Rhodesian Ridgeback Rescue of Northern California (RRRNC) was formed in 1990 by Ms. Elizabeth Akers. Her goal was to aid Rhodesian Ridgeback dogs in need of new homes. Receiving sporadic help from occasional volunteers, Ms. Akers took in dogs from shelters, and from owners who no longer wanted them. She evaluated each dog's temperament; found temporary homes for them, arranged for their medical care and training. Each dog was ultimately placed in a suitable permanent home. RRRNC received its funds from adoption fees charged to new owners for the dogs, and occasional contributions from private individuals. RRRNC often did not have enough funds to cover each dog's expenses, and volunteers paid for the items themselves.

RRRNC still follows the original mission of Ms. Akers to re-home Rhodesian Ridgebacks in need. We pursue any avenue available to educate people about the breed, and perhaps prevent the need of our services. RRRNC has developed informational packets for shelters, to assist them in identifying Rhodesian Ridgebacks as well as Rhodesian Ridgeback mixed breed dogs. The packet provides breed information, both written and photographic. This has resulted in us being contacted more often by shelters to come and pick a dog up from them.

We have adopted a uniform set of policies as to how each dog will be cared for by RRRNC, and expanded the paperwork used to track each dog's progress through rescue.

We have broadened our search for volunteers, and free or low cost services. Volunteers have been assigned specific duties, and RRRNC has developed a strict set of criteria in judging to whom the dogs will be adapted. This ensures that the needs of each dog are met in an organized manner. No dog will be rehomed without first having been spayed or neutered and microchipped. Future homes are carefully screened to ensure the best, and most permanent match between dog and owner.

Several of the rescue dogs have been certified as Therapy Dogs prior to being placed. Other rescue dogs have been used to educate elementary school children by being taken into the classroom. There the children are taught how to care for a dog, what a dog's needs are, how to touch or pet a dog. They are also taught about spaying and neutering and over-population of pets today. If we begin with educating the children today, pets will have a better chance of being properly cared for and we would hope that with this education the current overpopulation of domestic pets would decrease in the future.

Rhodesian Ridgeback Rescue of Northern California gained 501c3 tax-exempt status in 2000.