The history of National Wheaten Rescue, Inc.

Where It All Started

In 1979, this letter (click on it to enlarge) was sent by Christa Weber, the manager of a Humane Society location where a Wheaten named Shelly had been surrendered, to Bryan and Gwynne McNamara, both members of the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier Club of America (SCWTCA).
In response, Bryan and Gwynne forwarded the letter to SCWTCA’s board of directors, who made the decision to become involved in placing Shelly, and history was made as she became the first purebred Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier re-homed by SCWTCA.
SCWTCA was very grateful to Christa for recognizing that Shelly was a Wheaten, and they worked hard to be sure Shelly made it to a good home. Shelly’s forever home was with Julia Terrill Thomas, a philanthropist who would express her gratitude for Shelly by financially supporting the Humane Society of Glynn County in Brunswick, GA years after her death.
Originally part of SCWTCA, and later restructured as a separate non-profit organization, National Wheaten Rescue is still inspired by the legacies of Christa, Bryan, Gywnne, Julie, and, of course, by dogs like Shelly.

National Wheaten Rescue History Timeline

1973

Wheaten Terriers gained AKC recognition and, in the years to follow, the breed began to gain popularity, creating a public demand for the breed that reputable breeders were not able to meet. Pet shops began to sell Wheatens.

1979

A Humane Society Manager in Georgia recognized that Shelly, a dog relinquished to her shelter, was a Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier. That manager reached out to the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier Club of American (SCWTCA) for assistance in rehoming her and Shelly became SCWTCA’s first Wheaten rescue success story.

1992

Three SCWTCA members, Beth Heckerman, Margo Gilliland, and Gwen Arthur, while gathered around Beth’s kitchen table, came up with the concept of rescuing Wheatens needing a second chance. Under the direction of that year’s president, Emily Holden, SCWTCA formed a Rescue Committee in response to the alarming number of Wheaten Terriers being turned into Humane Societies across the country; a result of puppy mills and backyard breeders who did not support dog owners or carefully place the dogs they produced.

In the fall of that year, SCWTCA’s Rescue Committee’s purpose was published in their newsletter and officially recognized as “to help dogs whose breeders were unknown, unable or unwilling to take responsibility for their dogs”.

1993 - 2020

SCWTCA rescued or aided local Wheaten clubs around the country in rescuing and rehoming 1,767 pure bred Wheaten Terriers, raising over $222,000 for the care and support of those dogs. Although 100% of the Wheatens rescued by SCWTCA during these years came from sources other than reputable SCWTCA member breeders, many of SCWTCA’S member breeders stepped up to support the rescue of those Wheatens, speaking volumes about the quality of SCWTCA member breeders.

2021

National Wheaten Rescue, Inc (NWR) was established as a non-profit 501(c)(3) entity, separate from SCWTCA, to focus on the rescue of purebred Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers and allow the donations that enable its mission to be tax deductible.

Nancy Butler, who had served for years as SCWTCA’s Rescue Committee Chair, was named as NWR’s first president, bringing to NWR her unprecedented devotion to Wheaten Terriers and a unique rescue expertise based on her long history of supporting, rehoming, and providing resources that support the well-being of this wonderful breed.

Today

National Wheaten Rescue’s leadership team includes board members in multiple states around the country, each of whom serves NWR as a volunteer. In addition to the Wheaten-specific knowledge and expertise each of these board members bring to the table, National Wheaten Rescue collaborates with SCWTCA and regional Wheaten clubs to maintains a strong network of trusted volunteers in every region of the continental United States to transport, foster and support the needs of dogs accepted into NWR’s rescue/rehoming program. NWR’s mission is funded entirely by the adoption fees paid and the generous donations made in support of Wheaten Terriers to enable services which include the food, medications, spaying or neutering, and other needed veterinary care for Wheatens after they are relinquished to NWR and while they are in foster homes.