These dogs have all found loving homes.
PHOENIX
11/3/22 -
LUMPY
2/18/23 -
SCAMPER
2/18/23
CASPER
2/18/23 -
RACER
2/18/23
GIDGET
2/18/23 -
COSMO
2/18/23
SABLE
2/18/23 -
KIMBER
2/17/23 -
ELLIE
2/20/23 -
ABE
2/20/23 -
JACK
2/20/23 -
MAISIE
2/20/23 -
BETSY
2/20/23 -
SIERRA
2/2/23
NUGGET
2/12/23 —
THUMPER
1/26/23 - Norah
BUNNY
1/26/23 - Bennie
RUBY
1/26/23 -
BABS
1/26/23 -
FIVER
1/26/23 -
VELVET
1/26/23 -
CADBURY
1/26/23 -
BUGSY
1/26/23 -
EASTER
1/26/23 -
RABBIT
1/26/23 - A petite and emaciated girl at only 50 lbs. when we took her from the shelter, this mama came with nine 2-week-old puppies who she had been guarding in a field all by herself. Named for the brand-new Year of the Rabbit, she was initially timid and nervous in foster care at the home of the folks at our wonderful sister organization, Phu Quoc Ridgeback Rescue. They took excellent care of Rabbit and her brood, and she soon settled and seemed to be grateful for all the help! Once all the pups were weaned and being adopted, Rabbit was spayed to ensure she was done with all that! She ultimately found a great home with another Ridgeback to keep her company. Now called Winnie (among a myriad of amusing nicknames), she and her brother are inseparable! She has also gained a much-needed 10 lbs.! She keeps her new parents on their toes - always getting into something, just to show them she can. They love her endlessly.
KOLBY
1/21/23 - When 5-year-old Kolby’s owner sadly passed away, he was in need of help! Rincal took him in, and he spent some time in an experienced foster home to get through his sadness and confusion. Kolby was then lucky to be adopted by a couple who had already had three Ridgebacks of their own, and were up for the fun and challenge presented by this 100-lb livernose boy! They are now enjoying their time together immensely, and Kolby loves his couch!
ZEKE
1/21/23 - Little old man Zeke. Not enough words to describe our feelings about this one. Zeke was picked up as a stray in Southern California. Although he had a microchip and Animal Control was able to contact his family, they said they didn’t want him anymore. He was too old, and too much of a responsibility. Can you imagine?? Rincal immediately arranged for Zeke to come to us. On a winter day, before the crack of dawn, he boarded a non-profit animal transport bus and headed north! We already had a home lined up! A lovely couple was looking specifically for a senior dog, even a hospice dog. Zeke hit the jackpot, and undoubtedly moved on to a much better, more loved life. He went to live on a vineyard, with loving humans and a handful of cranky dachsunds to show him around. Well deserved, Zeke.
KIMA
1/20/23 - This little gentleman came to us from a Northern California shelter who identified him as a hound mix, possible Ridgeback. He was very young and very sweet and of course we took him in! He also had kennel cough and pneumonia - and we were unaware! Fortunately he had a great foster mom who kept a quiet house for him and nursed him back to health. Today Kima is growing and thriving and happy in his new home with a big brother Ridgeback and a big sister RR mix - finally he can play to his heart’s content! By the way, the family didn’t care in the least that our DNA testing showed that Kima has no RR in him at all … He is mostly Plotthound, with equal portions Catahoula Leopard Dog and Treeing Walker Coonhound thrown in! What a cool mix, resulting in a beautiful boy.
