Community. We operate as a community of equals. Everyone contributes something, but no one contributes everything. By delegating responsibilities according to individual strengths, we are able to best serve the dogs we are all here to help.

Weimaraners. Due to our very limited resources and the fact that we have to draw the line somewhere, we are currently unable to take in Weimaraner mixes. Maybe that’ll someday change, but that’s where we’re at for now. Summer 2015 update: CalWEAR has committed to Scarlett (pitt bull mix) and Serena (fawn doberman mix). As space and resources allow, we hope to be able to care for even more.

Home. Weimaraners are family dogs. They were bred to be close to their people and therefore do not do well being isolated and alone. Feeling lost or abandoned is devastating for a Weimaraner and affects them in profound ways. The best thing we can do for those that come to us is to let them re-enter a home environment. This is why foster homes are so vital to what we do.

Health. Every Weimaraner we take in is assessed for general health and welfare. From day one, our dogs are medically treated on an as-needed basis. Due to the existing conditions that most Weimaraners come to us with, initial vet bills are not inexpensive and remain one of the biggest contributing factors to a particular dog’s adoption fee.

Time. After the initial vet visit, we provide every Weimaraner with a foster home, bed, blanket, food, water, company and love. That’s it. No training, no criticism, no exposure. And then we quietly observe and assess. We give these dogs time to heal, and time to trust.

Training and socialization. Once we’re sure our rescued Weimaraners are in a comfortable place, we slowly begin to introduce basic commands, some training, and some socialization/exposure. For some dogs, this may only take a few weeks. Others, maybe a couple of months. Every dog is different. Regardless, all of our Weimaraners must pass a basic health and temperament evaluation before they are considered available for adoption.

Individual dedication. We commit our hearts and souls to every Weimaraner we take in. Because it takes an enormous amount of time and energy to rehabilitate even one Weimaraner, we are unable to take in more dogs than we have space for. Unfortunately, that means we cannot help them all. But for those we are able to help, we take pride in knowing that we are doing everything we think is possible for the dog so that when he or she finds their new home, it is forever.

Solvency. CalWEAR cannot exist without the support of donations and adoption fees. Our expenses include, but are not limited to veterinarian visits, lab tests, medication, and food and shelter a dog requires while it is in foster care. Most of the time, a dog’s adoption fee doesn’t even cover the cost of care, so that’s where tax-deductible donations come in.

Education. We believe that lack of education and awareness is what results in the overwhelming amount of Weimaraners being turned into area shelters and rescues. By providing prospective families and existing owners with information, encouragement, and guidance, we hope to minimize and even (someday) eliminate the need for Weimaraner rescues. In the meantime, we are here as a collective group of experienced Weimaraner aficionados to help anyone who might need it. It’s the best thing we can do for all the Weimaraners who need all of us.

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Join us. If there’s anything you might be able to do to help us, whether it be by contributing money, time, or space, we’d love to hear from you! Click here to learn more.