Champ--adopted 5-7-13


Polar (on right)--adopted 4-6-13


 

Penny A. (on right)--adopted 3-31-13

 

German Shepherd Rescue of
Sacramento Valley

GSRSV Home

About GSRSV

Become a Foster Caretaker!

Donations Needed!

How to Adopt a Dog from GSRSV/Adoption Fees

What's New on the GSRSV Website?

Dogs Available for Adoption through GSRSV

Dogs Available for Adoption from Other Area Rescue Groups and Individuals

Dogs Available for Adoption at Northern California Animal Shelters

Dogs Available for Adoption through Owner Placement

How to Place a Dog through GSRSV

Lost and Found

GSRSV Picture/Story Scrapbook

In Memoriam 

Is a German Shepherd the Right Breed for You?


Other German Shepherd Rescue Web Sites & Resources

GSRSV's 2013 Rescue Record

GSRSV's 2012 Rescue Record

GSRSV's 2011 Rescue Record

GSRSV'S 2010 Rescue Record

GSRSV'S 2009 Rescue Record

GSRSV's 2008 Rescue Record

GSRSV's 2007 Rescue Record

GSRSV's 2006 Rescue Record

GSRSV's 2005 Rescue Record

GSRSV's 2004 Rescue Record

GSRSV's 2003 Rescue Record

GSRSV's 2002 Rescue Record

GSRSV's 2001 Rescue Record

GSRSV's 2000 Rescue Record

German Shepherd Rescue of Sacramento Valley (GSRSV) is a one-person operation dedicated to finding good homes for German Shepherds and German Shepherd mixes whose caregivers can no longer keep them or which are confined in animal shelters. I am presently focused on placing dogs whose caregivers can no longer keep them. A "full house" of dogs at my rescue facility, and lack of foster caretakers limits my ability to rescue from shelters. If you're interested in becoming a foster caretaker, please contact Brian Foran at 916-655-3125 or bab43@msn.com.

If you are looking for a wider selection of purebred German Shepherds, please visit the Websites of German Shepherd Rescue of Northern California, Greater California German Shepherd Rescue, and Golden State German Shepherd Rescue.

SHELTER DOG SPOTLIGHT: 1-YO FEMALE GSD & 5-YO MALE GSD IN TRACY (5-16-13)

As of May 16, the shelter in Tracy had two nice purebred GSDs available for adoption. Sahara (on left) is a 1-yo female, and Shadow )on right) is a 5-yo male. I don't have any info about either dogs' temperaments, but they must be nice dogs simply to be up for adoption.

If you're interested in either of these dogs, please contact the Tracy Animal Shelter at 209-831-6364 (Tu-Sun, noon-5:30 PM). Refer to ID #A018415 for Sahara and A018414 for Shadow.

If you're willing to foster either Sahara or Shadow for GSRSV, please contact Brian at 916-655-3125 or bab43@msn.com.

 

SHELTER DOG SPOTLIGHT: 9-MOS MALE GSD IN TURLOCK (posted 5-11-13)

This poor, beat-up but friendly-looking young GSD is at the Turlock City Shelter, and will be available for adoption on May 15. He has an abrasion below his left eye which has caused the eye to be swollen partially closed, but the eye appears to be OK. The dog was found as a stray wandering above a canal w/ a rope attached to his collar.

If you're interested in adopting this dog, please contact the Turlock Shelter at 209-656-3140 M-Sat 10:00 - 2:00 and REFER TO DOG #5-52.  

                      Click for larger image.

If you're willing to foster this dog for GSRSV, please contact Brian at 916-655-3125 or bab43@msn.com.

 

How to find a dog to adopt from this Website: 

  1. Click on the four selections in large font in the menu to the left, starting with "Dogs Available for Adoption through GSRSV."

  2. If you're interested in adopting a dog available through GSRSV, read the page "How to Adopt a Dog from GSRSV." That page describes my adoption process, and includes my adoption questionnaire and adoption contract. Please hold off on filling out the adoption questionnaire until after the next step!

  3. If you're interested in adopting a GSRSV dog, contact Brian Foran at 916-655-3125 or bab43@msn.com to learn more about the dog. If the dog seems like a good match for you, I (Brian) will ask you to fill out and submit the GSRSV adoption questionnaire.

  4. If you're interested in adopting a dog from another rescue group, an owner, or a shelter, contact the person or shelter listed for that dog.

German Shepherd Rescue of Sacramento Valley is officially tax-exempt (finally)!

