Animal lovers, photographers, writers, tech savvy shepherd Lovers - please lend a hand.

Our capacity to serve at risk German Shepherds is based on cash and in-kind donations and your time, talents as German Shepherd lovers. Volunteers who open their homes as foster care providers allow us to bring dogs into our rescue, creating space at the shelter for another dog and the opportunity to give our German Shepherds an interval of rest in a safe, loving environment and information to assist in his or her optimum placement in a forever home.

Volunteers who serve as adoption counselors serve in the equally important interface with our adopters. Other volunteers serve in countless tasks that allow our organization to fundraise, advertise, transport and handle dogs. The stay of a German Shepherd Dog in our rescue is up to 90 days having increased substantially due to the overwhelming number of dogs being surrendered and abandoned since 2022 and the average cost of a rescue dog is $650. Some can be adopted right away and some need extra or specialized care to be ready to head to their forever. Relief and regular fosterers working together ease the longer stays and financial support from our donors fund our efforts. We regularly rescue dogs with health issues due to neglect, injuries from their time on the streets and at times, abuse. We also dedicate resources to training our volunteers and dogs to solve dog behaviors arising from the lack of training and socialization in their original homes.

To join our team, please start by completing our volunteer questionnaire. Thank you!

Fosters

Welcome to Fostering!

Try it for a few weeks, we may just help you overcome any trepidations.

You will save the life of a dog by offering your home and experience with dogs! It's a priceless experience that will stay with you forever.

There may be some challenges, but we will support you through those challenges with the resources of more experienced foster families. We will also accommodate any of your travel plans by moving your foster dog to either a kennel or relief fosterer, and if the dog isn't a good match, to another foster home.

We guarantee you will fall in love, and during your adventure, may even "fail" at fostering and adopt one of your foster dogs. Or maybe you'll stand firm and resist the urge to keep one, in which case, we'll love you equally for that. We promise you will also make lots of new friends across Northern California who will share photos of your foster dog flourishing in his/her forever home.

We do provide all the following while you provide the love, care and the spare sofa:

* All food for the foster dog. Depending on logistics, we may ask that you purchase the recommended food and reimburse you for the expense through our expense reimbursement form. * All “authorized” veterinary care for the foster dog. * Our foster manual document that will help to guide you through the fostering process. * Support and aid for you, including answers to any questions you may have along the way about your foster dog or the fostering process. * Loans of crates, feeding and watering dishes, bedding, brushes, toys, leash and collar for your foster dog. * The knowledge that you are giving a German Shepherd Dog extra time to live and another chance to find a loving and safe home!

Our Foster Home Process and Requirements is a good start for your further questions.

Adoption COunseling

Welcome to Matchmaking!

For potential adopters finding a 4 legged forever love is much like online dating, clicking through to available dogs and swiping through profiles pictures wondering about compatibility.

Are you flexible, people oriented? Adoption counseling is an opportunity to use your people skills on behalf families looking for a best friend and a shepherd whose looking for a second chance. Each adoption that’s a match for the dog’s needs, energy level and temperament is lasting satisfaction, and lasting friendships.

We provide the guidelines and support as you meet families to qualify them for adoption for just the right shepherd and internally our dog operations volunteers assist you with possible matches with the dogs currently in the program.

Some adoption happen right away and some take weeks depending on the dogs in the program and the requirements of the adopters.

other CRITICAL ROLES

Wondering how else you can help shepherds find loving homes? Here a few of our needs, be sure to mark your preferences in our volunteer questionnaire. Many hands make light work of saving German Shepherd Dogs.

Dog Handling at Adoption Days and Outreach Events

Phone support on our 800 number

Marketing

Social Media

Photography

Graphic Design

Merchandising

Transportation

Fundraising

Newsletters/Communications

Writers

We welcome junior volunteers under the age of 18 and provide community service hour verification for schools. Public dog handling roles are limited to adult volunteers.