Plott Hounds have the prestige of being the official dog for North Carolina. However, German Shepherds outdo them in numbers because they are the second most popular breed in the state after Labrador Retrievers and ahead of Golden Retrievers. That’s according to Country 103.7FM.
Going by deduction, it is more likely to find a German Shepherd in a North Carolina dog rescue than you would a Plott Hound. We found the 3 best Germans Shepherd rescues in North Carolina:
- Southeast German Shepherd Rescue
- Freedom German Shepherd Rescue
- German Shepherd Rescue and Adoptions
Are you searching for an adoptable dog from a German Shepherd Rescue in North Carolina? We describe the most probable places to find one in the rest of the article.
German Shepherd Rescues in North Carolina
If you live in Mooresville, La Grande, or Raleigh, you are lucky to be closest to a breed-specific German Shepherd rescue in North Carolina. But residents of other cities and towns in the state can also access adoption services from the 3 rescues discussed below.
1. Southeast German Shepherd Rescue
The Southeast German Shepherd Rescue flagged off the noble mission of saving GSDs from kill shelters and unfit homes in 2010. The charitable organization in Mooresville relies on volunteer services to rescue, rehabilitate, and appropriately rehome German Shepherds.
The lucky GSDs that enjoy the Rescue’s services come from North Carolina, especially the southeast region. However, the dogs are sometimes saved from bordering Virginia. Future plans target the entire US southeastern region.
The Rescue Mission
Southeastern German Shepherd Rescue saves neglected, displaced, and undesired GSDs from shelters and surrendering owners. The dogs are entrusted with foster parents until they can find their forever homes.
While they wait for their new family to show up, the dogs are provided with nutrition, medical care, and socialization training. This is a costly and tasking responsibility that relies on the help of well-wishers.
You Too, Can Help
You can be among the well-wishers who make the vast network of fosters, volunteers, donors, directors, transporters, and adopters. All these groups work together, guided by the slogan, “It takes a village to save a dog.”
If your interest in the Southeastern GSD Rescue is to adopt, here’s what you have to do:
- Complete and submit an adoption application and pay a $30 application fee.
- Allow time for the adoption coordinator to review your application and talk to your vet about the health status of any vets you may already have.
- Respond to an email from the adoption coordinator to arrange an interview call. This comes 7-10 days after your application.
- Allow a home visit once the interview call is made and is successful. The visiting volunteer may bring a sociable GSD to see how the dog reacts to the family environment.
- Sign an adoption contract if the home visit is successful.
- Work with the adoption coordinator to determine the type of dog you are looking for and if there’s a good match available. Note that the Rescue does not let you apply for a specific dog at the beginning of the process.
- Attend a meet-and-greet at the foster home or a location convenient for the foster parent.
- Deposit a $300 check and take your GSD home for a 14-day trial period. The check is deposited only if the trial period is successful and you decide to keep the dog.
You can find more info about the rigorous adoption process at Southeastern German Shepherd Rescue on their website, https://southeastgermanshepherdrescue.com. Alternatively, email them at [email protected] or follow them on Facebook.
2. Freedom German Shepherd Rescue
You’ll find Freedom German Shepherd Rescue in La Grange, North Carolina. The not-for-profit Rescue saves purebred German Shepherds and German Shepherd mixes from surrendering owners, dog shelters, and other dog rescues. This mission is achieved entirely by volunteers.
Unique About the Rescue
Freedom German Shepherd Rescue has a strict working philosophy. Their services target the good of dogs, and they don’t compromise that for anything or anyone.
Once they rescue a dog, the volunteers work with a foster to provide the pet with a temporary home, nutrition, medical care, and basic training. This way, the dog is ready to be permanently part of a loving home by the time one is found for them.
The Rescue also works with the community to promote responsible pet breeding, curb pet overpopulation, and enhance dog welfare within families. Besides, you can work with the Rescue to help give the best care to the GSDs.
How You Can Help
Becoming a foster, volunteering, and donating funds or some of your time, are all ways you can help Freedom German Shepherd Rescue. With your help, the Rescue can give the best to dogs looking to find a forever home.
