German Shepherds (GSDs) are among the most obedient and loyal canines that will do everything to defend their owner from any potential threat.
Unfortunately, even though these pooches are amazing, there are still plenty of German Shepherd rescues in Florida, including the territories of North and South Florida.
There are many people who are willing to work for free and save these precious canines from harsh conditions.
If you think that you’re one who could provide a second and a forever home to a GSD that is craving love and attention, continue reading this article and find out all about the best German Shepherd Rescues in Florida.
The Best German Shepherd Rescues In Florida
1. Southwest Florida German Shepherd Rescue
This is one of the dog rescue centers that is based on saving canines from owner surrenders who, instead of just leaving it on the streets, admit that they can’t keep their pet.
The volunteers at this organization also take in GSDs from animal shelters that keep animals in poor conditions or are simply overcrowded with canines and other discarded pets.
This center was established by the Hoffer Family Foundation, and it has been running successfully for 15 years.
More than 1500 purebred German Shepherd canines found their new loving home with the help of volunteers from this rescue organization.
However, their mission is to make every German Shepherd pup happy, so they sometimes take in GSD mixed breeds such as the Golden Retriever, the Cane Corso, or Mastiff crosses, even though they’re mainly focused on the pure German Shepherd dog breed.
The Main Mission Of SFGSR
Providing a temporary home filled with comfort, happiness, and love to German Shepherds that were left alone is the main objective of this organization.
The volunteers from this rescue try to offer the best they can to these pups, including:
• Medical aid
• Cuddles
• A positive environment
How To Adopt?
The adoption process is fairly easy, and it starts with the standard procedure of filling out the application that can be found on the Southwest Florida German Shepherd Rescue’s website.
After the application is reviewed, you’ll be contacted by one of the volunteers that’ll ask you some more questions regarding your place of residence, general things about your family, and other pets.
Essentially, if you pass this part, you can continue the process by meeting your new pet for the first time and signing the contract.
Pricing
The organization will require you to pay the adoption fee for the dog, which is $350 for puppies up to six months of age.
However, the bond for training programs and the spay/neuter obligation will cost an additional $500, which means you’ll be able to get a GSD pup for $850, which is still a much better deal than the GSD price of $3,000 if you buy a pup from a trustworthy breeder.
The “turn-in” fee
Not many rescue organizations practice this type of taking canines from their previous owner, although it’s not a bad idea at all, as it may teach some canine owners a lesson.
If an owner wants to surrender their pet to this rescue, they’ll need to pay a certain fee, which covers a part of the costs that the rescue might have if they take in the pup.
The minimal fee will be $250 for the majority of canines that are taken in.
However, the fee depends on the well-being of the GSD. If there are any medical conditions that need to be treated regularly, the fee for the pup will be higher, and it could go up to $350.
The same fee will be charged for male and female GSDs that weren’t spayed or neutered before they were brought to the premisis of the organization.
If the canine is suffering from heartworm disease (heartworm test needed), the fee can go up to $700.
No Renters
The Southwest Florida German Shepherd Rescue owners might seem a bit strict with some of their rules, but that’s just because they want to provide the best for each dog at their center.
All of these pups have gone through a lot, and they deserve to be treated in the best way possible.
Having enough space to run around as much as they want, and the freedom to release all their energy, is one of the basic necessities for their happiness.
Unfortunately, most people who live in condos don’t have the luxury of letting their pets do whatever they want, especially if they’re as big as a German Shepherd.
They’re sure that people who live under rent also love canines and want to have a pet, but there are high chances that these people could eventually give up on their pet because of complaints from neighbors and/or the landlord.
Also, if they lose an apartment, it’s quite challenging to find a new, pet-friendly place, so the canine might end up in a rescue again.
The exception to this rule is people who live in rented places that are owned by their family members who won’t leave them without a place to live.
The owners of the rescue center and the staff are more than willing to have you at their center and show you the pets to choose from. All you need to do is make an appointment and be there on time. If you’re running late, just make sure to call the owner in time.
Rescue Details:
Address: Punta Gorda, Florida
Email address: [email protected]
Official website: Southwest Florida German Shepherd Rescue
Contact number: 941 575 0243
2. Shepherd Help And Rescue Effort
As a non-profit organization, this rescue center provides temporary homes to all those German Shepherds that were abandoned by their owner, family, or breeding kennel.
The volunteers at this rescue center save GSD pooches in the area of Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties.
However, the aim of this center is not only to provide a bed for the GSD, but also to work with these pups and rehabilitate them before they go to their new home.
A group of volunteers is actively working on saving these wonderful canines from harsh conditions, showing them that not all humans are the same, and that there are those who still care about them.
SHARE also rescues German Shepherd dogs that are placed in animal shelters that euthanize all pups that don’t find an owner within a certain period of time.
Unfortunately, the number of such cases is on a great rise, and the volunteers at SHARE try their best to save every pup. However, since they’re a non-profit organization, they depend solely on the contributions of their supporters.
How To Adopt?
SHARE takes great care of every canine they save, which is why it’s not in their interest to get rid of a pup as soon as possible.
Volunteers from this rescue try to match each German Shepherd with the right potential owner, which is why they require a bit of information that you can provide on their application form online.
This way, the volunteers will be sure that the pup goes into the right hands, and you’ll also know that you received a pet that is perfect for your family.
However, the adoption process requires you to be patient. If the volunteers conclude that there’s no good match at the moment with any of their current rescued pups, they might have to ask you to wait until they find a suitable canine.
The adoption fee is available upon request because it depends on the GSD’s health condition, age, and other factors.
Sponsorship
This is an interesting concept that helps cover the medical expenses of those canines that are injured or suffering from any kind of disease.
Unfortunately, the majority of German Shepherds from this place come with certain medical issues that are the result of life in harsh conditions or improper care for the canine.
