Twenty Years of Second Chances

Renzo Canale is one of many lucky dogs who made it to GSRNC and is now living his best life.

It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to start a rescue organization and keep it going, especially when the rescue is run entirely by volunteers.  In 2001, a small but determined group got German Shepherd Rescue of Northern California (GSRNC) up and running, and we’ve been blessed with many dedicated volunteers over the years - 20 years, to be exact! This year, we’re amazed and excited to be celebrating our 20th anniversary.

The journey hasn’t always been easy.  Our road has had plenty of detours, potholes, and wrong turns, but the destination has always been the same:  to save as many German Shepherds as possible.  We’ve always done the best we can and have been moved by the many dogs we’ve met along the way.  

Most of the dogs who come into our program have a pretty standard story, and we work to transition them from shelter, to foster home, to forever home.  But some dogs have a rockier start than others and need a little extra help. These are the dogs that leave a bigger paw print on our hearts.

Princess was a dog who was abandoned for being not quite perfect.  She was born with a front paw that was malformed and a leg two inches shorter than the others, making it hard for her to walk.  Our amazing volunteers made it their mission to help this girl.  They found a place in Sacramento that could fit her with an orthotic boot and drove her back and forth from the East Bay to Sacramento for fittings and adjustments.  Princess proved to be a delightful patient and showed her gratitude with sweet kisses for the staff.

Chief found his way to us after he was abandoned on a highway in Santa Clara County.  People in the area brought him food and water, but when he was still there a couple weeks later in sweltering 110 degree heat, a Good Samaritan took him in and contacted us.  He was turned over to our shelter to see if his family would come for him.  They did not.  Finally, the Good Samaritan offered to foster him until a home could be found for the poor guy.  As fate would have it, the best home for Chief turned out to be the one right next door to the foster!

Renzo was lost from his home for six months.  When he was finally found, he had a fractured pelvis, most likely from having been hit by a car. His original owner was disabled, could not care for him, and signed him over to the UC Davis Veterinary Hospital.  The students there absolutely fell in love with him.  One student offered to foster him, and they started calling around to rescues hoping someone would take him.  GSRNC got the call on our hotline, and we knew we had to help this boy.  His recovery was extensive and his fosters went above and beyond their normal duties by taking him to water therapy and laser treatments.  After all the time they spent on his recovery, Renzo’s fosters knew they couldn’t let him go and ended up adopting him themselves.

This beautiful Corgi mama nursed the newborn German Shepherd pups.

One day a veterinarian called GSRNC to see if we could help four orphaned puppies. We knew we had to try.  The mama dog had died and her one-day old pups had been dropped off at the vet’s to be euthanized.  We put the call out to our GSRNC volunteers hoping that someone would be up to this  arduous task (raising newborn puppies would mean a lot of work, including bottle feeding them at all hours of the day and night).  Much to our surprise, one of our volunteers had a lactating Corgi and offered to help.  That little Corgi mama proved to be a gallant volunteer and treated the pups like her own. Once the puppies were weaned, they each found a loving home of their own.

These stories, and others like them, are what keep us going at GSRNC.  German Shepherds are our passion, and we’re excited to be celebrating a milestone anniversary in 2021.  In fact, the theme of this year’s annual Wags to Riches fundraiser is “20 Years of Second Chances.” You’ll find information about tickets and sponsorships at the links below.

gsrnc.tofinoauctions.com/wags2021/register/ticket_sales

gsrnc.tofinoauctions.com/wags2021

I hope you’ll mark your calendar now to celebrate with us on October 2 at the Shrine Event Center in Livermore. Help GSRNC keep giving second chances to the deserving dogs of Northern California!