Wilton Animal Rescue

OUR BEGINNINGS

Wilton, California is a small country town south of Sacramento. The community is inundated with animals that have been abandoned on the back country roads. The main road through Wilton is often used as a thoroughfare during commute hours and many animals are injured or killed by fast-moving traffic. After moving to Wilton and seeing this happening all around us, we began to wonder what would happen if each of us in the community picked up one of these dogs running loose and held them until the owner could be found or until we could get them safely to a local shelter. We decided to try and with the community's help, we began to make a difference, one animal at a time. Soon, we built some kennels and went from rescuing the occasional animal to rescuing hundreds of animals of all species every year. After careful consideration and consultation with area shelters, we decided we would narrow our focus to large dogs, which was and continues to be the greatest need. After a few years, we decided to take it one step further and register as a non-profit rescue 501(c)3 and Wilton Animal Rescue (WAR) was born.

OUR GOALS

Communities and shelters all over the nation are overwhelmed by the crisis of pet over-population, neglect, and homelessness. We will only overcome this crisis if the shelters, rescues, and the public work together and address the root causes of this crisis. We at Wilton Animal Rescue are doing our part by not only addressing the immediate needs of lost or abandoned dogs, but also providing education and outreach to the public. With every dog we rescue and rehabilitate, every person we educate about responsible pet ownership, every dog we microchip, and every child we inspire with our outreach programs, we do our part to chip away at this crisis. We dream of the day that WAR and other organizations like us are no longer necessary.

OUR SERVICES

Trapping/Rescue

Every day brings new reports of lost or abandoned dogs seen wandering. Animal control and city shelters are overburdened and will prioritize cases involving public safety. One of the services WAR provides is to respond to these cases, often traveling up to 60 miles, so that we can safely secure these dogs. Often, the dogs are scared and distrustful of humans and require us to trap them. We have invested in a variety of styles of traps so that we can use the one that best fits the situation. Our efforts often involve hiking through varied terrain, repelling into drainage ditches, and using creative ways to place the traps that will maximize our chances of attracting the dog. Once we have the dog secured, we immediately assess their physical condition and get them any veterinary care they require. We also scan them for a microchip to see if we can locate a family that might be looking for them. In the best cases, they have a registered microchip and we are able to reunite them with their families. If not, we determine if they are a candidate to bring into our rescue or surrender them to a local shelter.

Rescue Facilities/Adoption 

For the dogs that we bring into the rescue, we have kennel facilities, a grooming station and secure areas for the dogs to exercise and socialize. We are currently at max capacity at close to 40 dogs. All the dogs under our care receive vaccinations, including Rabies, DHPP, Leptospira, and Bortatella. They are also spayed/neutered and microchipped. We provide veterinary care, grooming and assess their personalities and behavior. We make sure that each dog we offer for adoption has basic obedience skills and is good on a leash and we work with professional trainers for those dogs that need extra help getting back on track. Once a dog is ready for adoption, we carefully screen incoming adoption applications and offer complete transparency about the dog traits to ensure the dog goes to a family best suited for their needs. In the event that the placement does not work out, we welcome the dog back.

Outreach

Providing services and education to the public helps WAR achieve our mission. Here is a short list of examples of our outreach efforts. We hold an event once a year offering free microchipping and other services. We host a group of special needs kids once a week where we teach them how to interact with our dogs and care for them. We have relationships with many local businesses and are often invited to special events where we educate the public about dog care and what we do as a rescue. We are always looking for opportunities to engage with the community and provide further education on responsible pet ownership.

Why We Need You    

Wilton Animal Rescue would not be possible without support from donors who are as passionate about our goals as we are. It takes tremendous resources to provide the care we give these dogs and the services we provide to the community. Please consider supporting us so that we can continue our rescue mission and aid towards ending the crisis of dog overpopulation, neglect and homelessness.