Adopt a Shepherd

Ready to Add a German Shepherd
to Your Family?

We love Shepherds! All of our volunteers believe that German Shepherds are the cutest, sweetest breed ever. But, we have good news and bad news.

The bad news is that they aren’t for everyone. They can be high energy, demanding a lot of attention and exercise. They also “HERD” and protect. Moving objects such as small animals and small children are subject to being herded. If you are looking for a low energy, quiet dog, a GSD probably would not be a good fit.

Keeping that all in mind, the good news is that sharing your life with a shepherd can be very rewarding. A sensitive breed, they can sense emotions and act as calming caregivers to those they care about. GSD’s are natural family pack protectors and come to know and love those that you and your family love. When you give a shepherd a safe and loving home, they will thank you with loyalty and love beyond measure.

WPGSR Adoption Process

  • Apply online at www.wpgsr.com/adopt and receive an email confirming we have received your application.
  • Your application gets matched with an apps team volunteer for processing; they begin by reaching out to you via email.
  • The volunteer contacts your veterinarian (if applicable), your landlord (if applicable), and your references.
  • The volunteer asks for home visit photos or video.
  • The volunteer calls you to go over any questions you have and to have a conversation about your lifestyle, current pets’ personalities, and what you are looking for in a dog.
  • Your application gets approved!
  • The foster of the dog you are interested in contacts you regarding their foster dog to ensure it sounds like a good fit.  Then you schedule a meet & greet!
  • Adoption can take place. Happy Tails to all! 

Please remember that you can’t move on to the next stage if the previous stage isn’t complete.  For example, we aren’t able to process your application if you are missing veterinarian information or reference names/contact info and this will prevent you from moving on to the Home Visit stage and Meet & Greet stage.  

See our Frequently Asked Questions below for more details on application timelines, what is expected from the veterinarian check, and more!

Frequently Asked Application Questions

  • How long does it take for my application to get approved?
    • Our applications team volunteers are usually assigned to applications between 2-10 days after they are submitted, depending on the number of applications we have coming in at any given time.  Once your application is assigned, the speed with which it is approved generally depends on whether your veterinarian has been given permission to release records and how quickly we hear back from your references.
  • Can I apply and be approved while I wait for the right dog to come into the rescue?
    • Absolutely! Once your adoption application is approved, it is good for one year.  You can apply for an “unknown” dog and then work with one of our application team volunteers to find the right match for you and your family as dogs become available.  We also offer the option of foster-to-adopt for dogs that haven’t come to rescue yet, and in those situations you get to foster the dog for a few weeks before you make a decision about whether it is the right fit for you.
  • What is expected for veterinarian records?
    • All dogs in the home must be spayed/neutered and be seen by a veterinarian annually to get up to date on rabies and distemper/parvo vaccines and be heartworm tested.  If your current dog is too young to be spayed/neutered, your application may be approved only to adopt dogs that are already fixed or puppies of the same gender.
  • Will I be denied because I don’t have a fence?
    • We do not deny applications because your yard is not fenced.  We will simply avoid placing specific dogs that need a physical barrier to keep them in their yard or have high prey drives and may run off chasing small animals in homes without fences.  
  • I submitted an application and haven’t heard from anyone.  What should I do?
    • Make sure to check your email SPAM box, as our volunteers will first try reaching you via the email address you listed on your application.  If they do not hear back from you that way, they will try texting and/or calling over the next few days.  If it has been over a week without contact, please send an email to apps@wpgsr.com and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

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