It only took two foster dogs to convince Judy Nguyen that she had a knack for helping poorly socialized dogs. Three years later, Judy now runs Walkin' the Bark Rescue, a not-for-profit rescue in Antioch, Calif. that specializes in helping unwanted dogs with behavioral or medical issues. While she has a few volunteers that help, Nguyen works closely with the dogs in her Antioch home, shaping them up for adoption. Nguyen spoke with Paw Nation about her efforts.
Why did you start Walkin' the Bark?
There were two dogs in particular that had a big impact on me and led me to start Walkin' the Bark -- Iris and Doris, two very fearful dogs who came out of their shell with us. I loved watching them blossom, and I loved knowing that I was able to provide them with the extra help not everyone else was able or willing to. It was then that I realized I wanted to help special needs dogs and formed Walkin' the Bark Rescue. With the permission of the other rescues, Iris and Doris became the first Walkin' the Bark dogs. Both have long since been adopted and have developed beyond my wildest expectations with their forever families. It's just amazing to know that I was part of that process.
How many rescues do you take in a year?
In 2007, we took in about 50. But in 2008, when we progressed to more and more special-needs dogs, the numbers really dropped because of the huge amount of time and effort invested in dogs like that. Since special needs dogs aren't adopted as quickly as many other dogs, they stay with us for a long time. And since we're so limited in foster space, we can't take new dogs in until our current foster dogs are adopted.
Where do you find your rescues?
Some come from local shelters, always the ones on the urgent list. Some actually come from Taiwan, where the number of stray, abused and neglected dogs is overwhelming. There is a rescue team in Taiwan called the Animal Rescue Team that we collaborate with to save homeless dogs found in Taiwan.
What's your criteria when deciding who to take in?
The only criteria we have is that the dog cannot be aggressive towards people or other dogs. That's just one issue I feel is beyond our means and expertise to deal with properly. Otherwise, we don't have any criteria other than simply that they need a home.
Can you tell us more about taking dogs with behavioral or medical issues?
In the past couple of years, we have taken in dogs that were severely fearful and under-socialized, as well as dogs that required more intensive medical care. We had a dog with epilepsy, one who had been surrendered to the local shelter with a fractured femur bone, another requiring orthopedic surgery to correct her twisted ankle. These were dogs that just required some extra time and care. There are so many dogs out there who need homes -- many perfectly healthy without any kind of behavioral issues -- that the ones who do require more effort are often overlooked.
How long does it usually take for you to find homes?
It varies greatly. Usually a couple of months, but sometimes several months or even longer. However long it takes is however long we give each dog.
Where do the dogs stay while you're looking for homes?
They stay in foster homes, individuals or families who volunteer to care for the dog like their own until a permanent home can be found.
Where do you get funding from?
We get a little from donations, but mostly it's out-of-pocket.
What's your adoption process?
It's pretty intensive, especially when dealing with a dog with behavioral issues or one that requires special care. We have an adoption application, phone interview, reference checks, play dates, and a home check. It's a time-consuming process, for both the adopter as well as ourselves, but we feel that if the applicant is really committed to having a dog, they would be more than willing to invest the time to make sure they get the right one.
Why did you start Walkin' the Bark?
There were two dogs in particular that had a big impact on me and led me to start Walkin' the Bark -- Iris and Doris, two very fearful dogs who came out of their shell with us. I loved watching them blossom, and I loved knowing that I was able to provide them with the extra help not everyone else was able or willing to. It was then that I realized I wanted to help special needs dogs and formed Walkin' the Bark Rescue. With the permission of the other rescues, Iris and Doris became the first Walkin' the Bark dogs. Both have long since been adopted and have developed beyond my wildest expectations with their forever families. It's just amazing to know that I was part of that process.
How many rescues do you take in a year?
In 2007, we took in about 50. But in 2008, when we progressed to more and more special-needs dogs, the numbers really dropped because of the huge amount of time and effort invested in dogs like that. Since special needs dogs aren't adopted as quickly as many other dogs, they stay with us for a long time. And since we're so limited in foster space, we can't take new dogs in until our current foster dogs are adopted.
Where do you find your rescues?
Some come from local shelters, always the ones on the urgent list. Some actually come from Taiwan, where the number of stray, abused and neglected dogs is overwhelming. There is a rescue team in Taiwan called the Animal Rescue Team that we collaborate with to save homeless dogs found in Taiwan.
What's your criteria when deciding who to take in?
The only criteria we have is that the dog cannot be aggressive towards people or other dogs. That's just one issue I feel is beyond our means and expertise to deal with properly. Otherwise, we don't have any criteria other than simply that they need a home.
Can you tell us more about taking dogs with behavioral or medical issues?
In the past couple of years, we have taken in dogs that were severely fearful and under-socialized, as well as dogs that required more intensive medical care. We had a dog with epilepsy, one who had been surrendered to the local shelter with a fractured femur bone, another requiring orthopedic surgery to correct her twisted ankle. These were dogs that just required some extra time and care. There are so many dogs out there who need homes -- many perfectly healthy without any kind of behavioral issues -- that the ones who do require more effort are often overlooked.
How long does it usually take for you to find homes?
It varies greatly. Usually a couple of months, but sometimes several months or even longer. However long it takes is however long we give each dog.
Where do the dogs stay while you're looking for homes?
They stay in foster homes, individuals or families who volunteer to care for the dog like their own until a permanent home can be found.
Where do you get funding from?
We get a little from donations, but mostly it's out-of-pocket.
What's your adoption process?
It's pretty intensive, especially when dealing with a dog with behavioral issues or one that requires special care. We have an adoption application, phone interview, reference checks, play dates, and a home check. It's a time-consuming process, for both the adopter as well as ourselves, but we feel that if the applicant is really committed to having a dog, they would be more than willing to invest the time to make sure they get the right one.
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