might otherwise be "The One" for you, and allow you get to know and trust us.
Please understand that because of the home visit part of our rescue protocol, which involves two or more visits, we only place dogs within an hour or two driving distance of downtown Oakland.
Please research the breed before you buy or adopt, you'll be glad you did! Good websites are: www.YTCA.org and www.AKC.org.
Do you know that Yorkies typically live to be 15 years old or older? Some have had a beloved Yorkie live to be 20 or more! Don’t miss out on a wonderful opportunity to enjoy one of these dogs just because of a number. If you are considered a senior, please consider a dog that will be compatible with your age, home and lifestyle. Young dogs want to run and play energetic interactive games inside a fenced yard and go for long and/or fast walks. Dogs are matched with age appropriate homes. Why not think about bonding and falling in love with an older dog?
DONATIONS are always gratefully accepted to help offset the many costs of restoring dogs to optimal health, taking them around to meet and interview potential new guardians, and getting them settled into their new homes.
Please mail to the address below. Thanks!
