OUR PURPOSE
SWGSD RESCUE is a non profit group of volunteers dedicated to finding homes for the countless German Shepherds without one. The Grand Canyon GSD Club provides us with much needed support, fund raisers, volunteer staff, exposure for dogs in need, and acts as a conduit to a large network of potential homes.
Our primary purpose is to successfully place as many adoptable homeless, abandoned abused or unwanted German Shepherd Dogs, into FOREVER homes, as possible.
The SWGSDR, does not have an edifice, per se, at which we house or shelter dogs awaiting placement. Rather, we work in concert with various individuals, statewide agencies and foster families, to ultimately find appropriate adoption prospects resulting in the best possible match between dog and owner. The helpless and homeless furry friends for whom we strive to find such homes, come from private parties, county shelters, strays, and various animal control agencies as well as court ordered surrenders in the case of abuse, neglect or criminal activity.
We believe that those who foster rescues are among those who bear the greatest burden. They welcome strange dogs into their homes for indefinite periods..until they are adopted. It is a sacrificial, expensive and selfless undertaking. Fostering takes tremendous time and resources away from ones own families, pets and jobs. Fosters often make alterations to their property in order to accommodate the needs of rescued animals, and frequently risk damage as well conflicts within their own pack. The phone can ring at any time.
Fosters, in addition to housing, feeding, medicating, bathing, socializing, walking and loving, provide us with another invaluable service; an opportunity to learn more about the behavior of an individual dog in a home setting prior to being placed . This enables us to better match the rescue with a potential new home. Some fosters even do volunteer obedience training and behavior modification.
Nurturing a dog in need, only to eventually say goodbye, takes an emotional toll as well.
It's no wonder that the burn-out rate is high and we never have enough fosters .
On the other hand, fostering a homeless German Shepherd is an incredibly rewarding experience and one that is demonstrably appreciated by both the dog and this organization !
We are committed to lightening the load of those fostering rescues by way of our volunteer staff. They provide transportation, screen applicants, conduct home visits, scout shelters, perform dog evaluations, man adoption locations and generally make themselves available where needed.
FOR INFO ON BECOMING A FOSTER OR TO VOLUNTEER,
CONTACT STEFANY: SWGSDRESCUE@aol.com
EDUCATION IS KEY
We Work and We Play, We Learn and We Educate, All for the Better of the Breed
The sad truth is we are never without homeless dogs. The numbers are staggering. There has NEVER been a time when we have had to tell someone, “Sorry, we have no GSD's looking for a home.” There is always a steady stream of German Shepherd Dogs in need. In fact, we are the NUMBER ONE BREED OF DOG IN RESCUE.
Why is this?
There is a mystique, a kind of romance associated with the German Shepherd Dog.
A great number of people think of all GSD's in terms of Rin-Tin-Tin. In truth, there
is more variation with respect to temperament and structure within this breed, than with any other I know. That is to say, each of these dogs is so much an individual that one
size cannot and will not fit all. Far too many GSD owners fail to research and learn about the breed, its' needs and variations, before getting involved.
The result is all too frequent mismatches. Wrong type dog for an individual or family's lifestyle, unrealistic expectations and general misconceptions about the level of commitment required to share ones' life with a GSD.
SOUTHWEST GERMAN SHEPHERD RESCUE IS, THEREFORE, COMMITTED TO EDUCATING AND MAKING INFORMATION READILY AVAILABLE TO ALL THOSE INQUIRING OR CONSIDERING A RELATIONSHIP WITH A GERMAN SHEPHERD.
The following are some of the things you should be aware of BEFORE embarking
on your search for a new companion:
This is not a breed to be left out in the yard, away from it's family, isolated or deprived of touch or attention. GSD's are not couch potatoes and they will insist on interacting with their person or family. They will not thrive as a kennel dog.
They need to be exposed to the outside world, other people, animals, the movement and noises associated with being away from home, as well as, at the very least, basic obedience training. Regular exercise and activity is a must.
This all equates to TIME, SACRIFICE AND COMMITMENT.
AT SOUTHWEST GERMAN SHEPHERD RESCUE OUR
DOGS' NEEDS ARE PUT ABOVE ALL ELSE
OUR VOLUNTEER STAFF IS HAPPY TO DISCUSS YOUR ADOPTION NEEDS AND ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS PERTAINING TO THE GERMAN SHEPHERD DOG.
DIRECTOR: STEFF SMITH 623-516-2880
SECRETARY: NANCY SWANNER
PR & FUND RAISING: DIANE HOLLIDAY
TRANSPORTATION: SYLVIA PRAST
EVALUATIONS: BERT HAAGENSTAD
SHELTER SCOUTS: VARIOUS
PLEASE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE INFORMATION PROVIDED WITHIN THE FOLLOWING LINKS. WE BELIEVE IT WILL ASSIST YOU IN DETERMINING WHETHER THE GSD IS THE RIGHT BREED FOR YOU, YOUR FAMILY AND
YOUR LIFESTYLE!
DIFFERENCES WITHIN BREED TYPES
GUIDELINES FOR PLACING YOUR GSD
Working in Partnership with: White German Shepherd Rescue of Phoenix, CABRA (Coalition for all Breed Rescue), German Shepherd Rescue of Southern Arizona
SWGSDR is an Arizona non-profit corporation organized for
charitable purposes as defined under 501(c)(3) of the IRS Code.
DONATIONS ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE .
TO DONATE MUCH NEEDED FUNDS OR GENTLY USED DOGGY STUFF, PLEASE CONTACT: STEFF SMITH / DIRECTOR 623-516-2880
EMAIL: SWGSDRESCUE@aol.com