Monrday August 14, 2006

As sad as the plight of shelter animals is in America, ours is still the land of opportunity, even for animals. Unfortunately, that is not the case in other parts of the world, including Hong Kong. There, humane organizations are very few and far between, and animal shelters lack resources, volunteers, and even hope that the homeless dogs and cats there will ever be adopted. This, coupled with the tragic news of the dog "culling" that is occurring in mainland China due to a rabies epidemic, inspired GSROC to take action to make a difference in the lives of two very special dogs. We know that we can not "save the world", but we wanted to save these two orphans from certain death.

We learned about "Morgan" and "Jeremy" from two dedicated animal welfare advocates in Hong Kong. Morgan had been found on the streets, going from door to door begging for handouts. A kind person took him in, but was not able to keep him, so she boarded him at a private facility while trying to find him a home. Two-year-old Morgan had been at the facility for many, many months, and eventually, the woman's resources ran out. Unfortunately, that meant that Morgan's "time" had run out as well. When he had no where else to turn, our wonderful friends in Hong Kong offered to sponsor his travel to the US so that his life would be spared. Of course, when we looked at the photos of Morgan that showed the desperation in his face, we were quick to agree to welcome him into our fold.

As Morgan's travel plans were shaping up in Hong Kong, and preparations were being made for his arrival, we learned of a second shepherd in dire need--also abandoned at a boarding facility. This dog had been there for OVER ONE YEAR with no hope of adoption or rescue. "Jeremy", as we have begun to call this fellow, had been owned by a person who tied him in the back yard of her shop 24-7. He never enjoyed the comforts of a real home or the security that comes from being a cherished family member. When Jeremy's owner could no longer care for him, he was deposited at a boarding facility but never reclaimed...He sat and sat and sat in his tiny kennel, no doubt wondering what he had done to deserve this sort of life. When we got an urgent message asking if we could possibly squeeze a spot in our rescue for this neglected, forgotten dog, we didn't hesitate. We knew that to leave him behind would mean that he would remain in that cage until he died.

WATCH FOR MORE DETAILS ABOUT MORGAN AND JEREMY'S GREAT ADVENTURE COMING SOON!
 

Tuesrday August 8, 2006

We're proud to announce the Grand Re-Opening of our GSROC online store, the ultimate shopping destination for shepherd lovers and anyone looking for unique gifts. Take a look at some of our new merchandise, and remember that all proceeds from product sales go directly to benefit our beautiful dogs. It takes a LOT of money to support the dogs that come through our doors--we have enormous vet and boarding bills every single month. Your purchases will help us to ensure that more dogs can receive the love and care that they desperately deserve. When you purchase GSROC merchandise as gifts for your friends and families, you are giving something truly from the heart. Click here to start shopping!
 

Saturday July 29, 2006

Do you remember Pepper, the puppy with the broken heart that was featured on KCAL news on Valentine's Day? Pepper was born with a serious heart defect, which we suspect led to his abandonment at a crowded shelter. When we came upon 4-month-old Pepper at the shelter, he was depressed and frightened, not knowing what the future would hold for him. Thankfully, the KCAL news segment made it possible for Pepper to find his very own little boy, and now the two of them are inseparable! Can you believe how handsome, confident and BIG Pepper has become in just five months? Pepper's family doesn't care that Pepper has a heart condition--they think he's perfect just the way he is! Pepper asked us to remind everyone to take another look at the Special Needs dogs available for adoption on our website so that they can have their happily ever after endings, too!


 

Friday July 14, 2006

GSROC has just enrolled in a great program that will help us to raise precious funds for our orphans. We are collecting used cell phones to submit to an environmentally friendly company for recycling. For each used phone that we supply, the recycling company will make a donation to GSROC. The more phones that we collect, the more money we can raise for the shepherds, so we're asking for your help! Because they will be recycled, the phones can be in any condition: Feel free to turn in your injured and abandoned phones--we'll put them to good work helping more deserving dogs! Tell your friends and family so that we can collect even more phones! For more information about the program, please contact chowski681@yahoo.com.
 

