Welcome to Afina Pomeranians
RESCUE POMS
PRINCESS
The first dog I ever rescued was so underweight that she was in kidney failure. We didn't know if she would make it or not but as you can see below she did!!! Princess came to me weighing about 4 pounds instead of the 8 pounds that she should have and now does weigh!!! The woman was giving her up because they were moving into an apartment that would not accept dogs or so she said. Princess had been a bithday gift to a the womans' daughter, I can only imagine what she told her daughter when she came home to find her dog gone. Princess was only 1 year old!!!
I didn't dare bring her to my house in such poor condition so I went directly to the vets office with her. When we did finally bring her home she was absolutely filthy, her coat was soaked with urine and she has runny foul smelling diarrhea. I couldn't stand it and although she was in poor health I had to give her a bath. She was just skin over bones, I have never seen an animal so thin as poor Princess.
I did get information on her previous vet visits but they indicated that no vaccinations had been given and she was taken in because she was biting!!! Princess did not have a bad bone in her body, she was so sweet and loving no matter what. She had a number of visits to the vet with many blood tests and never a complaint. It took some time and lots of tiny, frequent meals before she actually began to gain weight. But once she got the first pound on the rest came quickly.
I can tell you there is almost nothing more rewarding than taking in a dog who has been neglected and providing them the most basic needs. Seeing her go from listless to lively was such satisfaction.
Princess lives very happily now with a lovely couple in Napa. She goes for walks every day, has her own yard and dog beds in every room!!! She also has a brother "Bentley" so she's never alone. She can go in and out as she pleases through her very own doggy door to her nice back yard!!! I saw her at the last Pomeranian Rescue Group Annual Reunion and it was a delight!!! She was a different dog in that she was relaxed and confident and as happy as could be.
Thank you DIANNE and DAVID!!! You are her angels!!!
Founded and run by Jan Yale they are the go to group for Poms in need!!! I have been working with Jan and her team for several years now. They have gone far and beyond the call of duty to save every pom they can.
WERE DO RESCUE POMERANIANS COME FROM???
It is amazing how many poms come into rescue and are in need of adoption. Most rescue poms are not the tiny fluffy balls that we see in the showring. Frequently they are much larger and bear more resemblence to their Spitz ancestors than the current Pomeranians. My opinion after working with so many of these poms in need is that they are often the product of backyard breeders who do not take the time to find appropiate homes for their puppies but just get them placed and get the money. These are the worst cases because by the time the dog finds its way to rescue it has often been left alone for a long period of time. Some of them have been abused because they didn't do exactly what the owners wanted from day one. They usually were not properly trained but maybe beaten and then when that didn't work they were tossed out of the house to rot in the back yard alone. Some have been locked in small crates for years, others have been ignored in the back yard and others still left in a garage to suffer alone. Some dogs will turn around in a day even after all this abuse but others will never be "normal" again. All deserve love and a home of their own.
There are other reasons why poms come into rescue.
Elderly people pass away and family members can't or won't take the dogs. Many times these dogs have not been properly socialized. They have been alone with their owners, not going out and about they become fearful and sometimes bite. Often because of the limitations of their elderly owners they have not been potty trained nor have they been spayed or neutered. These dogs can be young or older and some have had little or no vet care. They can be extremely difficult to place because of these limited experiences.
Recently there has been an extreme number of people forced to move and they are not able to take the dog(s) with them. Last year PRG took in 4 unspayed females of various ages from the Dublin, CA shelter. All had been turned in by one woman. None of them had ever been to the vet! That means no vaccinations and no care what so ever. Fortunately these girls were all very sweet and easily placed once PRG had taken care of all their various health needs.
Many times a dog is relinquished because he/she is bad tempered and can't be trained. That can be true of a few dogs. However, most just need someone to focus on them and training and socialization for a period of time to get them on the right track. Each dog is different with different training needs. Some work for toys others for food and others just to please. It takes dedication and understanding to train a dog. Those dogs who are not given the proper opportunities from the begging can take a bit longer to train.
All too frequently a couple has a baby and the dog is no longer needed or wanted. This is the saddest case of all to me. A dog can be a delight to grow up with. So often the people who call or relinquish a dog because of this situation are completely overwhelmed with a new addition to the family. Something has to go and it's the dog!