ROCKET
10/27/22 - We received a call from a Rincal supporter who had found Rocket in a Southern California shelter. She took him in herself as she was afraid he wouldn’t last there. In just a couple days, she determined without a doubt that this dog couldn’t be left alone - he had extreme separation anxiety. He also had numerous wounds to his face, head and body - some looked like knife wounds. He was just terrified to be away from a person at any time. Because the adopter could not possibly be with this boy 24/7, we took him into rescue. A great young foster couple kept him for almost two months, and he blossomed! However, he still could not be left alone without hyperventilating and being destructive in his efforts to escape his confines and find his people. He was moved to a home with three resident dogs, frequented by other fosters and visiting dogs. It took awhile, but once Rocket realized that he could count on his new dog friends as much as he could his foster mom, he relaxed so much that he was able to be left loose in the house for hours without doing anything other than sleep by the front door. No sign of stress at all. He proved himself to be a very good boy who loved to cuddle and sleep in bed with his foster mom and other dogs. Still, the perfect home was necessary in order to allow Rock to continue to flourish. Image our delight when a mail-order family came along and fit the bill to a tee! Rocket, now called Otis, is living happily with his new family and sister dog, Sunny - who may or not be delighted. :)
PAMPLEMOUSSE
12/23/22 -This 8-week-old purebred boy came in with siblings and was dubbed part of our “fruit litter.” Who knew a pamplemousse was a grapefruit? Since re-named Kylo Blue, this pup’s foster could not let him go, and officially adopted him. He is now living happily with a Ridgeback-experienced family.
JUNIPER
12/23/22 - Sweet Juniper is one of the two females in our “fruit litter.” Adorable as she was, she was unfortunately plagued with a dermoid sinus. No matter! An adopter was quickly lined up for this pup and we had her dermoid successfully removed. Now called Gigi, she lives with a wonderful couple who has raised two Ridgebacks in the past!
MANGO
12/23/22 - Mango may well deserve the title of “most comedic” of our “fruit litter.” As handsome as any of his littermates, this purebred pup certainly has a “who, me?” attitude. He is living with another Rincal alum in Northern California. Although he is a handful, he is adorable and very loved.
JACKFRUIT
12/23/22 - Another “fruit litter” boy, this beautiful livernose came in with his siblings at two months of age. Now called Cash, short for Cashew, this lucky pup lives with a very Ridgeback-savvy family who has raised five RRs, starting in 1989! He’s got a big sister RR to keep him in line.
LOGANBERRY
12/23/22 - Another “fruit litter” boy, Logan was fostered and adopted by a family who also has adopted from Rincal in the past. Re-named Cooper, this lucky boy lives with alum Shandy (Hagan), another dog and their adoptive parents in a beautiful part of Northern California.
OLIVE
12/23/22 - Little Olive was one of the only two girls our “fruit” litter. She was fostered and adopted by a previous Rincal adopter, who has Soul (Feni) and another Ridgeback. They make quite a nice pack!
HUCKLEBERRY
12/23/22 - This sweet little purebred boy came in with siblings at just two months of age. He was fostered and adopted by the same person, who just couldn’t let him go! Now called Tayo, he lives the good life with his adoptive mom and a big sister Ridgeback!
BOSCO
7/17/22 - Bosco was picked up with his brother, Rosco, and taken to a congested shelter in Northern California. Deemed very nice dogs, the shelter reached out to us for our help. We immediately retrieved the one-year-old boys and put them in foster care for a bit of evaluation. In Bosco’s case, he was a perfect gentleman and began accompanying his foster mom and her Ridgeback to different places. Everyone loved him and a young family was chosen as his adopter. Fast forward many months and the family had to give him up … no fault of Bosco, but there were issues in the family that needed attention. This is why we have in our adoption contract that adopters must contact us first if there is a need to re-home their dog; we do everything possible to find a safe and loving place for our alumni. In Bosco’s case, he was re-adopted fairly quickly by a couple who adopted from us many, many years ago! He now has a slightly older brother, Leo, to play with full-time.
ROSCO
7/17/22 - Young Rosco and his brother, Bosco, came from a very busy Northern California shelter. Both had been picked up from the streets, where they were roaming freely. A citizen had seen Rosco get hit by a car - not once, but twice! We found hat he had suffered a broken clavicle. Luckly, no surgical intervention was warranted, and he did well with crate rest, pain meds and a little chiropractic massage. Rosco is now living happily with a dog-loving couple who was missing their Ridgeback mix, who they lost last August. They like to walk and hike and work on regular training with their dogs. We even think that some summer trips to the dog-friendly beach in Carmel-by-the-Sea are in store for this boy!