Saturday June 24, 2006

The first annual German Shepherd Rescue "Drive For The Dogs" golf tournament was better than we could imagine! The hours and hours of hard work invested by a tremendous team of volunteers paid off with an event that we were proud to share with our friends and sponsors. More than 60 golfers came out swingin' to help the big dogs eat! We even had some of our shepherds on hand as honorary marshalls to make sure that none of the golfers wandered away from the herd. It was a picture perfect day in the rolling hills of Yorba Linda, followed by a hearty buffet dinner and plenty of good laughs at the Black Gold Golf Club. An eclectic Silent Auction provided some friendly sparring over fabulous items such as an autographed Lakers basketball, a full set of Titleist irons, a behind-the-scenes tour of The Aquarium of the Pacific, gourmet dinners galore, and a Huntington Harbor cruise package from www.funonthesea.com, to name just a few!

Our heartfelt thanks go out to the following sponsors who took a chance on our first year event and helped us make our vision a reality:

• Team Thompson Auto Body
• American Mortgage Source - Laguna Niguel
• The Notarybiz.com
• The Rule Group
• EBS Manufacturing
• Yes!Golf
• Pet Assure
• LeWoof Bakery
• Long Beach Convention Center

Please support these compassionate organizations and tell them that GSROC sent you!

PUTTIN' ON THE DOG AT NORDSTROM!

German Shepherd Rescue of OC was proud to join 10 other respected animal welfare agencies for a very special fundraiser at Nordstrom, Topanga Plaza.  Invited guests were allowed to shop with their dogs during a private shopping experience which featured special promotions and products aimed at pampered pooches and the people they love. Guests--canine and human alike--munched on gourmet treats while the cash registers hummed. Our dogs enjoyed being fussed over at the booth devoted to our charity, but, not surprisingly, our shepherds wanted to make some order out of the shopping chaos by 'herding' the shoppers! The magical moving stairs were also a source of anxiety for our shepherds, so we elected to use the elevators instead! (We're not sure but we think we heard some of our shepherds giggling at the fru-fru outfits and hats that they saw on some of the smaller dogs.) Take a look at some of the fun on this CBS news clip.
 

HOMELESS DOGS MEET INNER CITY KIDS

GSROC's rescued dogs were invited to participate in an uplifting program to help inner city children learn more about responsible animal care, protecting the environment, and being good community members.  Sponsored by the Sierra Club, the organization Inner City Outings works to introduce underprivileged kids to the beauty of nature and the magic of animals.  On a beautiful afternoon, the kids and dogs teamed up for a walk on the wild side in a local park.  We're not sure who had more fun--the dogs or the kids--but we know that the partnership was a tremendous success.  We are looking forward to more adventures in the near future!
 

HELP US EARN MONEY FROM RALPH'S! - UPDATED!

Monday August 21, 2006

After much hard work and planning on the part of our volunteers in Hong Kong, and much excitement and anticipation here in the US, Morgan, Jeremy and their chaparone, Patrick, arrived safely at LAX! Unfortunately, the day that they arrived was the FIRST day of the Federal "Orange Alert", which meant that the disembarkation and Customs process took much longer than usual...We didn't mind the delays for ourselves, but we kept thinking about the poor dogs who had just flown 14 hours, and we knew that they wanted to get out and stretch their legs. Finally, after what seemed like centuries but was really only hours, Patrick and his precious cargo came through Customs! We were fortunate to find a kind porter who is a dog lover himself to help us get the dogs through the sea of people and safely to the car for the ride to OC. But first, a stop to get out of the crates and sniff some California soil (and bushes)!!!