After operating for over 12 years as a "business" (a very unprofitable one at that), GSRSV received official designation as a charitable organization from the IRS on March 23, 2013, retroactive to February 14, 2012. Now, all donations to GSRSV are officially tax-deductible!  If you'd like to make a donation, go to "Please Make a Donation", below.       

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Please Make a Donation!

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GSRSV is a tax-exempt public charity, as defined under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. All donations to GSRSV are tax deductible to the full extent of the law. 

Since February 2001, Brian Foran has funded GSRSV primarily on his own. Donations have played--and continue to play--a huge part in keeping GSRSV afloat, as adoption fees are a drop-in-the-bucket compared with the costs of running a large rescue program. (See the actual numbers for 2007-2011 here.)

Please consider making a cash donation to GSRSV today, either by clicking on the PayPal button below, 

 

or by mailing a check, made out to GSRSV, to: 

GSRSV, PO Box 652, Pleasant Grove, CA 95668.

Any size donation is appreciated. Please help in any way you can!

 

Tracking GSRSV's Adoptions

My most recent adoptions were Champ to Trina & Ryan Hoogendyk of Carmichael; Penny A. to Karen, Damon & Jack Nelson of Berkeley; and Duke to Dan & Jodie Evans of Oakland.
So far in 2013, GSRSV has rescued 10 dogs and placed 18 dogs, including 5 "Program Dogs" that I've placed for other people. See my 2013 Rescue/Adoption Record.
In 2012, GSRSV rescued 25 dogs and placed 29 dogs, including 16 "Program Dogs" that I placed for other people. See my 2012 Rescue/Adoption Record.
 

Unselfishness Saves Lives!
Thank You to Spencer & Michelle Millar for Saving Shelter Dogs by Fostering--and Letting Go

Many adults with children choose not to foster a dog because they feel it will be too hard on their kids when the time comes to let the dog go to its permanent home. That's an understandable concern. However, fostering teaches many valuable lessons in character that are hard to come by any other way. 

Meet 12-yr old Spencer Millar, pictured at left with Jake, a shelter dog that he and his family fostered for just over two months. Spencer has demonstrated amazing maturity and unselfishness by his willingness to let Jake and the other dog that he and his family fostered for GSRSV go to permanent homes--even though he was given the option of keeping them. (If you think it was easy for Spencer to let go of Jake because Jake didn't mean much to him, one look at the picture to the left will tell you otherwise.) 

The Millars absolutely loved Jake, and couldn't say enough good things about him. But they already have two permanent dogs, and three dogs is their limit. If they were to keep any of the dogs that they foster, they know they wouldn't be able to foster any more dogs. The Millars also loved Emmett, the dog they fostered prior to fostering Jake. If they were to have kept Emmett, GSRSV would not have rescued Jake from the Merced County Shelter, and Jake would likely have been euthanized. 

The Millars realize that there are plenty more Jakes out there in California shelters. Michelle, Spencer's mom, also recognizes how fostering dogs is teaching Spencer and her younger son Parker that, in order to save dogs one at a time, they need the fortitude to let go of the ones that they foster and love.   

Won't you join the Millars in their unselfish commitment to foster a dog at risk? Please contact Brian at 916-655-3125 or bab43@msn.com for more information.

                              

ABOUT FOSTERING DOGS

Is fostering a dog a sacrifice? NO! It is a pleasure! 

The rewards of knowing that you've saved the life of a sweet, beautiful German Shepherd dog (or any other breed), and made that dog feel loved, are MUCH greater than whatever inconvenience the dog may cause or the pain of letting him or her go to a new home. 

If you, the German Shepherd-loving populace, will not extend a helping hand to the numerous German Shepherds housed in area shelters and facing euthanasia, WHO WILL?

PLEASE consider fostering a German Shepherd for GSRSV! See the page Save a German Shepherd's Life: Become a Foster Caretaker

   

Before You Consider Adopting a Dog from a Rescue Group (including GSRSV), Please Consider Adopting One from a Shelter! 

Though there are certain advantages to adopting a dog from a rescue group, those dogs are safe. Those in shelters are at high risk of euthanasia! If you don't already know, you'd be horrified to learn about the  number of beautiful German Shepherds that are euthanized every week in Northern California shelters. 

Petharbor.com, a Website that lists dogs (and other animals) in shelters nationwide, has a great feature that makes searching for particular types of dogs in shelters of your choosing MUCH EASIER! The feature provides free, daily e-mail notices (with pictures) of any dog(s) that meet your criteria at the shelters that you've specified. The feature is free, lasts for 30 days, and is instantly renewable! Please click here for directions on how to subscribe to Petharbor.com's shelter animal search feature.