KODI
7/31/22 - This big boy is younger than his salt-and-pepper muzzle would suggest. The shelter guessed him at 20 months when they called us asking to help; he had been adopted the month before but returned because the resident dog didn’t like him and he had an ear infection that the adopter didn’t want to deal with. Kodi was first in a quiet foster home with a nice woman with no other pets. After some time, we decided to move him to another foster with a handful of other Ridgebacks to see how he would do with other dogs. He spent several months there before the right couple came along to adopt him! Kodi was described by both foster moms as a wonderful, loving boy who just wanted to hang out and be with his people. He likes an easy introduction to new situations, and the new family is going slow with him to ensure he feels comfortable and happy. With a face like that, you know he’s an easygoing guy!
BUTCH
11/16/22 - Butch was a delight with people and loved oats and treats. He was hell on wheels when it came to other dogs, though. He attacked several dogs viciously, with no warning or provocation. After weeks of trying to change his behavior, it was clear that he should be in a sanctuary of some sort for unpredictable, aggressive dogs. Does such a place exist and could we get him there before he hurt another dog, or possibly a person? What was best for Butch? To let him live a life where he felt he had to protect himself from even the silliest little poodle or to be kind and let him go to sleep forever and never have to fight again? Elizabeth took Butch to the vet, held him and cried while the medication was administered. Today, Elizabeth points out places they could have enjoyed as she drives around with the ashes that were once Butch in her car.
STELLA
11/29/22 - A tiny little shelter run by the Sheriff’s Office in Northern California had this gorgeous girl in their care. There was not enough manpower to work with Stella or network her … and they feared she was pregnant. She was very scared and timid. The shelter happily let us take Stella, and we quickly learned that she was not used to living indoors. She also had a great fear of most people, and it took two patient fosters to get her settled. Luckily she was not pregnant, but has likely had puppies in the past. Never again! The second foster quickly grew attached to this sweet girl and asked to adopt her. Stella is now called Bella and has a wonderful home with a mom and a dog sister, Misty, who has helped greatly in showing her how to be a proper house dog.
ZURA
11/03/22 - As we were preparing intake of a shelter dog from Central California, the shelter announced that they had a Ridgeback puppy they would like to send along as well! A photo was provided and the puppy did in fact look like a (ridgeless) Ridgeback. Of course we said yes! Send him along … The surprise was in meeting Zura a few days later … not a Ridgeback, probably a shepherd mix, and an adorable boy. He came to us with kennel cough, pneumonia, and a sutured tail amputation - another dog at the shelter had bitten through the poor puppy’s tail and it could not be saved. Zura was with us for six weeks in foster care, healing from his issues. During that time, he quickly became a very good canine citizen - learning sit, down, come, stay, turn around, shake paws, high-five and more! He loved and was loved by every single person and dog he met, and was best friends with the resident cat. After much consideration (it was very hard to not foster-fail with this one), Zura, now called “Enzo,” was adopted out to a family with two little girls, two little dogs, and two little housepigs! He will accompany his new mom to work and hopefully become a therapy dog when he’s a little older. He’s a natural, and we are very proud of this little honorary Ridgeback.
QUENTIN
9/24/22 - This 6-to-8-month-old pup was an owner abandonment case. After searching frantically on social media for her puppy, who had run off, the owner was advised that he had been picked up by animal control. She was relieved to know he was at the shelter, however she failed to ever claim him. Her loss was our gain, and especially that of Quentin’s adoptive family! Aside from normal rambunctious puppy behavior, there is nothing “wrong” with this pup at all! He did have a recent injury that appeared to be some sort of road rash, but it has healed nicely. “Quinn” is happily living with his new family with parents and teens; he is no doubt helping them through the loss of their last dog, also a Rincal alum!
