The Pros And Cons Of Finding German Shepherd Rescues
Tuesday, October 28th, 2008German Shepherds are not only beautiful, but they are also intelligent, loyal and easy to find in many countries of the world. Unfortunately, they are not the right breed of dog for everyone. Each year, thousands of German Shepherds (also known as Alsatians) and German Shepherd mixes are abandoned or surrendered to animal shelters. Most of these dogs wind up there through no fault of their own. Many people are not aware of the significant time and money investment needed to care for German Shepherds.
To help find homes for these magnificent animals, many selfless volunteers have turned their homes and hearts over to German Shepherd rescues. These breed specific rescues can be found in several countries and almost every state in America. None of these German Shepherd rescues are under any parent organization, not even the Humane Society of the United States, so finding a suitable one in your area may take a bit of research.
Good German Shelter rescues will work very closely with each dog in their care and take time to get to know the dog’s preferences and quirks. Good German Shepherd rescues will never let you adopt a dog right away. You will have to fill out a lot of paperwork, often give them a letter on your character written by your vet, and answer a lot of questions about your (possibly lack of) German Shepherd information. Be very suspicious of any organization that calls themselves a German Shepherd rescue and that ships dogs to you without asking you any questions. The dogs for sale might be stolen or very sick dogs.
There is no parent German Shepherd breed organization or even a national directory. The American Kennel Club and the Humane Society of the United States are really too busy to help you out. In order to find a good German Shepherd rescue in your local area, you will have to sniff them out yourself. You can also expect to fill out a lot of forms, meet with many different dogs and maybe even get a character reference from a veterinarian before your application for adoption is accepted.
Always contact the German Shepherd rescue before you visit. Don’t drop in unexpected and expect to drive off with a dog. The best German Shepherd rescues will have you fill out a questionnaire and quiz you about your knowledge of German Shepherd information.
You will need to do some traveling to these homes. Be sure to make an appointment, as you are entering somebody’s house. By meeting the dog and the person who is caring for him or her, you get a good idea of what to expect.
Don’t just agree to take a dog right away over the phone or email. That should never happen. You need to meet the potential dog a couple of times before you are allowed to adopt the dog. When you visit the dog, you are also visiting what kind of place the German Shepherd rescue is.
While the adoption process crawls on, be sure to read up on all the German Shepherd information you can find to insure you know what to expect from your new furry friend.