Contents
- 1. German Shepherd Rescue of Northern California
- 2. Golden State German Shepherd Rescue
- 3. Bay Area German Shepherd Rescue
- 4. Napa Valley German Shepherd Rescue
- 5. Greater California German Shepherd Rescue
- 6. Second Chance German Shepherd Rescue
- 7. German Shepherd Rescue of Sacramento Valley
- Final Thoughts
Do you reside in Northern California and are looking for a beautiful German Shepherd dog to add to your family? The German Shepherd is a great choice as they are known for their majestic temperament, high loyalty, their versatile work ethic, and overall high intelligence which makes them easily trainable. The breed is highly sought after, being named the second most popular dog in the United States for the year 2020.
Even though the German Shepherd is arguably one of the most impressive dog breeds on earth, the sad reality is that some owners aren’t prepared for the responsibility and commitment that comes with owning a large and powerful breed like the German Shepherd. The sad reality is that a lot of these German Shepherds end up being abandoned, neglected, abused, and euthanized with most of them ending up in high-kill shelters across the state.
In this article, we help make your search for a new German Shepherd dog easier by providing you with a list of the most highly sought-after German Shepherd rescue organizations located in Northern California. These are top rescue organizations that are concerned with the rescue, rehabilitation, and rehoming of German Shepherd Dogs found in Northern California. We have included their contact details to make your search a lot easier.
1. German Shepherd Rescue of Northern California
We kick-start our list with the German Shepherd Rescue of Northern California (GSRNC). This is a non-profit rescue organization with over 21 years of experience with the rescue, and overall welfare of German Shepherds in the state. They are located in the Cupertino area of Northern California and are 100% foster based. The organization is focused on rescuing German Shepherd dogs from dilapidated shelters all over the state. They also accept surrender into their program.
They also work with other rescue groups in the community as well as proper shelters to help with the good work of rescuing these German Shepherds and giving them a good life. The rescued dogs are properly vaccinated and dewormed, they are evaluated by a licensed professional before being sent to any of the numerous foster homes under their care. The dogs are also microchipped and placed on proper preventives for heartworms as well as fleas. The dogs also undergo socialization and some basic family training.
Listed on their website are some healthy German Shepherd dogs which are up for adoption by any properly vetted family. To be considered, you need to submit an application, if you get approved a team will be sent over to examine your home and the entire family, in general, to be sure their dogs will be kept in good and safe hands. They also accept donations that could help their entire process as all donations and adoption fees are used for the benefit of each rescued German Shepherd dog.
| Owner | Lani Christianson |
| Open For | Over 21 years |
| Location | Cupertino, Northern California |
| info@gsrnc.org | |
| Phone Number | (800) 728-3473 |
| Website | gsrnc.org |
| German Shepherd Rescue of Northern California |
2. Golden State German Shepherd Rescue
The next German Shepherd rescue organization is located in Alameda in Northern California. Golden State German Shepherd Rescue is a non-profit rescue organization that is focused on giving abandoned, neglected, and abused German Shepherd dogs a second chance at a happy life. They also do their best to educate the general public about the intelligent, versatile, and majestic German Shepherd breed. The Golden State German Shepherd Rescue was founded in 2009 and since then, they have rescued hundreds of German Shepherd dogs.
A lot of the German Shepherd dogs that they rescue are from high-risk shelters located in the Central Valley of Northern California, these dogs are then placed in suitable foster homes where they are given proper medical care for both physical health defects and any possible behavioral or psychological health defects they might have suffered when abandoned. The program is run entirely by volunteers relying solely on donations by both its members and the public, and as such, they are always in need of more hands and foster homes.
You can adopt any of their German Shepherd dogs as the prices usually range from $200 to $500 depending on the age of the German Shepherd dog you intend to adopt. Also, most of their dogs are spayed and neutered as they are only allowed to be used as family companion dogs and nothing more. Once applications are approved, your German Shepherd dog will be released to you. It is important to note that they will be more than willing to take the dog from you if you feel overwhelmed with responsibility.
| Open For | Over 10 years |
| Location | Alameda, Northern California |
| info@gsgsrescue.org | |
| Phone Number | (877) 447-4717 |
| Website | gsgsrescue.org |
| Golden State German Shepherd Rescue |
3. Bay Area German Shepherd Rescue
Bay Area German Shepherd Rescue is the 3rd German Shepherd rescue organization operating as a nonprofit on our list. They are all volunteer based as their team of highly capable volunteers is tasked with rescuing unwanted, abandoned, and euthanized German Shepherd dogs located in the Bay Area of Northern California. The founder of the Bay Area German Shepherd Rescue is Robert Holloway, a lover of the German Shepherd breed.