JAMES
9/2/22 - Gorgeous James, not yet 9 months old, was an owner surrender. His family was unable to work with his big puppy energy and some behavioral issues. He is a lovely pup, very spirited, and needed a good outlet for his liveliness and drive. James was evaluated for a few days by a RINCAL foster, and an assessment was made. The stars aligned and we knew we had an awesome home for this dog! James, being called Bosco, has gone off to live with an active, outdoorsy young couple and their Dutch shepherd, who will certainly show James the ropes. They lost their Ridgeback last year and have been waiting for the perfect match for them to come along - we think their wish has been fulfilled!
CHIPS
4/26/22 - Gypsy/Amani’s largest son turned out to be a striking Doberman mix. Now called Samson, he is smart as a whip, quite headstrong and in need of leadership and a job to do! Even though he’s not old enough to be “the boss,” he certainly would like to be! It took a while for the right family to come along, but Samson is now fully ensconced in the good life! He’s got teenaged kids and a big brother dog to show him the ropes - and a personal trainer! His new mom adores him and he is fitting in well.
CEDAR
4/26/22 - Cedar was one of the two smallest pups in Gypsy/Amani’s big litter. He is a precious and sweet little guy, more of a follower than a leader among dogs. He constantly checks in with his foster family, coming for a hug and making lots of eye contact with his big, doe-like eyes. Once Cedar got big enough to jump on the sofa all by himself, he frequently wanted to be in someone’s lap. He is full of fun energy but sleeps through the night in his crate, always very happy to see his people first thing in the morning! This is definitely a puppy who wiggles his way into your heart! Cedar, now Koda, has moved in with his new adoring family, including a mom and dad, twin brother and sister 11-year-old humans, and two young cats! He will keep them very busy!
PRIDE
4/26/22 - This little guy provided the only initial clue that there was doberman in the litter of our very own Gypsy/Amani … Thought to be Ridgeback, several of her pups have had DNA results showing a prevalence of Dobie in their genes. Pride was not tested, but it’s pretty obvious - and he is the only black-and-tan pup out of the nine siblings! This boy is full of enthusiasm and displayed an eagerness to learn - everything - from early on. He showed us that he is a definite leader but needs to be in a situation where he can channel his energy into activities that challenge his brain. The perfect home was found with a very active couple who recently lost their beloved Ridgeback mix and needed to fill a big hole in their lives. Pride is in obedience classes, goes to the beach a lot, and is already learning the art of paddle boarding! Note: Shortly after being adopted, Pride was surprised with a new big brother - who happens to be a Ridgeback mix!!
SOUL
7/15/22 - Clearly not a Rhodesian Ridgeback, Soul the purebred 1-year-old Doberman was highlighted on social media after having been abandoned in the Southern California desert with Ridgeback mix Spirit. They were listed as “littermates,” which they are not, but nonetheless their behaviors, fears and myriad of bite marks showed without a doubt they came from the same place. Our friends @oceanrayrescue took these boys as fosters from the shelter. They had the boys for a month plus, and did a great job at helping them decompress and learn that humans aren’t all bad.
When we took custody of the boys, we put Soul in a dobie-experienced foster home. His foster dad did a wonderful job acclimating him to the house, walking on leash, learning to co-exist with a cat and deciding toys were a good thing and he wouldn’t get in trouble for playing with them. Unfortunately it was next to impossible to cure Soul of his overwhelming fear of being left alone … It was quickly evident that he simply couldn’t be left. When the foster had to go back to work, Soul, by then being called Sammy, was put in a home with a retired, stay-at-home couple and their senior Great Dane, also a rescue who had experienced similar issues. Sammy did beautifully in this situation and in the company of an older and wiser dog to guide him. He soon could be left “alone” (with the other dog) for brief periods and didn’t destroy anything more serious than a pack of toilet paper. The fosters also discovered that they could not pick up “anything with a handle,” such as a broom, without Sammy becoming very fearful and slinking away. At that point, the fosters felt they had a good understanding of him and decided he was home to stay. Sammy enjoys farm life with horses and chickens and stray cats … He gets regular daily car rides and is spoiled and loved.
