FAQ/Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. National Wheaten Rescue (NWR) is a 501(c)(3) with a volunteer Board of Directors which manages its operations. Its mission is powered by a national network of Wheaten lovers, who also volunteer their services, and strengthened by its collaborative relationship with Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier Club of America, the only Wheaten breed club recognized and sanctioned by the American Kennel Club. NWR services are, in large part, financed through tax-deductible donations made to support its mission.
National Wheaten Rescue provides rescue services in all 48 contiguous states, but because of logistics and other considerations is not able to offer rescue interventions in Hawaii, Alaska, or other countries.
NWR does not accept mixed breed dogs for rescue because its mission is specific to Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers.
American Kennel Club registration numbers are requested when a dog is relinquished to NWR but some purebred Wheatens do not have AKC registration or the owner cannot verify that, so NWR does not guarantee AKC registration.
There are a variety of reasons. While surrendering a Wheaten Terrier is an incredibly difficult decision, sometimes life deals people events that make it impossible for them to provide the kind of home a dog deserves. Most owner surrenders are motivated by what’s in the best interest of the Wheaten.
Reputable, AKC-sanctioned Wheaten breeders make a commitment to find a forever home for a dog they bred if the original owner is no longer able to care for their Wheaten. But some breeders are not as committed to the dog’s long-term well-being and that option often does not exist for dogs from backyard breeders. Whatever the reason for the surrender, NWR is driven by a passion for its mission to find an appropriate new forever home for each dog rescued.
The dogs helped by National Wheaten Rescue come from a variety of sources including local animal shelters and owner surrenders. Sometimes, Wheatens are found after being lost or abandoned.
Newly rescued Wheatens are evaluated for health, temperament, training history, and other factors that could affect their ability to be successful pets. Sometimes needed interventions are as simple as getting a very matted dog bathed and groomed. For other dogs, it may be necessary to arrange for needed veterinary care.
Dogs that have been abused or neglected may be nervous and frightened and must learn to trust people again, in which case NWR enlists the help of trusted Wheaten behavior experts and/or foster home volunteers. If the Wheaten was given up because of an unresolved behavior problem, NWR calls on training experts to help.
Although each dog may have different needs, fulfilling NWR’s mission requires investing in resources that help each dog be successful in a new home. In short, NWR does what it takes to create the SUCCESS STORIES highlighted on that page of this website.
Many rescues come from good homes where they were loved and cared for but were given up for reasons unrelated to the dogs themselves such as divorce, work travel requirements, a death in the family, or a move.
Some dogs, of course, are surrendered due to behavioral challenges the current owner was not able to manage. Sometimes, the simple removal of a dog from the current environment – such as incompatibility with another dog in the house or providing access to a fenced yard – can quickly change problematic behavior dynamics.
Regardless of the reason they were surrendered, rescue dogs can come with “baggage” from their former homes or develop some insecurity as a result of being surrendered. Because of that reality, NWR services go beyond just moving a dog from one location to another. We can involve experienced foster care families, behavior specialists, or trainers if needed to help evaluate a dog’s challenges or offer resources for help post-adoption.
Many people who adopt rescues report that dogs somehow seem to understand being given a second chance, and try hard to fit into their new environments. Happily, as evidenced by NWR’s SUCCESS STORIES, a win-win for both the new owners and the dog is the most common outcome.
NWR advocates around the country actually help NWR remove Wheatens from shelters because of the inherent limitations in the services dogs are able to receive there – and the potentially problematic position that can put new owners in if they adopt a dog with very limited information about what that dog’s behavior and other challenges might be.
NWR uses its resources to provide a variety of services prior to placing a dog in a new adoptive home. These resources can be as simple as an in-home evaluation to understand the dog’s history and behavior patterns, or they can involve consultation with Wheaten behavior or training specialists or temporary placement in a foster home for further evaluation. Those services also often include funding of needed veterinary care.
Especially important to many adoptive families, NWR is also available to offer post-adoption guidance or resource referrals to families who adopt rescued Wheatens.
National Wheaten Rescue does not buy dogs, or sell them. Our mission is to rescue purebred Wheaten Terriers; to use both our people and financial resources to locate and place them in new forever homes. Adoption fees are not high enough to cover the costs associated with the services NWR provides to do that, but they contribute to the financial resources that help enable that mission. In addition to expenses related to simply moving dogs, NWR pays for the Wheaten’s care from the time it is relinquished until it is delivered to its new owners. These costs very based on the individual dog’s needs, of course, but they can include grooming, boarding, spaying/neutering and other needed veterinary care. We believe the people who adopt rescued Wheatens understand that there are expenses associated with rehoming dogs in a responsible way and are happy to contribute, through the payment of relatively small adoption fees, to the resources that make that possible.