The majority of the German Shepherd dogs in their program are gotten from shelters in the area or from owners that want to surrender their dogs. Each dog that is rescued by the program is properly evaluated or vetted before being moved to a foster home provided by some of their members and partners. There the dogs go through the process of rehabilitation as they are socialized and even given some basic training in preparation for their new homes. They also have quite impressive metrics with over 2000 dogs saved in all by their program.
You can adopt any of the German Shepherd dogs that are available on their website. You have to fill out the application form and wait to be approved and vetted. All dogs to be adopted will cost 400 regardless of the age of the German Shepherd. There are other ways you can show your support for the cause, you can be a foster to provide foster homes for the rescued dogs or be a donor, donating both cash and other items and there is also the option of being a volunteer, where your services can be used to advance the organization.
| Owner | Robert Holloway |
| Location | Bay Area, Northern California |
| info@bayareagsr.org | |
| Phone Number | (855) 473-5683 |
| Website | bayareagsr.org |
| Bay Area German Shepherd Rescue |
4. Napa Valley German Shepherd Rescue
Napa Valley German Shepherd Rescue is a charitable, foster, and volunteer-based German Shepherd rescue that operates as a non-profit in Napa Valley in Northern California. They see themselves as the bridge between the unwanted, abused German Shepherd dogs found in shelters and the new loving owners looking for incredible German Shepherd dogs to adopt. They are founded by Karen Parks, a personal lover of the German Shepherd dog breed. Aside from German Shepherds, Napa Valley also rescues German Shepherd mixes.
The program has been able to rescue hundreds of German Shepherds living in Northern California, as a foster-based charity, the rescued dogs are placed in foster homes under their care. They are then provided proper vet care which is often the first step to proper rehabilitation. Before placing the rescued German Shepherds up for adoption, they are subjected to weeks of basic behavioral evaluation and training. They are advocates for neglected and abused German Shepherds and they also do their best to educate the public on the breed and care for the breed.
You can adopt any of their German Shepherd or German Shepherd mixes available on their website, but there is a process that goes into adoption as certain requirements will need to be met. There are other ways in which you can contribute to their program. Being a foster in their program is also very welcome as they are in constant need of fosters willing to open their homes to any of these homeless German Shepherd dogs and their mixes. And lastly, volunteers willing to offer skills to the program are highly welcomed.
| Owner | Karen Parks |
| Location | Napa Valley, Northern California |
| info@napavalleygsr.org | |
| Website | napavalleygsr.org |
| Napa Valley German Shepherd Rescue |
5. Greater California German Shepherd Rescue
Founded in 2007, Greater California German Shepherd Rescue is an all-volunteer-based German Shepherd rescue operating in regions of Northern California from Modesto, to Sacramento, Lake Tahoe, Merced, and even the San Francisco Bay Area. They are tasked with the proper rescue and rehabilitation of German Shepherds. However, they only deal with surrendered German from previous owners or rescued dogs from shelters found to be in life-threatening situations across all of their service areas.
They are quite serious with their work as they are partnered with shelters across the state, professional trainers, and other rescue organizations in these communities to ensure more dogs are rescued each year. In addition to rescuing German Shepherds, they also educate the general public, especially dog owners about the benefit and importance of being responsible dog owners. All rescued dogs are placed in foster homes for their care but they are first evaluated by any of their trained professional vets and offered treatments when necessary.
