Rescued Chihuahuas find temporary homes here
Seven Chihuahuas from a San Diego rescue organization have found temporary homes in Butler County thanks to the efforts of three women.
Their journey began two years ago when Jodi Hilliard of Butler Township received an e-mail from a friend about the overpopulation of Chihuahuas in California. While these small, saucy dogs have always been popular on the West Coast, their recent status as a pop culture icons has increased their popularity and population still more.
Rampant overbreeding has left many dogs in shelters throughout California, Hilliard said. She said there are estimates of thousands of Chihuahuas being euthanized each year.
So on a weekend trip to San Diego with her husband, Hilliard went to an adoption event put on by the organization, Chihuahua Rescue of San Diego. She ended up taking home Olive, the third addition to her growing Chihuahua family.
After seeing the dire situation in San Diego, Hilliard wanted to bring Chihuahuas to Pennsylvania to lighten the load on California shelters. The only issue was funding the cross-country flights for the dogs.
Then a few months ago, Marge Fithian, an animal activist in Philadelphia, got in touch with Hilliard and helped make her dream a reality. Fithian previously financed several trips to bring Chihuahuas to Maine and wanted to offer the same financial aid to the Butler County rescue operation.
Once the financial backing was in place, Hilliard contacted her groomer, Julie Christensen of PawPrints Grooming in Butler, to find foster homes for the incoming dogs. Christensen then got in touch with Dr. Cheryl Haywood of Myoma Animal Hospital in Mars and Critter Care Adoptions to give the dogs medical evaluations and facilitate the adoptions.
The seven lucky dogs arrived at Pittsburgh International Airport on May 14 and, after passing their post-flight checkups, were placed in their new foster homes.
The next step is for these animals is to be placed into permanent homes.
Haywood, Hilliard, and Christensen met Wednesday evening to review adoption applications for the Chihuahuas.
Potential adopters are required to fill out a five-page application to be considered for adoption and that's just the first step of the process. Next a “meet and greet” is set up with the dog to see how the adopters and animal interact. If all goes well, the final step is for the pet to be delivered to its new home.“We're serious about our animals going into quality homes,” said Haywood. “There's a commitment there, and it's both a time responsibility and a financial responsibility.Chihuahuas are not for everyone. They tend to bond closely to only one or two people and don't usually do well with small children. They also require dental care, which can be costly. This is why extra care must be taken when placing these dogs in adoptive homes.Since this trip went well, Hilliard is hoping to fly more dogs in the fall once the weather cools. American Airlines, which has flown all the Chihuahuas being transported from California, will not fly animals if the temperature is over 85. “We're learning a lot. We've learned what to do now. And we're hoping to do it again,” said Hilliard.The adoption fee for the San Diego Chihuahuas is $250. This cost covers the dog's veterinary bill and other expenses, funds the Chihuahua Rescue of San Diego and puts money back into a pool to finance future flights.Though this journey has brought attention to the plight of Chihuahuas, Hilliard hopes it will also bring attention to the broader issue of dog overpopulation everywhere.“This isn't just about the Chihuahuas,” she said. “It's about all dogs in shelters and overbreeding and overpopulation. It's to bring attention to all dogs that need a home,”For more information on Critter Care Adoptions or adopting any of the Chihuahuas, visit www.crittercareadoptions.com.
