Arkansas is considered one of the most dog-friendly states in the US. For German Shepherds in rescues, that presupposes great ease in finding a new loving owner and a forever home. If you are looking for German Shepherd rescues in Arkansas, you are in luck!
Here are the top 3 German Shepherd rescues in Arkansas:
- DogsOnly Rescue & Adoption
- Big Paws Of The Ozarks
- Care for Animals: Rescue. Rehome. Neuter/Spay
If your interest in a German Shepherd rescue in Arkansas is to support a GSD in a rescue or give them a new forever home, this article has all the details you need to decide where to go. Keep reading to explore the unique features of each dog rescue.
German Shepherd Rescues in Arkansas
Dog rescues targeting only German Shepherds don’t seem to be a usual occurrence in Arkansas. However, the state has rescues that save dogs of all breeds. We discuss the three that stood out in the rest of the article.
1. DogsOnly Rescue & Adoption
DogsOnly Rescue & Adoption is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in Little Rock, Arkansas. The Rescue is run solely by volunteers.
DogsOnly Mission and Scope
As the name suggests, DogsOnly’s mission is to save all dogs, regardless of their breed. That includes German Shepherds.
In fact, when I visited the Rescue’s ‘Find Your New Best Friend’ page, a cute female German Shepherd was listed among the adoptable dogs.
The dogs are taken from the streets or surrendered by owners who can no longer afford their care. The Rescue also takes dogs from shelters in the surrounding cities, including New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Central Arkansas.
How DogsOnly Works
Because it relies solely on volunteers, DogsOnly Rescue does not invest donations and adoption funds into paying salaries. Instead, every penny goes into caring for the dogs and providing welfare services, including:
- Saving homeless dogs.
- Providing vet care and rehabilitation.
- Vaccination, neutering, and spaying.
- Transporting dogs to their adoptive homes.
- Educating prospective adopters and providing support post-adoption.
In addition, DogsOnly also trains volunteers interested in becoming foster parents of needy dogs.
Adopting from DogsOnly
While you can support DogsOnly with monetary donations through PayPal, fostering or adopting a dog provides a more permanent form of care.
You can learn more about DogsOnly Rescue or make inquiries about how to help by:
- Sending a mail to the Rescue with the mailing address; 251412, Little Rock, AR 72225-1412.
- Sending a direct message on their contact page.
2. Big Paws Of The Ozarks
Big Paws of the Ozarks is a rescue in Northwest Arkansas. It was founded in 2016 by a volunteer couple, Shannon and Dan Eldridge. Since then, the Rescue has dedicated itself to saving, rehabilitating, and rehoming big dogs in the community.
Big Paws Special Features and Achievements
The rescue is a foster-based organization that does not bring rescued dogs to a physical shelter. Instead, the organization entrusts rescued dogs to foster parents in the Northwest community.
Five years into inception (by 2021), the Rescue had saved and rehomed 400 dogs. More than 70 fosters collaborated in realizing this achievement.
The Rescue’s management believes in reducing the number of abandoned dogs and those at risk. For this reason, the organization has paired rescuing and prevention by starting a dog training academy in 2022.
The idea is to offer the best training services to dogs in the community because well-behaved dogs have lesser chances of being abandoned by their owners and families.
The Rescue also offers other services at their Fayetteville facility, including:
- Dog runs where pets can exercise.
- A grooming station where owners can also groom their dogs.
- A designated space where prospective adopters and rescue dogs can meet and greet.
What If You Want To Help?
You can help a German Shepherd and other dogs at Big Paws by:
- Becoming a foster parent.
- Applying to be a volunteer.
- Making a monetary donation.
- Adopting a dog in need.
Big Paws approves adoptions based on ‘best fit’ and not on a first-come basis. The adoption process follows these steps:
- The potential adopter fills out an adoption application.
- The rescue personnel makes phone contact with the adopter within 2 working days.
- A meet and greet is organized and involves the entire family, including other dogs.
- The adopter decides whether to take the dog home and signs an online contract.
- The adopter pays the adoption fee: $200 for puppies and $175 for adult dogs. The adoption fee can be more for AKC-registered dogs and extra-large breeds like Great Danes.
If you are interested in helping the Big Paws Rescue, you can get further information by:
- Visiting their website: https://www.bigpawsozarks.org
- Visiting their physical facility: 121 West Township Street, Suite 4, Fayetteville, AR, 72703
- Sending them an email: [email protected]
- Calling them at +1 501-777-5797
- Following them on their Facebook page: https://web.facebook.com/Bigpaws72703/about
3. Care for Animals: Rescue. Rehome. Neuter/Spay
Care for Animals is a rescue and adoption 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The Rescue was initiated in 1998 by a group of four volunteers. Today, that number has grown to hundreds of volunteers and some employees.
A Unique Enterprise
Care for Animals is mainly a virtual rescue. However, the organization uses a brick-and-mortar office at 5516 Kavanaugh Boulevard, Little Rock, AR 72207, for coordinating rescue activities. Interested persons meet available pets online and then submit an adoption application.
By 2018, Care for Animals had rehomed more than 4000 pets. Such success relies on fosters, donors, and volunteers.
The Rescue has a unique initiative known as Arkansas Paws in Prison. This program engages the Arkansas Department of Corrections by temporarily leaving rescue dogs in prisons. The prisons provide shelter, socialization, and dog training conducted by supervised inmates.
The Rescue also provides neutering and spaying services through a voucher program. With the voucher, rescued pets can receive neuter/spay services at a discounted rate in designated vet clinics in Arkansas. This initiative has benefited more than 12,000 pets.
Want to Help?
If you want to give a hand to Care for Animals, you can volunteer through one of the following ways:
- Become a foster.
- Conduct casework.
- Participate in showing adoptable pets.
- Volunteer transportation services.
- Work at their gift shop.
- Volunteering hours of office work.
- Plan and conduct a fundraiser.
You can get more details on these initiatives and other general questions by:
- Visiting their website: https://www.careforanimals.org
- Sending postal mail to 7604 Little Rock, AR 72217.
- Writing an email to [email protected] or directly from their contact page.
German Shepherd Clubs in Arkansas
German Shepherd lovers in Arkansas can join the German Shepherd Dog Club of Little Rock. The club is a regional extension of the German Shepherd Dog Club of America (GSDCA).
American German Shepherd Regional clubs are S/O type clubs, meaning they are show-only. However, joining the club provides referral chances for reliable GSD breeders, rescues, shelters, and training services.
Helpful German Shepherd Articles
Are you considering rescuing a German Shepherd but still unsure if it’s the right decision for you? These articles offer valuable information and insights into the breed, helping you make an informed choice and potentially change a dog’s life for the better.
- German Shepherd Pros and Cons: What To Consider Before Buying
- Costs of Owning a German Shepherd: With 21 Examples!
- Are German Shepherds Really Aggressive? Debunking the Myths
Concluding Note
If you are interested in a German Shepherd rescue in Arkansas, you will not find many dog rescues across the state.
However, the state is unique for hosting numerous shelters and having a volunteer Humane Society in almost every city. I found the Humane Society of Pulaski County in Little Rock and the Good Shepherd Humane Society in Eureka Springs as good examples.
Besides, Arkansas dog shelters and humane societies are adopting new no-kennel care models that surpass the traditional kennel shelters. An innovative example is the Best Friends Pet Resource Center.
If you don’t find what you are looking for in a rescue, you can always explore these innovative initiatives.
Hey! Are you looking for a German Shepherd rescue countrywide? Check out this article, 45 Best German Shepherd Rescues In The US.