There are certain ways in which you can show your support or help the rescue organization in functioning better. Adoptions go a long way as they have a couple of dogs on their website that are deemed ready to be adopted by their vets. Start the process of adoption on their website. You can also be a volunteer offering your services to the program, be a foster ready to open up your hearts and homes to these rescued German Shepherds, and if you can’t foster or adopt, there is always the option of sponsoring any category of need for the rescue, food, medicine, special needs and all.
| Open For | Over 15 years |
| Location | Modesto, Northern California |
| info@gcgsr.org | |
| Phone Number | (877) 268-0255 |
| Website | gcgsr.org |
| Greater California German Shepherd Rescue |
6. Second Chance German Shepherd Rescue
The next German Shepherd rescue to be reviewed on our list is Second Chance German Shepherd Rescue located in Auburn, California. They are a well-experienced German Shepherd rescue organization that has been in existence for over 20 years. Founded by Dez Murray and her husband Mike. Since its inception, the rescue has been able to save over 4000 German Shepherd dogs which is quite an impressive achievement. They operate in Auburn, Sacramento, the Bay Area, and other parts of Northern California.
They are partnered with other rescue groups in the area as well as with other shelters to help save more German Shepherd dogs that are in need. All rescued dogs are first evaluated by their vet for physical and psychological health conditions of which if found any, they are placed on proper treatment. They also spay or neuter their German Shepherd dogs and ensure each of them receives the proper vet care they deserve. After which the rescued dogs are placed in proper foster homes that are under their care. They have been able to create a strong process that works.
You can check their website for a couple of German Shepherd dogs placed for adoption. These dogs are properly treated, socialized, and trained before being placed for adoption. The price range for adopting any of their dogs goes from $300 to $450 depending on the age of the German Shepherd to be adopted. You can also be a volunteer or a foster in their program as they are always searching for more foster homes to help improve the quality of work offered by the rescue and there is the option to donate to their cause.
| Owner | Dez Murray |
| Open For | Over 20 years |
| Location | Auburn, California |
| info@scgsr.org | |
| Phone Number | (888) 815-6222 |
| Website | scgsr.org |
| Second Chance German Shepherd Rescue |
7. German Shepherd Rescue of Sacramento Valley
The 7th and final rescue organization to be reviewed on our list of top German Shepherd rescues in Northern California is the German Shepherd Rescue of Sacramento Valley. This is a tax-exempt, non-profit organization that is devoted to both purebred German Shepherds and German Shepherd mixes in Sacramento whose owners or caregivers are no longer able to care for them or have abandoned them in shelters in the state. The rescue organization was founded by Brian Foran and has been in operation since 2001, making over 20 years of experience.
The interesting thing about German Shepherd Rescue of Sacramento Valley is that it is run and operated by one man, Brian Foran. He does all the work of finding the German Shepherds and their mixes, placing them in the foster home under his care or in Pleasant Grove, California, where he has a 45-acre property that houses a lot of the rescued German Shepherds and mixes. With his personal funds or funds donated by the well-meaning individuals he partners with, he is able to provide appropriate medical help to the rescued dogs and even dogs in need of special help.
All monies received by the rescue organization are used in taking care of the rescued German Shepherds and mixed through proper physical and psychological medical care. The rescued dogs are also properly vaccinated and dewormed. He has an adoption page where you can adopt any of the German Shepherds deemed fit and ready to be rehomed. You can also apply to be a foster in the program as fosters are always in high demand for rescues like this. Donors, partners, and sponsors are always welcome to help the cause and save more dogs.
| Owner | Brian Foran |
| Open For | Over 20 years |
| Location | Pleasant Grove, Northern California |
| bab43@msn.com | |
| Phone Number | (916) 655-3125 |
| Website | gsrsv.org |
| German Shepherd Rescue of Sacramento Valley |
Final Thoughts
These are 7 top non-profit rescue organizations that are devoted to both the German Shepherd breed and their mixes in Northern California. These organizations have done more than enough to show their love and commitment to the German Shepherd breed. My personal pick from this list will be German Shepherd of Sacramento Valley located in Pleasant Grove, Northern California, and founded by Brian Foran.
This is a truly remarkable German Shepherd rescue in the organization that does something really impressive. Brian Foran really helps support the argument that one man can change the world and with this rescue organization, he truly does that. Over 20 years, German Shepherd Rescue of Sacramento Valley has saved hundreds of German Shepherds and mixes over time.
And not just rescue, Brian has been able to properly rehabilitate and rehome these dogs providing proper medical care, socialization, and training opportunities to these dogs. Although they don’t take in drop-offs, they do have quite a number of German Shepherds available for adoption on the website.
But just don’t take our word for it, do your proper research on each rescue organization that you find interesting and are willing to work with. Always provide the needed care and attention to any German Shepherd you adopt. Show them that people do care.
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