SPIRIT
7/15/22 - This gorgeous man made the social media rounds, and then some, before we were finally able to assist. He had been abandoned in the Southern California desert with his buddy, doberman Soul. They were listed as “littermates,” which they are not, but nonetheless their behaviors, fears and myriad of bite marks showed without a doubt they came from the same place. Our friends @oceanrayrescue took these boys as fosters from the shelter. They had the boys for a month plus, and did a great job at helping them decompress and learn that humans aren’t all bad.
When Spirit came to us for further fostering, he was a super sweet guy, but quite obviously worried about what was going to happen next. He was very gentle - not a mean bone in his body. He seemed to take comfort from his new foster- sister dog. The indoors was pretty new to him - all the different sounds and smells he had to get used to. He was quite the cuddler, wanting to give and get affection constantly. Spirit had most certainly been physically mistreated - he cowered when reprimanded once, prompting the foster to really go easy on him. But always he remained gentle and loving. A real test came when it was discovered that Spirit had a stick wedged solidly in the roof of his mouth. The foster had noted he was eating strangely, tilting his head, and a bad smell was starting to emanate from his mouth. With the aid of a vet tech friend, Spirit allowed them to work to dislodge the stick, which had left some bloody lesions but no permanent damage.
Spirit quickly grew attached to his new foster mom, and she to him. In the end, she couldn’t part with him … Now called Feni, this amazing dog will never have to worry about anything again!
GYPSY
3/5/22 - This girl has been through the wringer and then some! Picked up as an emaciated young stray, a spay appointment was made but we had quite awhile to wait. We opted to place her in advance in a great adoptive home with another Ridgeback. Unfortunately, loving and fun as she was, Gypsy unexpectedly had a food-related reactivity to the resident dog, and needed to be moved. She went into foster care for awhile and did very well, while we attempted to put some much-needed weight on her. She was then placed in a new home … two weeks later, we received a call and a photo: “Why is she so fat?” Shockingly, we saw that Gypsy was PREGNANT and about to deliver! She had been pregnant all this time and had been so thin that no one guessed. Once again, she was moved - this time to an incredibly well-equipped foster situation with our friends at the Phu Quoc Ridgeback Rescue in Southern California. That weekend, Gypsy delivered nine healthy pups of various sizes, shapes and colors! Apparently, multiple daddies were involved with this litter …. Sweet Gypsy spent two months with her babies, distancing herself as time went on. She’d had enough! :). Today, Gypsy is residing with another RINCAL alum, Bane. The two are great friends and complement one another nicely!
BAILEY
6/12/22 - Bailey is a people-oriented and very spunky young girl. We were alerted to her by a swamped shelter who wanted the best for her. She came to us and had a fabulous time in foster care - it was hard to say goodbye! Her favorite thing to do was to play HARD and LOUD with her foster siblings … We took a chance and placed her as an only dog with a single woman who had many dog friends and would keep Bailey very active. Unfortunately, a different side of Bailey came out as she apparently was anxious upon finding herself without full-time canine comrades. She quickly became quite protective of her new mom, which proved to be an unfortunate liability. Bailey went on to be adopted by a retired veterinarian and his wife with a handful of other dogs at home. She is enjoying being challenged with training and other activities, and has settled in well!
JACK
6/02/22 - Jack! What to say about Mr. Popularity? We received a call from one of our “usual” shelters who said we just HAD to take this boy. And what a gem he is! Jack spent some time in three different foster homes while we were getting to know him and awaiting his neuter appointment. All fosters agreed that he was a keeper - they had to talk themselves out of adopting him as they knew he deserved a brand new family. Many applications were received for this handsome dog, who was found to be able to insert himself seamlessly into just about any situation at all. Very likeable, loving and smart, Jack ultimately scored a fantastic home with a couple way up in British Columbia. Jack’s life is full of adventures now, with the other dogs and kitten in his family! He even gets to accompany one of his dads to work in a tow truck!
