East Coast German Shepherd Rescue

2014-02-10T17:28:00.000-08:00

ECGSR and the Future

While we have all seen the post and know that the rescue is slowing down in its endeavors. While this is true, we still continue and will be available for some time to rescue the occasional dog. It isnt possible to just up and quit rescue work. It is of such importance in this world we live in.
Although we are not taking every dog that comes across our paths, or keeping our fosters busy with that regular flow of dogs in need... sometimes there is a dog that really needs us, or things just appear to fall into place. We still have some vet bills that have to be taken care of and a few dogs will pass though here. We are not gone completely.
Our Adopted page hasnt been updated in the recent past and that will be corrected shortly. There must be 30+ dogs to be added to that page... and the Memorial page will also still be updated...
Please continue to follow our twitter and facebook pages... And lets continue to connect people to save dogs and raise awareness!

2013-09-01T06:18:00.001-07:00

It is with Heavy Heart that I must say goodbye to my love of this rescue that was born out of a Love for the breed and witnessing too many Shepherds being killed due to mis-understanding of the breed. Its been almost 7yrs that the rescue began and we have achieved much more than I ever dreamed. Hundreds of dogs from the States and locally have been saved. Im still working on getting an exact number. A guess would be about 600 dogs that would have died if ECGSR has not stepped in to save them. As you know it hasnt always been just Shepherds because the reality is we love ALL dogs and all deserve a loving home. Rescuing dogs has given me so much joy and the wonderful group of volunteers that make all of this happen are Angels that walk among us. To them I am so grateful. Lucky for me I also met Jason through this rescue who shares a love of dogs with me. He adopted several dogs from me over the years and when we merged homes, I got them all back.
: )

Since my daughter (Rehtaeh) left us in April, my life has been extremely difficult to say the least and my heart is shattered trying to make sense of it all. Mourning our loss and fighting for justice has been overwhelming. I am unable to continue rescuing dogs and the ECGSR will be dissolved. At this time, we still have commitments to a few dogs that are coming. The rescue will continue until all the dogs are adopted and our vet billse are paid off. We still have some events and will complete everything that was already planned.

Future? This page will remain so that we can still hear from you and everyone who has adopted from us in the past. We LOVE updates and that will not change. On occasion we may take in a dog here and there to find a home but the Society will be finished. A huge THANK YOU to Kelly Hunt for taking the reigns back in April and running things so well. She and our wonderful volunteers are the reason that the rescue has flourished when my life fell apart.

California Dogs Arrive but not without Controversy

2013-02-15T08:28:00.001-08:00

First of all I want to thank all our wonderful volunteers who stepped up to help with greeting the Animal Rescue Corps team and the new doggie arrivals. We are thrilled to be a part of such a great organization. We jumped at the chance to help ARC and bring the doggies to Nova Scotia. The paperwork part for the pups under 8 months proved to have many challenges but it was all worth the effort to save so many dogs. In the aftermath of the excitement of yesterday's arrivals,sitting here recovering from surgery, there is a sense of contentment knowing that these dogs have finally had the opportunity to cuddle and feel love from their foster families. These dogs, some from a hoarding home need a safe place to come out of their "shut down" state of mind. The others from the Palm Springs shelter were living in small crates in a facility over capacity by 100 dogs...Thats just one shelter. From my experience over the years of working with the Southern Shelters,the amount of dogs in shelters is totally overwhelming. There are no places for the dogs to go except in the dumpstar or ground. The ones that are no kill are living in cramped quarters indefinitely and the others get 72 hrs to be adopted and they are killed. As I sit here feeling content that we did something good for this world watching the news coverage; over and over why are we bringing more dogs to Nova Scotia? Why not help our own? ECGSR help local dogs all the time.Our rescue takes dogs from the pound who fail their temperment test, if they get full, we help and obviously not with just German Shepherds. Yes we extend ourselves all the time to help. We have helped Southern dogs over the years taking what we can but always leaving room for local dogs as well. But every now and then when a call for help exceeds the usual numbers of dogs we can help...its a call to extend ourselves to go above and beyond. Thats what we and the other rescues involved decided to do. We are not bringing in dogs with no place for them to go. Most of these dogs are chihuahua mixes and terrier mixes in high demand for adoption. Ask the pound and the SPCA how many approved applications they have waiting for a small dog to adopt. There are many waiting. So the question is why wouldn't we help dogs in need regardless where they came from. The other larger dogs are special needs and they cant be in a shelter setting. They lived in a hoarding situation. They need to experience love/calmness. We had people offer to help. These dogs dont add to our unwanted dogs. One more point that is not being mentioned in the media that is very important as well, Animal Rescue Corps was asked to help with Canadian dogs on a couple occasions helping over 200 dogs and they didnt say "oh, we cant help, they are Canadian dogs" ECGSR has worked with ARC as placement partners on two occasions in 2011 and 2012 and we respect their organization; a pleasure to work with. They even brought some of our "Canadian" dogs into U.S. rescues that extended themselves to go above and beyond. A dog in need is a dog in need.Spin the story however you like but you can not take away my feel good mood today. We worked too hard to achieve this accomplishment and we are very proud.