Also, see the page "Dogs Available for Adoption at Sacramento Valley Animal Shelters." Though it no longer lists any dogs in Northern California shelters (don't have the time), it does provide the contact information for many of the shelters.

Please Remember that Most Dogs with Rescue Groups Come from Shelters Themselves!

Take a look at the
"slide show" link here, and you'll see what happens to many perfectly adoptable dogs--including German Shepherds--at shelters. Caution! This slide show illustrates a tragic real-life event at a shelter in Atlanta, GA--the same event that takes place everyday in Sacramento-area shelters. The slide show will likely make you very sad--which it should. Please forward the link to anyone you know who might not understand the everyday tragedy at animal shelters nationwide.

 

GSRSV Picture/Story Scrapbook!
Send me your favorite photo and/or story of the dog(s) you adopted from GSRSV, and I will post them on the GSRSV Picture/Story Scrapbook page. Mail pictures/stories to Brian Foran at bab43@msn.com. 

 

 

 

 

 

"Gus"

Older Rescued Dogs Make Wonderful Companions!


"Queenie"

Think that an older dog will not make a good family companion because it's too set in its ways?" Think again! Older dogs, more so than younger dogs, live to please their caretakers. Furthermore, hip dysplasia in older German Shepherds is much less of a problem than commonly believed, and general arthritis is readily treatable with coated aspirin (yes, ASPIRIN) and glucosamine/chondroitin supplements. For an excellent information resource on older dogs, see the Senior Dogs Project Website, and their"Top Ten Reasons to Adopt an Older Dog." 

Testimonials of those who have adopted older dogs from GSRSV

Bob Warner adopted Krista from the Sac County shelter, with GSRSV's assistance, on 7-1-10. Here's what Bob had to say about Krista in December 2011:

"Krista has become a wonderful friend--so gentle and friendly that everyone enjoys her. She is an excellent example of why adopters should consider older dogs."

 

 

  

 

If you have or plan to adopt a GSD, you NEED to know about "bloat!" Please read the info below.

Gastric dilation/volvulus, more commonly known as "bloat", is an all-too- frequent, fatal event for German Shepherds. Basically, gastric dilation refers to a condition in which the dog's stomach fills up with air due to various circumstances. The dog's abdomen becomes visibly "bloated", and causes great discomfort. If the bloat persists, often what happens next is volvulus--the stomach literally rotates on its intestinal axis, shutting off the blood supply both to and from the stomach. At this stage, the dog usually has only hours to live, and the condition must be treated surgically. The sooner the dog is treated, the better its chance for survival and full recovery. 

Learn how to avoid bloat in your dog, and how to recognize the symptoms. Please click on this link to open a very informative Webpage about bloat. I recommend printing the article and placing it where you can immediately access it if you suspect that your dog is experiencing bloat. Click on this link for a printable MS Word version of the article.

 

Want to Read a Cool, Free Online Dog-Lovers Newsletter While Helping GSRSV? Sample
Click here for more info and to sign up.

(You only need to receive one online newsletter to help GSRSV--you can opt out at any time!)

 
Springtime, Inc., is a manufacturer and retailer of amazingly effective, all-natural, reasonably priced nutritional supplements for dogs, horses and humans. I have regularly given a few of Springtime's supplements to the GSRSV dogs for years, and enthusiastically endorse these products--particularly "Joint Health"--a glucosamine/chondroitin/MSM supplement, and "Bug-Off Garlic"--a natural flea preventative that REALLY WORKS! Please visit Springtime's Website, and if you place an order with them as a result of this referral, please mention that you learned of their company through GSRSV. I do not receive any commisions--I just want the people at Springtime to know that I'm sharing the word on their products, as they do give me a discount on the products that I order.

Questions regarding German Shepherd Rescue of Sacramento Valley or this Website should be directed to Brian Foran, 916-655-3125, bab43@msn.com, or you can write to:

GSRSV
PO Box 652
Pleasant Grove, CA  95668

Thanks also to    and 
for hosting respective GSRSV homepages with a list of our dogs on their Websites.

This site is hosted by  (www.xmatters.com). xMatters makes "relevance engines" that connect people with what they need to know, at the exact moment they need to know it – so they can act quickly and intelligently to move their business forward. Many, many thanks to Troy McAlpin, xMatters' President & CEO  and a former GSRSV adopter, for graciously carrying GSRSV's Website on xMatters' servers since 2001.   


Last modified: Thursday May 16, 2013