If you are an aspiring dog owner, you can also adopt a German shepherd. The adoption process is thorough and happens in these steps:
- Submit a fully completed adoption application. Applicants must be ≥18 years and live in North or South Carolina.
- Notify your vet that an adoption coordinator will call them as part of a dog adoption suitability check. The vet will be asked to confirm that any vets in your home are up-to-date with vaccines and other monthly or annual medical requirements.
- Once the vet check is completed successfully, the adoption coordinator will schedule a phone interview.
- A home visit will be conducted, and if successful, the adoption is approved.
- The adoption coordinator proposes a good match for you. You may apply for a specific dog, but that’s no guarantee the GSD will still be available when your adoption application is approved.
- You can take your GSD home at the end of this process. You pay a $300 adoption fee through PayPal or deposit a pre-approved check. The adoption amount is refunded should you return the dog before the 2-week trial period elapses.
If you want additional info about adopting a dog from Freedom German Shepherd Rescue, you can find it on their website, https://freedomgermanshepherdrescue.org. You could also email [email protected] or follow their activities on Facebook.
3. German Shepherd Rescue & Adoptions
German Shepherd Rescue & Adoptions is a charitable organization started in 1992 and based in Raleigh, North Carolina.
The Rescue has built years of dog adoption success stories by saving GSDs and adopting them into responsible dog-loving homes in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. The Rescue occasionally saves purebred dogs of other breeds and mixed breeds.
How the Rescue Works
German Shepherd Rescue & Adoptions takes dogs from shelters or from owners who request help to rehome dogs they can no longer take care of.
Volunteers at the Rescue also dedicate additional effort to educating the community on curbing pet overpopulation through spaying and neutering. These efforts also break dog adoption myths.
Every rescued GSD undergoes a thorough medical checkup before it is made available for adoption.
Want to Collaborate with the Rescue?
To collaborate with German Shepherd Rescue & Adoptions, you can make monetary donations. Alternatively, you can become a foster or volunteer, buy from the Rescue’s shop, or adopt a dog.
To adopt a German Shepherd:
- Fill out an adoption application online with detailed answers. A complete form will increase your chances of being considered. Submit the form with a 35$ application fee.
- Wait for an adoption volunteer to review your application and conduct a vet check.
- Allow a phone interview and a home visit.
- Visit the adoption event for a meet-and-greet once your application is approved.
Bear in mind that you won’t bring your GSD home at the first meet and greet. You require at least two meetings. The final decision stays with the foster parent. The adoption fee is $325.
You can visit the Rescue’s website to browse the available dogs by sex and age. If you prefer direct contact with the volunteers, email them at [email protected].
German Shepherd Dog Clubs in North Carolina
Same-breed dog owners do great things in dog clubs, like attending show days and sharing knowledge about the nature and welfare of the breed.
If you live in North Carolina, you can start your connection with other GSD owners and enthusiasts with The German Shepherd Dog Club of Greater Raleigh. You can find the Club’s website here.
Helpful German Shepherd Articles
If you just want to learn more about the amazing German Shepherd breed, we have a wealth of resources to help you become a better owner and build a stronger bond with your furry friend. Our articles offer valuable insights into topics such as nutrition, exercise, grooming, and behavior.
So why not take a look and see what you can discover to help you improve a dog’s life?
- Costs of Owning a German Shepherd: With 21 Examples!
- 21 German Shepherd Colors & Patterns (With Pictures!)
- Long-Haired GSD vs. Short Hair: What’s the Difference?
- German Shepherd Types: 5 Breed Variations (With Pictures)
- German Shepherd Pros and Cons: What To Consider Before Buying
Let’s Sum this Up!
Three German Shepherd Rescues in North Carolina aren’t a large number. But they are excellent points of reference for anyone seeking to support or give a family to a homeless GSD.
If that is your plan, we hope this article has made your search easier. That would only mean another German Shepherd in need of a forever home has found one!
Hey! Are you looking for a German Shepherd rescue countrywide? Check out this article, 45 Best German Shepherd Rescues In The US.