Parasites, heartworms, hip dysplasia, and other diseases might be expensive to treat, especially if you’re living on donations only.
Therefore, the volunteers came up with the idea of sponsorship. This way, you can become a sponsor of specific GSDs in the rescue and pay a monthly fee for their recovery and a life worth living.
Also, this organization takes German Shepherd Canines with special needs, which requires a lot more funding than for healthy canines or GSDs with minor health issues.
Any kind of help is more than enough for the better life of these adorable pooches.
How Can I Help?
If you’d like to offer your help to the amazing individuals from this rescue, you can do so by contacting them as soon as possible.
SHARE is always in need of people who are willing to help, be it by walking the German Shepherd rescues, transporting them to their forever home, or just spending time with them so they can easily adapt to new people around them.
You can also help by organizing public adoption events, or fundraisers if you’re good at it.
Essentially, the volunteers at this organization need any help they can get, so if you can just come and bathe a few dogs, that would be more than enough!
If you have any additional questions about German Shepherd canines or this rescue center, feel free to contact them and get first-hand details whenever you want.
Rescue Details:
Address: Boca Raton, Florida
Email address: N/A
Official website: Shepherd Help And Rescue Effort
Contact number: 844 847 1250
3. Big Cypress German Shepherd Rescue
This non-profit organization is completely devoted not only to the rescue, but also to the rehabilitation of the German Shepherds that they save.
Every pup deserves a second chance to be loved and cared for. In return, the future owner will get a best friend that’ll be fiercely loyal and thankful for the chance to have a family again.
The owners and volunteers at this center are committed to bringing back the faith in humans after these dog’s abandonment. Just because canines don’t speak the language we understand doesn’t mean they don’t have any emotions.
Dog Adoption Process
If you wish to adopt a German Shepherd from this rescue center, you’ll be required to complete the application form.
You might need to be a bit more patient about the whole process, as it might take 10 to 14 days until your application is reviewed.
If you have already owned canines or other pets in the past, you probably took them to the same vet. Therefore, it would be good to add the vet’s contact as an additional reference.
When this step is completed, you’ll receive a home visit, which will be the deciding factor for the adoption.
How Can I Help?
There are several ways in which you can help the rescue center, from contributions to volunteering, depending on what you’re up for.
The main mission of this organization is to save, heal, and rehome these German Shepherd dogs which have been through a lot.
Offering a warm and cozy foster home might be the best thing that you can do if your environment and finances will allow you to take in a few GSDs.
If you’re not sure about fostering, but you’re still willing to work with canines, you can apply as a volunteer. A set of free and loving hands is always a plus!
Also, if your house is full of toys, leashes, and collars for German Shepherds, why not share them with the rescue?
You can find a list of things they need on their website. If you have something that you’d like to give or provide to the pups, feel free to take it to the rescue.
Sponsorship Program
Big Cypress German Shepherd Rescue offers a sponsorship program as well for everyone who wants to contribute to their rescued canines on a monthly basis.
There are plenty of good people who’d gladly foster a GSD, but can’t do so because of personal reasons. However, most of them are willing to help in any way they can, even with a scheduled payment on a monthly basis that can cover at least a part of the costs of food, medical care, and other necessities.
A few dollars are more than enough. That might seem like nothing to you, but it’s a great thing for them.
Of course, you can choose between a one-time payment, which will be treated as a “donation”, or a monthly payment that will be marked as “sponsorship”.
This way, you’re helping both the canines and the rescue team which is trying to save as many canines as they can. With your help and generous donations and sponsorship, the rescuers will be able to provide more abandoned or abused German Shepherds with a forever home.
Rescue Details:
Address: Naples, Florida
Email address: [email protected]
Official website: Big Cypress German Shepherd Rescue
Contact number: N/A
Why Should I Adopt?
By adopting a German Shepherd, you’re offering a second chance at life to an amazing canine that would probably end up euthanized or living in poor conditions.
Places like The Humane Society, Rescue Me!, and other adoption centers promote adoption as one of the most humane things any dog lover could do.
Also, if you adopt a GSD, you’re actually helping the dog rescuers to battle puppy farms and other non-ethical places that keep canines in a malfunctioning state.
If you choose to buy a German Shepherd from a questionable breeder, there are high chances that they could be a puppy mill owner.
However, if you adopt a pup, you’re leaving those people with fewer chances of earning money off of these poor pups.
Of course, it’s completely fine if you decide to buy a pup from a reputable German Shepherd breeder, especially if you care about the genetic background and the breed standard of the canine.
Can You Train A Rescued Pet?
This is a common question among those who are still indecisive about the adoption of rescue canines. The answer would be yes – rescued GSDs are trainable, and they’re even better at some exercises than pups from kennels.
Remember, the majority of rescued canines have been a part of a family once, so they already know the drill (in most cases). All you need to do is remind them of the house rules and the owner’s commands.
Of course, it might not seem so simple in the beginning, but as time passes, it’ll become easier to work with them.
German Shepherd Rescues In Florida: Final Thoughts
Owning a canine in general is a big duty, and it cannot be undertaken without the full responsibility for every action and decision you make for your pet.
Unfortunately, some people don’t take this very seriously or aren’t able to take care of their pets anymore, which are just some of the reasons why there are many German Shepherd rescues in Florida.
All pups from these rescue centers are rehabilitated, medically taken care of (vaccinations, microchipping, vet checkups), and ready to meet their new family!
If you like German Shepherds in all colors and conditions, then why not adopt one? I’m sure you’ll be just as happy as the canine who will finally find its forever home.
However, if you get one, you should also get used to coat hair on your sofa, table, or any other place in the house as GSDs are heavy shedders. But, that’s just one of the things that make having a pet a sweet mess!
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