Our Team
Pamela Wangsness “PJ”
Pamela “PJ” has been into animals since she was basically born, however became very active when she was 12 years of age and gentled and trained her wild horse. She’s been a banker, a PADI Scuba Instructor, and a Ski Instructor. During her continuous relationship with all animals, large and small, she became a Paralegal and while working with the Nevada Attorney General Office, she drafted the State Plan of Action for the State of Nevada regarding End-of-Life Issues.
She founded Chihuahua Rescue Truckee Meadows, Inc. in 1994 and in 2011 incorporated to become the nonprofit 501c3. In 1996, PJ started the business Dog Training by PJ and became the first Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA) in northern Nevada. PJ regularly lectures at Truckee Meadows Community College to the nursing vet tech students regarding behavioral issues, socialization issues and safely handling of dogs.
In addition, she is an AKC-Canine Good Citizen & S.T.A.R. PUPPY Evaluator and an Authorized Mentor Trainer for Animal Behavior College. PJ graduated with Honors from these programs: [1] The Association of Professional Dog Trainers Certificate Program and [2] the Canine Socialization & Psychological Development for Puppies. She holds many memberships, including Association of Animal Behavior Professionals - Certified Dog Trainer, a Professional Member - Pet Professional Guild, and Animal Behavior Specialist and Consultant, with the Professional Member of the Association of Companion Animal Behavior Counselors, is a Professional Member of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers, and a Canine Training Professional Member with the Pet Professional Guild.
Her passion is and continues to be the health, wellness, socialization of dogs, and of course, finding homes for so many thrown away small dogs, including chihuahuas and chihuahua mixes. She continues to teach people how to train their dogs at Dog Training by PJ, Reno, while she is finding homes for dogs. PJ has many animals of her own, dogs and cats, the farm animals, llamas, alpacas, goats, mini pigs, mini horse, donkeys, horses, mules, turkeys, guinea hens, chickens and whatever else may come live on the fully fenced 10 acres in rural Nevada.
*The photo of PJ is with her 1st chihuahua, Blanquita a/k/a Peanut. Peanut is the reason for PJ’s passion for saving dogs.
Sabra Wojtkowiak-Jones
I am one of the directors of Chihuahua Rescue Truckee Meadows. I coordinate the transportation for the animals, moving many dogs from around Northern Nevada and California. Additionally, I foster dogs and sometimes care for dogs needing hospice care while helping to aid in their crossing of the rainbow bridge, when required. I’ve been with Chihuahua Rescue for over 9 years.
> My passion is arranging to help save the pups get them out of the shelters to our awesome foster homes. I have a soft spot in my heart for the discarded senior pups and will often have at least one riding shotgun. I also handle many of the rescue’s secretarial tasks. My hubby, David, gets in on the action, as well, by helping with our food procurement. I’m an Office Manager for a General Contractor in Truckee by day, however these discarded pups are my passion.
Karen de Queiroz
Hello. I’m Karen de Queiroz, a director of Chihuahua Rescue Truckee Meadows, and assist with the foster care program. It is my passion to connect with like minded people who provide much needed foster homes for our dogs. I work with fosters who provide quiet, calm homes to prepare dogs for adoption as well as safe, forever homes for those who cannot be adopted. As a retired veterinary technician, I put my skills to use helping provide for the health and well being of the pups in our care. My husband and I are avid outdoors people and are happily owned by our 3 dogs and 6 chickens.
John Byerly
John Byerly has been an animal person his whole life, raised with "pound dogs," and later working with border collies. In early 2000 fate came to be that he got his first chihuahua and fell in love with the breed. After many years and the loss of that first little soul, I found Chihuahua Rescue Truckee Meadows in 2010-2011 and has been a volunteer ever since, loving every minute to find homes for the homeless chihuahuas.
David P. Jones
Helping Chihuahua Rescue is a very rewarding experience. It’s great to know that these wonderful little pups are now on an available “list” to find wonderful homes instead of the alternative. My part, while I say, is small, it is in reality as said by other members an intricate part of ensuring dogs are safe. I do enjoy helping where I can. I participate in fostering dogs and I make those pup food “runs” to keep the dogs fed.