OC Pom Rescue celebrates 5 years of going to the dogs

Karley List, has yet to “foster fail,” a difficult feat considering the type of dog she fosters are the tiny, adorable Pomeranian breed.

Temporarily taking in a pet and accidentally falling in love with it is a common occurrence, but List’s goal as a founding board member and director of marketing at OC Pom Rescue is to help each Pomeranian find its forever home.

“They just need your love,” said List.

Based in Huntington Beach, OC Pom Rescue focuses specifically on rescuing Pomeranians. List’s mother, Jasmine List, founded the nonprofit in 2020, with the goal of making the adoption process enjoyable and accessible while educating pet owners on responsible dog ownership and the Pomeranian breed.

“In our first year, we adopted out 212 dogs,” said List. “That doesn’t even account for the hospice dogs we took in. There was such a great demand for resources and help taking care of dogs.”

List has her own pet Pomeranians, River and Lennon, who were fostered in other homes, and she has always been a fan of the breed. Named for the region of Northern Europe where they are thought to have originated, the toy dog breed has distinct characteristics and needs that List said the team at OC Pom Rescue specializes in.

OC Pom Rescue works to find forever homes for Pomeranians while also educating owners about the breed’s characteristics and needs.

(Courtesy of OC Pom Rescue)

“We know Poms so well and we are Pom owners,” List said. “We know the specific type of ailments and problems that are found with Pomeranians. We know their personalities and we know how to train them.”

Pomeranians descend from the German Spitz and range in size from 3 to 7 pounds with fluffy fur and plumed tails. Historically, the breed was popular with royals, particularly Queen Victoria. Pomeranians are also more susceptible to ailments like tracheal collapse and seizures.

Armed with this knowledge, List said they are sure to monitor those sensitive areas as soon as they get a new rescue.

“You need to be sure to check out their lungs, their hearts and their tracheas because those are the most common areas where Pomeranians have issues,” said List.

Despite such challenges, Pomeranians are also known for their playful and affectionate personalities and are regarded for their intelligence. They are a popular choice for pet owners, but sometimes circumstances change and owners are no longer able to properly care for their pets. OC Pom Rescue takes in dogs that are suffering from neglect, abandonment and even abuse.

In the years since the organization began, it has handled two hoarding situations, including one in which 56 dogs were surrendered that the rescue team dubbed the road-trip pack.

“We spent over $50,000 on those dogs because every single one of them needed vaccines, microchips. They all needed dental work,” said List.

At one point she had 12 dogs in her home herself, but helping the pups find their forever home made it worth it.

“The most rewarding thing is now I have all these friends and family members that have these little dogs that I saw in the most vulnerable and challenging part of their life and now they are in the best part of their life.”

This Sunday, Feb. 2, OC Pom Rescue celebrates its five-year anniversary with a carnival-themed adoption and fundraising event at Golden Road Brewing in Anaheim. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. guests can enjoy face painting, pet portraits, raffle baskets and a food fair from Just Food for Dogs, a fresh dog food brand. There will also be plenty of adoptable Pomeranians.

“All of our beautiful Pomeranians will be there, and it is a chance for everyone to come meet our poms,” said List.

OC Pom Rescue’s leadership team, from left, Karley, Jasmine, Jia and Adriana.

(Courtesy of OC Pom Rescue)

The event is designed to raise funds to help OC Pom Rescue continue its important work and as an outreach effort to the community.

“A big challenge for us on a day-to-day basis is having a regular foster group,” said List.

While the rescue has roughly 20 homes in its current network, sometimes foster families go on vacation or need a two-week break between fosters.

“Our need for fosters never falls,” said List.

Eventually, List said, OC Pom Rescue would like to operate a brick-and-mortar facility that would allow the organization to take in more dogs and better care for the ones they get. For now, she said the team will continue to advocate for the responsible ownership of poms.

“We are so passionate about what we do,” said List. “We go above and beyond for our dogs.”

For more information on adopting or becoming a foster visit ocpomrescue.com.