Although NWR’s adoption fees do not cover the costs incurred for all the services NWR provides to successfully rescue, foster and place dogs in new forever homes, tax-deductible donations made to NWR fund most of the associated costs and allow NWR’s adoption fees, shown below, to remain as low as possible.
- Rescued dogs under age 2: $600 *
- Age 2 – under 5 years of age: $500 *
- Age 5 – under 7 years of age: $400 *
- Age 7 – under 9 years of age: $300 *
- Senior Wheatens 9+ years of age: fee determined on an individual basis
- Special Needs Wheatens: fee determined on an individual basis
* Crate, transportation, or shipping fees specific to the dog being placed, if applicable, will be added to the adoption fee but every effort is made to minimize transportation costs by using NWR’s network of volunteers whenever possible to assist with getting a dog to a new home.
Because good decisions require a good understanding of what the needs are, NWR makes every effort to know as much as possible about each rescued Wheaten before deciding where to foster or place the dog. A rescued Wheaten has often had at least one unsuccessful experience and NWR’s goal is to locate a new home that gives each dog the best opportunity for the next home to be a happy and healthy forever home.
Before NWR agrees to accept a dog for placement, the dog’s owners, vet, groomer, and sometimes even pet sitters are interviewed to learn as much as possible. And, when necessary, NWR consults with behavior experts and trainers if a better understanding is required after NWR takes responsibility for the dog.
NWR could not make the best rehoming decisions without understanding the dog’s needs, and it would not be fair to adoptive families to give them a dog without understanding what their preferences are for the type of dog they adopt. In the same way we sometimes do home visits to learn as much as possible about a dog before we accept it for rescue, we sometimes do in-home visits to meet adoption applicants in person.
Experience has taught us that informed decisions are the ones most likely to result in the best matches; ones that are successful for both the dog and the adoptive family.
Yes. Many people who want to adopt a Wheaten have preferences about the sex or age of a dog they would consider. Just tell us yours when you complete our Adoption Application.
Reputable Wheaten breeders occasionally also have older dogs in need of new forever homes. The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier Club of America, with whom NWR collaborates, maintains a list of member breeders on their website and you can check their Breeders List to find a breeder in your area. These AKC-sanctioned breeders are part of an intricate breeder network and, if a breeder doesn’t have a dog for you, they may know of another breeder with an older Wheaten ready for adoption.
NWR’s placement decisions are made by the knowledgeable and experienced members of NWR’s rescue team and they are based on what NWR believes will be the best fit for both the dog’s unique needs and the goals of the applicants seeking to adopt.
Prior to any dog being rehomed, multiple applications are reviewed to identify which ones appear to be eligible based on the location and needs of the individual dog while matching, as closely as possible, the preferences expressed by the applicants for the type of dog they would like. The number of adoption opportunities are affected, of course, by factors such as the number of dogs relinquished to NWR each year, where they are located, and the number of adoption applicants available in any given area at any given time, all of which are outside of NWR’s direct control.
To help people who want to adopt a rescued Wheaten increase their chances of getting a dog, NWR suggests also checking with the regional Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier clubs listed on our CONTACT US page, trusted organizations who may also have rescued Wheatens available for adoption. To consider acquiring a Wheaten from a reputable breeder, NWR recommends contacting one of the breeder members on Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier Club of America Breeder’s List.
The number of unwanted dogs euthanized every year is staggering. NWR is committed to not contributing to the very problem that results in many dogs needing rescue interventions.
Additionally, there are no significant health disadvantages to neutering or spaying when weighed against the known health benefits of doing those procedures.
Although NWR charges adoption fees which help offset some expenses, those fees do not cover the costs for all the services NWR provides. NWR’s services are possible because of its network of volunteers, many of whom also choose to support NWR’s mission by personally covering some of the costs incurred during rescue interventions. NWR heroes include, as examples, the foster families and volunteer drivers who help get NWR rescues where they need to be for treatment or placement.
Equally critical, NWR gratefully receives donations from generous people who are able, thanks to NWR’s non-profit status, to support a mission they are passionate about with tax deductible dollars.
Most people volunteer with NWR because they know and love Wheatens! NWR Board members, and most people volunteering to help during rescue interventions, have at least one Wheaten and all of them believe that helping these wonderful dogs is one way to give something back to a breed that is the source of so much joy for so many people.
NWR volunteers love seeing a frightened, unhappy, and sometimes sick Wheaten get better as a result of NWR resources or interventions. And, even better, seeing that dog become a beloved member of a new forever home with a family who has actively chosen to give it the love and care it deserves after being rescued. NWR’s work delivers so many win-wins! Who could ask for something more rewarding than that?
