Greater California German Shepherd Rescue is an all-volunteer California-based animal-rescue group serving the areas surrounding Sacramento, Modesto, Merced, Lake Tahoe, the North San Francisco Bay and parts of the East SF Bay areas, including area codes 209, 530, 707, and 916 and, to a lesser extent, area codes 510 and 925.
We are a small group of dedicated volunteers who rescue homeless German Shepherd Dogs from life-threatening situations such as shelters and find them permanent homes with qualified owners. We work cooperatively with animal shelters, professional trainers, and other rescue groups toward our common goals of saving dogs’ lives and educating the public about responsible pet ownership.
Greater California German Shepherd Rescue began its operations in December 2007 and is a nonprofit public charity under IRS code 501(c)(3). Our adoption fees are insufficient to pay the cost of rescuing the dogs, and we rely on your tax-deductible donations to pay for vet care, dog food, and other necessities.
We invite you to help us save these superb dogs! Please contact us or come visit us at one of our Adoption Days.
Mission and Vision
• Rescuing German Shepherd Dogs and other acceptable dogs from life-threatening or unacceptable situations at animal shelters and elsewhere, and finding them permanent, loving and appropriate homes with qualified owners
• Working cooperatively with animal shelters, professional trainers, and other rescue groups towards our common goals of saving dogs’ lives and reducing pet over-population
• Educating the public about the advantages of adopting dogs from shelters and rescue organizations, about responsible ownership, and about the need for spaying and neutering dogs
• Educating owners and prospective owners of German Shepherd Dogs and other acceptable dogs about the specific aspects of the breeds, and their proper care and training
• Encouraging the human/canine bond and promoting the welfare of all dogs regardless of breed
Specialization
Adoption Policy
Adoption Policies
Our Philosophy
The dogs are our clients and we do what is in the dog's best interests. We match the dog to a suitable home where the dog will be happy and fulfilled, and the dog must approve of the match as well. That means we don't adopt dogs over the internet, as gifts, or sight unseen.
Adoption Fees
Our fees are $350 for Puppies (2-6 months), $300 for Adult Dogs, and $100 for Senior Dogs (9 years & up) and Special Needs Dogs who have ongoing health issues that require treatment. All of our dogs are spayed/neutered (per California State Law), vaccinated, heartworm and fecal tested clear, and most are microchipped. The adoption fees don't quite cover those costs.
Home Visit
We require a home visit by one of our own volunteers because we match the home to a specific dog, and we want to meet all members of the household and all other pets at that time, and make sure that environment will work for that dog. The home must be safe and suitable for our dog, and that means we won't adopt to a home with out-of-control children or out-of-control resident dogs.
Outside Dogs
We rarely place dogs in outside only homes. All of our dogs come out of shelters and into volunteer foster homes where they live in the house with the people. We haven't had much success re-homing them to an outside-only home after that. We believe that dogs are happier living and sleeping inside with their family pack, which has been borne out from many years of bringing dogs into rescue.
Areas of Service
We operate within a reasonable driving distance from the Greater Sacramento area, the Central Valley down to Merced, and Lake Tahoe. A reasonable driving distance is determined by where one of our volunteers is willing to drive within our areas of service. That means we don't adopt out of our area, to Southern California, or Out of State.
Adoption Requirements
Our Adoption Agreement & Contract is a legal document, therefore we will only adopt to adults, and all the adults in the household must agree to getting the dog. The home must be safe and secure, and legally allowed to have a German Shepherd Dog, and be within the allowable number of dogs. We require landlord consent for renters. The entire household must be a good match for the dog, therefore we won't place a higher Level dog in a lower Level household. Please see our Dog Rating Levels.
Adoption Day Events
In the interests of fairness, we won't do private meetings during the week right before an Adoption Day where the dog is scheduled to attend, since there may be other interested parties traveling to that Adoption Day to meet that particular dog. If there are several parties interested in the same dog at an Adoption Day, we will make sure everyone who arrives on time has a chance to meet the dog and then our volunteers will help make the best match for that dog. Not everyone is the right match for every dog. We do what is in the dog's best interests.
https://www.gcgsr.org/dogs.html
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