SACRAMENTO SIERRA NORWEGIAN ELKHOUND CLUB
RESCUE PROGRAM
Sacramento Sierra Norwegian Elkhound Club is a small club serving the Sacramento and surrounding areas. Started in 1992 to preserve, protect, and advance the Norwegian Elkhound, our club has an active rescue program. Our goal is finding “forever” homes for elkhounds needing new homes. We have placed over 50 Norwegian Elkhounds in the past 15 years.
There are many reasons for a dog to come into our rescue program – the death of the owner, a divorce, family moving, a stray in one of the local animal shelters. We rarely get puppies into rescue and many times the dogs are 5-8 years old or even older. Sometimes we get dogs into our rescue program with special needs or overweight elkhounds needing exercise and a strict diet. We even on occasion have taken in elkhound mixes, though we try not to because they are much harder to place. No matter the reason, they all deserve a second chance! And they all have lots of love to offer. These dogs have gone from being a rescue to being a beloved member of their new families.
All the dogs that come into our rescue program are given a health check, brought up to date on their vaccinations, and are spayed or neutered. We also evaluate their temperament in order to place them in just the right new home. Potential adopters fill out an application and meet the dog so we can observe the interaction in order to make the best match.
Sometimes the dogs adjust right away to their new surroundings. Other times, it takes a little longer for the dog to trust that nothing bad will happen to them. So we stay in touch with the new family offering advice and encouragement and tips to make sure the dog’s adjustment to the new home goes smoothly. We usually call or e-mail after a couple of days, then again after a couple of weeks, and then again after a couple of months. Often times we get regular updates and pictures on how well the dog is doing in their new home – which is very rewarding!. The many success stories are what keeps us doing rescue!
If you would be interested in adopting a Norwegian Elkhound from our rescue program, please e-mail our Rescue Coordinator, Sue Green, at Seg1seg@aol.com There is an application to be filled out which will help us find just the right elkhound for you and your family.
SACRAMENTO SIERRA NORWEGIAN ELKHOUND CLUB
RESCUE SUCCESS STORIES
JESSIE – Jessie was rescued from a shelter in Northern California. Between 1 ½ and 3 years old, she was pretty wild and crazy. Her new owner was able to channel that energy and wildness and Jessie went on to get obedience titles, tracking titles, and agility titles. Most of all she was a beloved companion to her “Mom” for 14+ years and loved life and going on adventures. She lived a long, full life and enriched the life of her owner beyond words. It is because of Jessie that her owner became involved with elkhound rescue and is now the Rescue Coordinator for SSNEC!
SOPHIE – Sophie was found as a stray and adopted by a club member who had other elkhounds. Her sweet personality made her a perfect candidate to do pet therapy at convalescent hospitals and schools. She also got to represent the club and the breed at school education programs that SSNEC participates in.
TAZZ – Tazz was dumped in the night box at a shelter in the Bay area. About 8 years old and very overweight, she had the sweetest face and smile. However, the shelter deemed her unadoptable because she was too shy. We took her into our rescue program and after a few weeks, her true personality began to emerge! She had just been overwhelmed by all the changes in her life and by the shelter environment. She was put on a diet, given exercise, and fostered in a home with three other elkhounds and began to blossom. She is now living happily ever after with a couple in Southern California who love her very much. She gets along great with their grandkids and granddogs! Her new owners have kept her on her diet and given her lots of exercise, so she is looking and feeling very good these days.
KODY – Kody was a young, 90+ lb elkhound mix found in a shelter in the Bay area. He had been adopted at least twice from the shelter but had been returned because he was “destructive”, had no manners, and was just too much dog for most people to handle. A couple with an acre of fenced land and a female german shepherd knew just how to handle him from the first moment they met him. They adopted him and from day one, he fit right in. He just needed some room to run and someone who knew how to handle a large, energetic dog with no training. He is now a beloved member of their family, loves all the grandkids, and has never once destroyed anything.
THELMA & LOUISE -- These two elkhound mixes were sisters turned in to a local animal shelter. They were both very overweight and used to just being outdoor dogs. It took us almost three months to find a new home for them but the lady who adopted them couldn’t resist their sweet faces and sad story. She renamed them Elsa and Elise and has kept them on a diet so they’ve lost weight. They now enjoy going on long walks with their new “Mom” and two other elkhounds and are doing very well.
COLBY – Colby originally came into our rescue program in August, 2007 due to a divorce. He was placed with a family in Granite Bay and was doing fine. But for some reason he turned up in Southern California rescue program in May, 2009 rather than coming back to our rescue program. Although almost 13 years old, he was still very healthy and active. We placed him with a woman in Washington who has had elkhounds over the years and had recently lost hers. She says he has adapted well and enjoys their walks and her other dog, a Swedish Valhund.
OTIS – The Bay area elkhound club asked for our club’s help with an 8-year old, very overweight, male elkhound in a shelter in Dublin who only had a couple of days left before he would be put down. We agreed to take him into our rescue program. After boarding him for a few days, he was fostered at the home of the rescue coordinator who immediately put him on a diet, starting walking him, and began the search for a new home. A couple in Sacramento who had lost their elkhound in the fall were now ready to adopt another elkhound and so they came and met Otis. Then we introduced him to their little female dog. Things went well and they adopted Otis in July, 2009 and changed his name to Loki. He now has a big yard to play in, gets walked twice a day, loves playing with the other dog, and has really bonded with his new owners. They are keeping him on his diet too and he is losing some weight. He’s looking good and acting happy and it’s obvious he is very much loved!
LOKI – While fostering Otis, I was contacted by the SSPCA. They had a young, male elkhound who had been surrendered by his owners due to a move. We had to make the heart-breaking decision that we couldn’t take him because we had nowhere to put him. Thanks to a generous donation to the SSPCA by two club members, the SSPCA was able to keep Loki, get him over kennel cough, and give us time to find him a new home. A couple from Concord who had recently lost their elkhound were very interested and after determining that he was OK with cats and liked to ride in the car, they adopted Loki directly from the SSPCA. He is a real sweetie and updates from his new Mom and Dad indicate things are going great! He is sweet, energetic, and loving and they are very happy with him.
KATY – In July, 2009, we were contacted by a young woman who had rescued a 7-month old Norwegian elkhound puppy from a friend’s niece who was moving. The dog had been given no attention or training and had been relegated to the backyard because she was a “difficult and unruly puppy”. Her rescuer saw her potential and worked with her to teach her some basic manners. In less than a month she became a sweet, loving little girl eager to please and willing to learn new things. We were able to find Katy a new home with a couple from Oregon who recently lost their female elkhound and were looking for a companion for themselves and their older male elkhound. Katy is now in a wonderful home where she gets lots of love and attention and the chance to develop her potential. Her new owners love her energy and sweet nature and she is doing very well.
These are just some of our successful rescue placements. If you want to be part of a success story, contact Sue Green, Rescue Coordinator, at Seg1seg@aol.com.
Else - Dumped in the night box at a shelter in the Bay area, this elkie girl came to SSNEC rescue in November 2009 confused and stressed. Once she realized she was safe, her true personality began to emerge - sweet, happy, loved attention, and wagged not only her tail but her whole body when you talked to her! She was overweight and had a couple of major medical issues, but a wonderful couple who'd had elkhounds before looked past all that and saw only her sweet, loving nature. They drove two days from Utah to adopt her and have taken care of her medical issues so she is doing great! They really, really love her. Else has adjusted to her new life in the high desert of Utah and continues to blossom!
Elkhounds Currently Seeking a Home