Your Honest Input....
 

I have to be honest, I didn't read all of your post, however after reading your first two questions my best suggestion would be to contact a local rescue organization (Yorkie or otherwise) and volunteer with them for a few years and get educated. That might be the best way to answer all the questions you have. Your resources both $$ wise and time wise would be well spent working under a well organized rescue organization already in place.

Good luck!

Bettyanne is involved in a rescue she may be able to help you out with your questions

I volunteered for our local 'Dog Pound' which was a branch of the Police Department for several years before and during it's metamorphosis to a non-profit shelter. It was an ENORMOUS undertaking. Both to start, and to continue. There were constant issues with what was considered adoptable, and what was not. Unfortunately, it became an easy out for many who could not care for their pets medical needs..just drop them off. And there were a ton of issues with people, not pets.

The woman who helped get it off the ground completely burned out in a few years. And during that few years of time, her she had constant guilt about her own personal pets not getting the one on one they were used to. No more time for any of that. No more time period. Volunteers would be approved, and then found out to be hoarders. Very, very difficult.

Since your heart is in the right place, why not just volunteer as much time as possible to your local shelter? It's a great place to 'get your feet wet' as to the inner workings and the heartbreak.

And you can always take in one at a time and rehab...by attaching yourself to a yorkie rescue that's close to you. They are always looking for foster homes for mill dogs.

:)
Joy

I agree. Your heart is definitely in the right place, and I'm proud of you. However, volunteering with a local rescue organization can give you an insider's view of what it's like. You can also decide what you would do the same or differently. You would also have a reputation built with other local charities and vets. I don't see how you can go wrong if you volunteer for a couple of years first. :thumbup:

In the meantime, you will be in a position to help any yorkies that come in to the rescue you are volunteering for. I believe that a lot of your expenses for volunteering would also be tax-deductible, but check with an accountant to be sure.

Volunteering first is a great idea! ;)

I absolutely love your idea on starting rescue to help yorkies. However I do not like the idea on setting limits on the yorkies size. A sick abandoned yorkie is a sick abandoned yorkie, and for them to be turned away if they are 5.5 lbs is heart wrenching.:( Just my 2 cents.

My sentiments exactly!:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

:clapsmile

I kind of followed on Natalie, and it broke my heart, and if I had one that small and something like that happened, I sure wouldn't want to find another tiny and go through it again..I think rescues are great, but, I also was upset about the weight..I have a 14 lb yorkie, and I would hate to see her get turned away(if I wasn't such a good mommy to her) because of her size..She is just as sweet as any 2 or 3 lb yorkie...I also have a 3 1/2 lb 5 mo old yorkie, but, I hope and pray she gains weight, I don't want a little 3 1/2 lb yorkie, I want one at least 5 lbs. good luck on whatever you do, but, please don't put age and size on it..there are a lot of yorkies over 8 that need love and attention also.

Not sure what the secondary issues is that is going on in the thread but I have to agree that it's just wrong to limit your yorkie help to tinies. It's like your discriminating on the others...which isn't right. If you love the breed that is just what you love...not selectively the tinies. JMO

I have to admit it. The size and age limitations are a real concern for me as well. I guess I just didn't read your initial post carefully enough. If you have a limitation, it should be on a first-come, first-served basis with a set number as your limit...not by size or age or beauty, etc... A rescue should not be able to pick and choose. That just seems wrong to me.

I agree. A Yorkie of any size is still a Yorkie.

Your limitation should be on the number of babies you have that way your not overwhelmed. I can't see why saying only tinies should be the ones helped. Your whole organization will be run on a volunteer basis where others will be helping shoulder the work and I dont' see that any true yorkie lover would say I am only limiting myself to those that are x age or x size.

I know you love the tiny because of your lost baby but it's sad to discriminate against others if you truly love the breed.

rescues are hard to establish and if you have no prior experience working for a shelter or rescue you are in for a lot of work.

I too, question your 'limitations'. if a yorkie was brought to you or called about that was 8lbs with a broken leg and the owners couldn't afford its care would you turn it away where it will most likely be put to sleep or would you take it in?

i know you had a very tiny yorkie and she had major health problems. I can understand you wanting to help them out because you had one of your own that you loved very much. However i think your just asking for a lot of heartache. Right now i think you are desperately trying to fill the void left by Natalie's passing. I just noticed you got another beautiful baby but i guess she's not small enough and your looking for another. PLUS you want to start a tiny rescue??? maybe you should take a step back for a little bit and enjoy your new puppy then think about it again later. this is JMHO.

If you want to start a yorkie rescue(and If I were going to do it), I would limit it to a certain number of yorkies, if you could only have 10, then it would be the first 10 you got, size and age not mattering..You asked for opinions and people are trying very hard to tell you how they feel..we all have opinions and we should, we're all individuals..You asked a question, and everyone should be able to say how they feel without it being taken as an insult..I think a lot of us are just hurt by the age/weight limit..other than that rescues are fantastic!