Transport: Sunshine to the Maritimes

2013-02-13T06:18:00.000-08:00

Excited? We at ECGSR sure are excited, in a little over 24 hours the Animal Rescue Corp (ARC) will be arriving from California... shortly they will cross the border over into Canada and the 50+ dogs will become Canadian Dogizens! We are looking forward to doing our part in welcoming the dogs with the other rescues involved! There have been countless hours of paperwork, emails, and phone calls put in by our volunteers to make this a reality! It's so exciting to help dogs in need, and after helping so many local dogs in the past few months, it's just wonderful to be able to help our friends South of the Border also! Please stay tuned to Facebook and Twitter for updates! So Exciting!

2013-02-06T17:09:00.001-08:00

3rd Annual Dancing for Doggies - Valentines Dance

Well folks...it appears Mother Nature may be neither a romantic or a dog lover! You have likely seen the forecast for Friday and Saturday, predicting we may get him by two storms simultaneously and end up with up to 50 cms of snow! Yikes!

We want as many of our supporters as possible to come out and dance for doggies, but first and foremost, we want everyone to be safe. So, in the event that the weather is not fit for man nor beast, we may have to postpone the dance until next Friday, February 15th.

We will watch the skies closely over Friday night and into Saturday morning. We will make a decision by noon on Saturday whether to go ahead with the dance this Saturday, February 9th or to wait until next Friday.

Thanks for your patience and your ongoing support in helping us help dogs in need. We could not do what we do without YOU! :)

Stay tuned....

3rd Annual Dancing for Doggies - Valentines Dance

2013-01-28T05:23:00.000-08:00

Join us for dancing, door prizes, 50/50 draw and more. Only $10 per person. We will also be selling tickets on a chance to win a romantic getaway to the Clockmakers Inn, Windsor, NS. All money raised at this event will help us pay down our vet bill, which is just over $2000 now. Please tell your friends and help us help dogs in need get a second chance.

The dance is NOT a couple's dance. Its for everyone to enjoy...single or not. AND you don't have to dance you can come out to socialize too and support our rescue.

Stay tuned to our Facebook Events Page for more details

Cole Harbour Fire Hall, 1150 Cole Harbour Rd., Dartmouth, N.S

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Fostering...

2013-01-24T12:06:00.003-08:00

Fostering is the main essential component of rescuing the many dogs that come into our rescue. Without Foster homes we cannot bring in more dogs or any dogs for that matter. A foster home provides the love and care of the dog while he/she waits for a “forever” home. While in foster we can determine what the dog’s needs are and what home environment would be the “best” suited to that dog. That is the main goal of the rescue, to match a dog to the new home through a careful review process of the application and interview of the potential adopter.

Before placing a dog in the temporary foster home we again ensure that the dog and foster home is compatible to all involved. The rescue provides food, veterinary care, collars, leashes, toys etc. so that the foster home does not have any additional expenses. Potential adopters can only meet the dog once approved through the application process. We realize that since we are not a shelter people can’t just “pop in” to meet a dog. Once they are serious and approved; an appointment will be set up to meet the dog. .

We have great foster homes however, some come and go and we are always in need of more fosters as there are always dogs in need. If you ever considered saving a life…fostering a dog is the way to go. Without fosters, we are unable to continue the wonderful work we do…

Facebook Likes

2012-11-08T12:45:00.000-08:00

We are approaching our goal of 3000 likes on Facebook... Please help us reach our goal by sharing our page or press "Like" on our page! Do you follow us and our info but havent clicked yet, well now's the time... Just over 100 more clicks to go!
Did you know the ECGSR has been helping dogs find new homes since 2006? Abby was our first, and we just had our 3rd Annual Walking in Memory of Abby walk in October... and there have been hundreds since her. We have helped local dogs find new homes, and have been helping dogs escape certain death from High Kill Shelters south of the border as well.
Please think of the dogs and stay tuned for our next fundraising event to do your part in helping the dogs... Remember: Don't shop, ADOPT!