Morgan and Jeremy are all tucked in at one of our favorite boarding facilities while we work to find them their loving families. Morgan is a small, plush coated male that people keep mistaking for a puppy because of his diminuitive stature. Jeremy is a big, black and red boy who clearly has never known what it's like to be loved. Our volunteers are showering him with attention and treats and reassuring him that he, too, will find a wonderful happy ending now that he is with GSROC. We are profoundly grateful to Patrick and Vivian, the amazing, selfless angels who have made it possible for these beautiful dogs to be saved from certain death. These individuals embody the word "heroes" and we feel proud to have been chosen to help Morgan and Jeremy.

To learn more about Morgan and Jeremy please click on these links.
 

Friday July 14, 2006

Here's another simple way to help GSROC raise the money that we so desperately need to care for so many orphaned dogs: Shop through one of the many online affiliate merchants that support our cause and a portion of each of your online purchases will come directly to us! There's no catch and no additional cost to you--this is a program that rewards GSROC for sending shoppers to their sites. Take a peek at some of these great merchants:
 

To view a complete list of our affiliates, please go to our DONATE page or click here.
 

Monday July 10, 2006

Willow continues to amaze us with her newly discovered love for life. She is no longer the fearful cowering half starved dog we took in. Thanks to GSROC and especially Brian and Dawn her foster parents, she is thriving. Willow has found her voice and makes happy noises when it is time to eat. She has also learned to wag her tail and give kisses. She is now spayed and has had her tumors removed and is making a complete recovery. Brian and Dawn are convinced her eyesight is improving as well. Willow continues to learn what it is to be safe, loved and cherished.
 

Sunday July 9, 2006

On Sunday, several of the GSROC dogs were selected to participate in an evaluation for possible work in bomb detection or narcotics work. The agency that was seeking good candidates places dogs with various service agencies throughout the country. We selected two of our dogs that have shown especally high drive and a need to have a working situation. Master Trainer Ron Gaunt of www.travelnmandogs.com put Billy and Rocky through various paces and let the dogs show off what they could do. He was very impressed by how alert and responsive both of our big fellas were, but unfortunately, neither was selected for the program. We know that the dogs truly enjoyed having the opportunity to be out and active, and we look forward to having more dogs evaluated in the near future.
 

Our beloved boy Cyrus crossed the rainbow bridge tonight. He passed away quietly in his foster home, surrounded by the people that he loved the most, Eddie and Joe. Cyrus' gentle spirit and comical personality endeared him to all of us and we are devastated by his passing. While we knew when we rescued Cyrus that his condition was life-threatening, that doesn't lessen the pain of his loss. We are trying to find comfort in knowing that the last few months that Cyrus (aka Honey Bear) had on his journey were among the best times of his life. His courage and resilience will continue to inspire us to help more special needs dogs. Rest in peace, Honey Bear. We'll see you at the rainbow's edge.

Our cool dogs were hot stuff at the Tustin Chili Cook off last weekend! We were proud to be invited back for our 5th straight year at this fun-filled "street fair" type event. Each year, the event gets better and better. Hundreds of people came out to browse through booths with food, crafts, information and gifts. In spite of the unseasonal heat, we had a great turn out of animal lovers who wanted to show their support and express their appreciation to GSROC for our continued work in the community. We sold a LOT of baseball caps (and WATER!) to raise money for our orphans, and we took lots of applications that we are currently following up on!


 

IT'S A GOOD SEARCH - - ENGINE!

It's simple. You use GoodSearch.com like any other search engine (we've partnered with the leading search engine to ensure the best results), but each time you do, money is generated for your favorite cause.

Be sure to type in German Shepherd Rescue OC as your preferred charity and click the VERIFY button.  Then, start searching and earning!

GSROC WELCOMES ITS NEWEST VOLUNTEER!

THE PETSAVERS GO TO HOLLYWOOD!

PEPPER UPDATE

Saturday, February 25, 2006

Single-Black-Furry In Search Of A Special Human - Original story

"Family Chosen For Puppy With Broken Heart" segment. - Follow-up story