But honestly hon your not the only one that will be committing to them you are looking for volunteers of all sorts. Your starting a rescue because you want to help yorkies and at this point sick babies in need of help are in all sizes and ages.

I think youre a great person for wanting to do something like this but i also agree that you should a) see what its like by volunteering at a shelter. See what kinds of dogs come in andhow homes are found. and b) you SHOULD NOt put restrictions of what dogs to accept. What do you think will happen. You see a small dog and take it in.... give it a bath, feed and care for it...then weigh it and find out its 5.5 lbs....now youre going to kick it out? Set it free in the street??
If you are going to take pups in and rescue them inyour own home then the choice is up to you...but i would not be able to support a charity knowing that they would not help my 7.5 baby because she wieghs more than some random number.
Sorry dont mean to come off B****y but you asked for honesty.

:thumbup: :thumbup:

As far as "trying to fill a void" with another tiny..... the rescue idea has absolutely no impact on that subject at all. (and I don't even know if I'd call it "filling a void".... I don't know.... maybe.... that's another topic...)

In essence, I likely would not be the one taking the babies in at all, as far as hands on care..... I would be the "behind the scenes" person.... there are very few "tinies" in my area - at least that I know of going by vet responses to Natalie, etc. - so the majority of placements in foster homes would be throughout the country... not with me.

I will continue to seek out a little one, just as I've stated in previous posts.... but that is for MY heart and that of the baby I find to welcome into my world... a healthy purchase or a sickly rescue... makes no difference, as I've also said..... but that again, has no bearing on the potential birth of the rescue organization.

so you just like the idea of a tiny sick yorkie rescue but you are not the one who's going to be taking care of them??:confused: you seem to think there are tons of people who are willing to help in your cause. Remember there are lots of yorkie rescues out there all ready who are desperate for volunteers but can't find any. Also you stated you wanted to find a vet in every state who would help your rescue by doing pro bono work or greatly discounted work. good luck with that. you'll be luck if you get one to work with you. Usually rescues are offered this discount only after bringing in tons of business. The vet will notice their cause and offer them a discount, usually no more then 25% off. I'm sorry but i just don't think what you want to do is possible.

I think starting a rescue will be a HUGE undertaking. I think it is a wonderful thought and a great way to honor Natalie's memory, but you're really going to have to make sure you are prepared for all the work starting a rescue will take. While I can understand you wanting to help tiny yorkies like Natalie, I too think the rescue should be open to yorkies of all sizes. I know a rescue group here (for all dogs and cats) has a limited number that they can handle at one time and once their volunteers homes are full then the rescue is full. Honestly, and if you look on petfinder or on rescue's websites you'll see that most of the yorkies are larger than standard. I think there are probably a lot more larger yorkies out there in need than tiny ones...I've just always noticed that most yorkies in rescue are on the larger side. I just don't know if there would even be that many yorkies under 5lbs that would need rescuing. Anyway, that's just from what I've personally seen anyway...I may be wrong. I do think this is a great thought that needs a lot of careful consideration before anything is set in motion. Good Luck with what you decide to do

maybe I am totally wrong and Im sure you will correct me if I am, I understand there has to be limits because you dont want to bite more than you can chew so to speak but I dont think you are going about it the right way. If you care and love the yorkie breed so much, you would want to help any type of yorkie not just the small ones. That seems very cold hearted to me. I know you lost a piece of your heart when natalie passed but I just dont understand your need for such small babies. Its like your putting a limit on what yorkie you can love and take care of. Someone showed you a baby that needed a home and you turned her down because she was 3 pounds and would get bigger...just doesnt make sense to me. I get the feeling that you just want small yorkies and have no room for a bigger yorkie in your heart and to me thats very sad.

:thumbup:
Good posting...and the reason I think you find mostly bigger yorkies that need homes is because people getting them and are told they won't get over a certain weight, and them wham the throwbacks come out, and out goes the dog...makes me sick to see them done like this..Everytime I look at my haley(all 14 lbs of her), she is one of the prettiest yorkies I have ever seen, and I couldn't imagine someone turning her away because she's bigger..:(

Dena I don't think that is what anyone is trying to say at all. The idea of the rescue is a good one. But I think the yorkie lovers on here are all against the idea of the whole limitations when the babies that need help are of all sizes and ages.

Kalina is just pointing out and trying to inform you of the realities of what it takes to run a rescue. So please don't be discouraged if you want to do it. It's best to be as informed as we can when we try to do something.

Hon I am not sure how you didn't foresee everyone's strong reaction to the limitation. YT is made up of owners that totally love the breed no matter what their sizes, ages or disabilities may be.

Good luck.

No need to apologize for your personal preference...that is just that. But a rescue that will be funded by charity, donations and volunteers just doesn't allow for you to make it about your personal preference.