What happens to all of the dogs that get abandoned or end up in the pound? Well, the luckiest of these dogs are either adopted by families from the pound or taken in by rescue organizations. There are different rescue organizations for different breeds of dogs, all of which operate somewhat similarly. German shepherd rescue organizations work with german shepherds and german shepherd mixes.

German shepherd rescue organizations try to rescue as many abandoned or improperly cared for german shepherds as possible. They organize foster care for these dogs until good adoptive, or “forever”, homes can be found for them. They usually operate mainly on a volunteer basis and are always looking for donations to help cover the costs of running the organization and caring for all of the dogs.

For those interested in working with dogs but can’t actually own one themselves for whatever reason, there are volunteer opportunities with these organizations. They need people who can temporarily foster these dogs, as well as people who can help to take care of and exercise dogs who are in shelters, and people who can help to run the office and to match animals with potential adoptive homes.

If you would like to own a german shepherd, the best place to get one is through a german shepherd rescue organization. Especially if you are interested in a dog rather than a puppy they will be able to match you with the best suited available dog for your family. There may be a wait of a few months in order to find a good match though. Waits tend to be shorter if you are willing to take older dogs or mixed breeds. There are puppies available as well, but it is hard to tell how they will turn out, so an older dog might actually be a better bet since their personality is already developed.
The first step to adopting a dog from a rescue organization is to fill out an application. If you do a simple search on the internet you should be able to find an organization that serves your area, and most organizations have the initial adoption application online for you to fill out. After they receive you application they will contact you to speak to you further about whether or not they will be able to match you with a dog.