We will work together in partnership with the community to prevent pet overpopulation by bringing awareness to the benefits of pet adoption and spay/neuter, by ensuring careful placement of our rescue dogs to lifelong homes, and by promoting responsible pet guardianship. In doing so, we endeavor to continue GIVING HOPE to Georgia’s homeless Chihuahuas and the people who love them.

A Message from the Director

Whether you are new volunteer, a member of the community, or an avid Chihuahua lover, we encourage you to inform yourself about pet overpopulation and how this affects the Chihuahua; the smallest breed of dog in the world!

Did you know that the Chihuahua is the #1 small dog listed on petfinder.org (a national pet adoption database) with over 8,000 breed listings? One can safely assume because of this fact that the Chihuahua is also the #1 small dog given up by owners and found in animal control shelters across the country.

To add to these statistics, CRGa conducted statistical research in the Fall of 2008 to determine how many homeless Chihuahuas there are in the State of Georgia. We were able to track over 300 Chihuahuas which were given up by their owners during this time. This means that on average there are over 1200 Chihuahuas given up annually in the State of Georgia. When we added the number of owner surrenders to the number of rescue requests we received from local Metro Atlanta animal control shelters, the annual number of homeless Chihuahuas in the State of Georgia grew to 2000!

We also tracked the reasons why Chihuahuas were being given up by their owners. In 49% of the cases tracked, the top reasons owners stated for giving up their Chihuahua were: 1) moving, 2) no money, 3) no time, 4) career change, 5) death of owner, 6) new baby/small children, 7) other pets don't get along, 8) medical problems with pet, 9) allergies, 10) owner had health problems, 11) behavorial problems with pet, 12) and marital change. In 51% of the cases tracked a reason was not stated. We believe the overall reason people give up their pets is more likely due to lack of commitment - a problem that has been persistent over time in the fight against pet overpopulation.

Pet overpopulation particularly affects the Chihuahua because of the breed's popularity and small size. Most people don't realize, however, that the Chihuahua is not the best choice as a family pet and they have a longer than average lifespan at about 15 years. As more Chihuahuas are bred each day, and people fail to make a lifetime commitment, the breed continues to be the smallest victim in the statistical battle against pet overpopulation.

As a lifetime Chihuahua lover, and the Director & Founder of CRGa, I will continue GIVING HOPE to the Chihuahuas entrusted to my care, the volunteers who work so hard to save them, and the people in the community who support our rescue efforts. Our organization helps fight pet overpopulation by encouraging people to choose pet adoption versus buying from a breeder, by educating the public on the importance of spay/neuter, and by promoting responsible pet guardianship in the community. It's through all of this that we hope to bring positive change to the lives of Georgia's homeless Chihuahuas.

Continuing Our Mission

Click here for The Advantages of Pet Adoption and Spay/Neuter Surgery for your Pet.