SARBI
4/26/22 - Gorgeous Sarbi was one of the largest pups from the Gypsy/Amani litter. She is full of fun and mischief and definitely a people-lover. After many inquiries, this little girl went to live with her new mom and dad, and a boy and girl to grow up with! She also has a cat sister …. We are unsure what the kitty thinks. :)
GRACE
4/26/22 - Pretty Grace is another Gypsy/Amani puppy. With her colors, one might guess some shepherd in there, but DNA says doberman, staffy, Rottie and a few other interesting breeds … Now called Emerald Grace (Emmy for short), she is a spitfire and a force to be reckoned with! She was adopted by a young woman and her family and has been a challenge but they love her endlessly! Emmy is in puppy training classes and is doing well.
OBI
5/7/22 - A giant of a dog, Obi was an owner surrender. He had gotten too headstrong and physically strong for his owner to effectively handle him. After we had him neutered, Obi went to live with a man who had been missing his former Ridgebacks … Two-and-a-half-year-old Obi is a work in progress, but we are hopeful that things turn out well once he has more training completed. Beautiful boy!!
MILO
4/17/22 - Cute Milo was an owner surrender for necessary reasons. He is half Rhodesian Ridgeback and half Sharpei!! He went directly to one of our premier foster and adoptive homes - who happens to love Sharpeis … Match made in heaven! Milo entered and never left. He is cohabitating on his own terms with his new mom and brother Ridgeback D’Jango, also a RINCAL alum!
PEACH
4/14/22 - This girl stole our hearts along with thousands of others when her pleading eyes appeared on social media, approaching death row… Pretty Peach had been abandoned with a chihuahua in a back yard when her family moved out without making arrangements for the dogs. They sat alone for two weeks at least, unattended and with no food, before being noticed by a neighbor and reported to Animal Control. The little dog found a home right away, but due to Peach’s terror in the loud and foreboding shelter kennel, she was overlooked for over a month, and then her time was up…. We stepped in on her final date and put her into a foster home. Unfortunately it quickly became apparent that although she displayed a desire to trust humans - craving hugs and pets - she had an extreme fear of dogs. After a severe incident with a small dog in public, Peach was moved to a new foster home with three gentle dogs to help her adjust. In time she blossomed with them and was part of the pack for a few weeks. However, her underlying anxiety never left. Sadly, after two more violent attacks (one on a real dog and another on an inanimate object that she perceived to be a dog), it was decided that Peach was not to be happy in this life. She had her last month filled with the love, treats and adoration she had most likely never experienced prior to becoming a RINCAL dog.
Peach is a prime example of the reality of dog rescue. All dogs are deserving, but not all dogs get a happy forever as they go trotting off into a fabulous new home. The least we can do for these dogs is show them they are loved.
SHANDY
5/20/22 - This amazing one-year-old was found roaming the streets in Southern California. What at first appeared to be an injury turned into a vet visit and the conclusion that Shandy was born without one eye. This does not keep him down, as he knows no different! Shandy was put into foster care and no one claimed him. He was found to be very easygoing and enjoyed the company of people and other dogs. After some searching, we found the perfect home where Shandy is being cherished, as he should be! Shandy is now called Hagan - an old Viking name that sounds fitting for this boy!
RAGS
4/26/22 - Rags is one of the two Amani/Gypsy puppies with the gorgeous shepherd coloring. She is an independent little thing, brain always working and figuring things out. Rags is now Lucy and is living with new parents and an older dog sibling who is probably wondering what the heck happened to her calm life!
LEX
4/26/22 - This darling little one is a mini Ridgeback in the making! Now called Manuka (a very fitting name!), she is living the sweet life one-on-one with her full-time mom. She’s a lucky little girl who will be spoiled rotten and a best friend forever.
SAGE
4/26/22 - One of the three big girls from the Amani/Gypsy litter, Sage (now Kira), is living a great life with two other RR mixes, three kids and a mom and dad. Busy family, busy puppy! She is spending her days keeping everyone in line and endearing herself to her new family.
STUBBY
4/26/22 - The smallest of nine born to mama Amani/Gypsy, this little guy popped out like a chihuahua! There’s a big personality in a tiny package here … Sgt. Stubby is happily living with a family who appreciates his uniqueness!