Frequently Asked Questions

This section is to try to answer some of the more frequently asked questions or gives you the link to the location on our website where the answer is located.  If you cannot find an answer on our website or by talking to one of our volunteers at an event, please email us at Info@AllShepherdRescue.com and we will try to help.

Thank you for thinking of rescue...your next best friend may be right here!

Adoptions

How do I adopt?  Where is your application?

All potential adopters and potential fosters must fill out an Adoption/Foster Application.  The approval process is the same for both adoption and foster. (See next question)

Who do you adopt to?

We only adopt to adults, age 18 and older.  No exceptions.  If you are living at home as an adult you must have the written approval of your parents for us to process the application.  Our application process starts with the review of your application.  You must be in an area where we have a volunteer that can do your home visit.  (See area question below)  We will call your references and one of our volunteers will perform a home visit to meet you and all members of your family - human, canine and feline!  Once you have been approved, we work with you to find the right match for you and your family.  If the dog you were interested in is adopted we will still process your application.  We will try and let you know if the dog you listed is adopted to verify you want to continue the application process.  We HIGHLY recommend if you are looking for a GSD or GSD mix to adopt now or in the near future, that you complete the application process with us now so you will be ready to meet the one that captures your heart!

Is there an application fee? 

Not at this time.

  I rent.  Will you adopt to me?

We do not require you to own your home, but you will need a landlord approval letter specifically listing German Shepherd and German Shepherd mixes to be permitted in your rental property.  This approval should be faxed to 888-775-2798 or scanned and emailed to Adoptions@AllShepherdRescue.com.  This landlord approval should specify you are able to adopt a german Shepherd with no weight restrictions (or list the restrictions).

What about a fence?

We do not require you to have a fence. We do want you to walk your dog and having a fence is a convenience but mental and physical stimulation can be done without a fence. Many of our fosters do not have fences.

What areas do you adopt to?

Most of our adopters reside in the Baltimore/DC metro area right now.  We require a home visit to be done ( in person or virtually)  by one of our volunteers as part of our approval process. 

We do have volunteers in MD, Southern PA, Northern VA, DC and also DE who may be able to do a home visit if you reside in these areas. If you are unsure of your location being in our coverage area and whether or not we can perform a home visit, please email Adoptions@AllShepherdRescue.com. In the email please include your full address so that we can check with our volunteers about the home visit. We also do many of our Home Visits virtually via Skype, FaceTime etc . 

If you are out of the Washington/Baltimore Metro area , we do require that all adopters bring their dogs and all family members to meet the prospective adoptive dogs, foster dogs are typically within 50 miles of Baltimore, MD.

Will you adopt to a home with young kids?

We will not automatically decline a family because there are young children in a home.  We will only adopt dogs to a home with young children that appear to be well suited for life with children.

How long will it take until I find out if I am approved?

As a general rule of thumb, approval usually takes about two weeks.  You will receive an email from Adoptions@allshepherdrescue.com with the formal approval email .

We are 100% volunteer and most of us work full time jobs in addition to our family and rescue commitments.  To help speed the application process along, please call your vet and have them put a note in your file giving permission to disclose your vetting information to us.  Please let your references know we will be calling.  The faster they return the volunteer's call the sooner we can move to a home visit.  For the home visit, everyone that lives in the home must be present. College students living away from home  are an exception.

How do you Match dogs to Adopters ? 

Our Adoption Team will have reviewed all the information you have shared as well as references and the home visit prior to contacting you to discuss prospective dogs. We do our best to provide accurate information on the website but sometimes people fall in love with a picture --and do not fully read the bio. so we want to make sure the dog is the best possible fit for you and your family, particularly if you have smaller children in the home.

What if the dog I am interested in is adopted prior to my becoming approved ?

We will do our best to notify you if that happens, but we ask everyone to keep an open mind about other dogs, and there are often many many dogs waiting to come into ASR, pending an opening, that will not be on the website. 

Will you adopt two dogs together ?

Unless the two dogs are a " bonded pair", having lived together and co-dependent , we will only adopt one dog at a time . It takes time for a new dog to relax and transition to your home and you and sometimes having a second dog at the same time makes it very hard for a dog to bond with young your family , it will tend to bond with the other dog.  We suggest , if you are thinking of adopting a 2nd dog, please wait for a minimum of 6-9 months or until your first adopted is settled in with you and your family. 

Can you hold a dog until my application is approved ?

We do not " hold" dogs . Sometimes applicants may have a life change --change of job, illness , change in family situation and decide not to adopt and then that dog may have missed out on a good home with someone else. But the " good " and " bad" news is that are so many wonderful adoptable dogs in desperate need in overcrowded shelters, we know we can find the right one for you and your family.

