Best Bully Sticks Rescue Spotlight: German Shepherd Rescue of Orange County
Last week, Best Bully Sticks had the chance to talk with Maria Dales, Director & Founder of German Shepherd Rescue of Orange County. This completely volunteer run breed rescue in Southern California has a lot of fire in their bellies and networking abilities to make a difference in many doggy lives. Read more about GSROC in the BBS Rescue Spotlight below. (We think you’ll especially enjoy Maria’s rescue success stories.)
When & Why did you start?
In 1998, we began as a small offshoot chapter of a larger LA-based German Shepherd Rescue group. We began by transporting one dog at a time from LA to market that dog in Orange County because at that time there were no German Shepherd Rescue groups in OC. Thanks to the dedication and compassion of our great volunteers, we quickly grew and realized that we needed to form our own organization. We incorporated German Shepherd Rescue OC in 2005 and have consistently rescued and re-homed more dogs each year.
I personally feel that shepherds are misunderstood and largely underappreciated. The thought of these incredibly intelligent, loving and loyal dogs languishing in animal shelters is overwhelming. I know that we can't stop or slow down when so many beautiful shepherds need our help. Every single dog that comes to us was once a beautiful little puppy full of hope and promise--probably someone's pride and joy, at least for a while. We owe it to these dogs to do everything we can to turn their lives around and put them back on the road to happiness.
What's different about your rescue?
Our volunteers embrace their rescue responsibilities as they would a "paying" job. We try to set an example for other rescues to follow. We have high standards for our adopters as well as for our volunteers. I'm continually amazed by the level of commitment and dedication that our team members demonstrate. Even as I write this at 9:30 PM, ten volunteers are out searching with flashlights for a missing dog. A key differentiator for GSROC is that we focus on quality placements, not volume placements. It is important to us that we choose solid, stable, loving homes for our dogs, and that we take the time and care to make prudent decisions to ensure the wellbeing of the dogs depending on us. Read more