Our goal is to make your home the last home your dog ever knows ......so that he/she can live the rest of his/her life knowing love and happiness. Change is hard on dogs--just like people !

Volunteering

How old do you need to be to volunteer?

Right now you need to be 18 years old to volunteer.  We are currently working on ways that those under 18 can get involved with the dogs.  Those under 18 are always welcome to contact us about any fundraisers they are organizing to benefit the dogs. 

Who can volunteer?

Animal lovers over 18 years of age are welcome and needed!  You do not need to be in our adoptions area to help.  You can help with phone calls - with both reference and adoption follow up calls, advertisement and website design and behind the scenes administrative help without being in our adoptive area.

What do volunteers do?

Everything!  We are 100% volunteer run.  We all have family and work commitments in addition to our ASR responsibilities and we are always looking for help to spread the word about ASR while keeping up with the applications and training the dogs.  Take a look at our volunteer page to see a few things ASR volunteers do.

Other Questions

Can you help me with my dog?

We will try . The best thing for your dog, no matter what the breed, is to be with people that love them. We are going to try to help you keep your dog.  It is traumatizing for a dog to lose a family they love, just as it is heartbreaking for you to lose a pet you love.  With all of our volunteers, we probably have someone that has dealt with the same issue you are now facing and can help you navigate through to a positive solution.  If there is a behavioral issue, we can try to help you find trainers that will work with you.  Almost all of our volunteers have at least one dog so we can help with vet references and let you know who we have used and know.  Our support network is available to everyone.

No, I meant will you  take my dog?

We try to help as many dogs as we can.  Unfortunately we are limited to the number of dogs we can help at one time by finances and foster homes.  All of our dogs are in foster homes or with trainers until we can get them into a foster home.  There is always a long list of hopeful shelter dogs too.  Many of those dogs are in imminent danger of euthanasia and must be our priority.  If your current dog can stay in your home we can help you find a suitable adopter by posting in our Courtesy Listing section.

How do I get my dog listed in the Courtesy Listing?

Send us an email with your dog's name, your contact information and pictures/videos that showcase your dog.  Check our current dogs listed in our Courtesy Post section for reference.  You can email them to CourtesyPost@AllShepherdRescue.com.  In many cases we can help you with the prescreening of applicants to ensure your dog finds a wonderful home. Your dog must be spayed or neutered to be posted as many unscrupulous people might want your dog for breeding and there are too many backyard breeders already !

Where do you get your dogs from?

Our dogs come from many states...we try to help dogs in local shelters in the metro area but we also try and focus on dogs most at risk in shelters .  Most of our dogs come from shelters where they are slated for euthanasia if not adopted or rescued.  A few of our dogs are from owners that can no longer care for their dogs.  There is an epidemic of unwanted dogs in shelters all over the US so that will remain our primary focus .

What is the screening process for your dogs?

Our dogs are evaluated for temperament and health prior to being accepted into ASR by a shelter partner or a trainer or an ASR Volunteer .  They are continually observed and behavior noted  while in foster or at the trainer.  We will not place a dog we know to be aggressive to humans into a foster home or an adoptive home.  ASR will disclose any and all known health issues prior to adoption.  Some dogs come to us heartworm positive or with other treatable illnesses.  We do not routinely have X-rays done of our dogs unless they are symptomatic and we will disclose any orthopedic or other issues known to us as well as any treatments done or prescribed by the attending veterinarian.  

ASR dogs will have CORE vaccinations done ( rabies, DHPP, bordatella ) and will also be spayed or neutered unless age or health did not allow us to have them fixed prior to adoption - in which case we will work with you to get it done while in your care. We also have fecals done and will treat any know illness or issue as recommended by our vet .

Why does it cost so much to adopt?

Dogs can be expensive.  Consider the costs for basic vetting exams, vaccinations (puppies need several sets), monthly preventatives (heartworm and flea/tick), spay/neuter and in some cases deworming, heartworm treatment and surgeries (see some of our medical dogs).  Add to that transportation, boarding and training.  Our adoption fee of $350 normally doesn't even cover the cost of basic vetting and the spay or neuter of a dog.  All of this is why your donations are badly needed and so critical to the welfare of these wonderful dogs!

How can I donate?

You can donate through Paypal.  You can send a check, payable to ASR, to the PO Box, or you can donate in person at any of the events we are hosting.

What can I donate?

We accept cash, checks, credit cards (through our Paypal account), all gift cards (if we cannot use them we can raffle them off to raise money for the dogs), blankets, sheets, leashes, bowls, dog toys, collars, unopened bags of treats and food, your time and love.  One of the most rewarding and immediately helpful things you can donate is a temporary home as a foster parent to help a needy dog.