Adopting from a Rescue

2012-07-25T10:01:00.000-07:00

This week brings to mind expectations surrounding adopting a dog. When a family or person is ready for a dog to enter their life there are so many things to consider and its very important to evaluate your thoughts and beliefs about adopting from a rescue. Perhaps you could write down your expectations on a piece of paper and go over them as a family. Why do you want to adopt a dog? Its a big decision and often people get disapointed when their new family member arrives and pisses on their wall or acts aloof or barks too much. Its important to know exactly where the line in the sand will be drawn. What can you deal with and what are you not capable of dealing with? The "entire" family needs to agree upon challenges they are able to endure.
Don't get me wrong...not all rescue dogs have major issues and some are so perfectly behaved that people cant possible imagine how the dog ended up in a shelter. So many dogs end up in pounds/shelters for reasons that have nothing to do with the dog. Here are just a few examples of reasons dogs are surrendered. 1) I had no idea the dog would be so big once he grew up and we can't deal with such a large dog.
2) I have to move and can't find a place that allows dogs.
3) My husband/wife split up and I can no longer care for the dog.
4) I didn't realize I was allergic to dogs.
5) I had a baby and have no time for the dog.
6) The dog wont listen to me and is destroying my home (usually a young dog that was never exercised and shown no boundaries but expected to behave).

Some of these reasons are legitimate and most are just reasons to get rid of the dog because they were never committed in the first place. Rescue dogs are often bounced around then end up in stressful shelters surrounded by the constand sound of barking. I have sat inside a dog kennel for a full five minutes to see how it felt and although dogs don't reason the way we do, they have a multiple array of emotions and a shelter is a terrifying place to be. I say most because some dogs in there spent their life on a chain and happened to get free one day to find him/herself with shelter,regular meals and reassuring pats and words from the workers. For these dogs...life got better. My short visit inside a kennel made me feel a sense of doom and despair. Listening to the panicked voices of dogs barking around me was enough for panic to set in.

Many of our rescue dogs are pulled out of shelters and the rest come from owner surrenders. The dogs are evaluated for temperment to see if they are good with other dogs, how are they around their food dish, are they fearful of men women, do they guard their resources etc. Most rescues can determine the basics of the dog's demeanor. However, we can not ask the dogs what their past has been like, what scares them etc. We probably wouldnt want to hear what they have had to endure but it would give us a great deal of insight. We can guess by a sudden drop to the floor when we have an object in our hand that someone was mean or hit them in their past but its all time and patience to find out more. Next step is sending them into foster homes and the fosters do their best to discover more of the dog's likes and dislikes. Once we understand the needs of the dog we try our best to match them to a loving home. I say it over and over and over again to potential adopters. Time and patience is the key. Many of these dogs need to learn to trust again. Their trust was broken and you need to earn it back.

Some dogs are more resilient and bounce back as soon as some love and guidance is given, other dogs didn't have many obstacles to overcome. Yes, they miss their owners but were loved and are pretty confident and stable. Then there are the abused dogs, neglected dogs, dogs that were passed around from person to person with different experiences in each home. If you adopt one of these dogs, a gentle touch and lots of reassurance is the key. You can't take a rescued dog home and start with firm rules and try to get them to learn all the rules of the home immediately. Its too much for them to deal with in the beginning. Let them be themselves; gentle corrections with positive reinforcement is required. A bond has to be developed first. Trust, trust , trust...This is where your previous expectations come into play. Evaluate what you expected and ask yourself if it is a reasonable expectation.

Having said that some dogs will take over your home if firm boundaries are not in place so again its important to know as much about the dog as possible. Our rescue always tells as much information as possible and want successful adoptions so we are always here as a resource should anyone need input and suggestions. Please don't just give up on them...that's what everyone else in their past did.

Dogs are a commitment requiring time and patience...in return an endless amount of dedication, loyalty and cherished moments to last a lifetime.

2012-06-26T19:30:00.003-07:00

Adoption Procedures and Policies...... Just thought I should note that yes we adopt out dogs that have been neglected/abused/unwanted, however, we have certain policies to follow and the dogs in our care don't merely go to a home because a home is found. We try our very best to match the dog's needs to the new home and ensure that the dog will be well taken care of. In order to do this we need to do some checking into the potential new home via an application process. How many times have I heard "why do I need to fill out an application? I am offering a dog that didn't have a home a place to live." Just because its a rescue dog doesn't make the dog less valuable than any other dog. We need to feel comfortable in letting the dog go and this takes reference checks,vet checks and often home visits to be able to adopt out a dog. Then there's the "Why do I have to pay an adoption fee? I just want to give the dog a home". We have to put money into the dogs that enter rescue to make sure 1) They are healthy and able to go to a home via vaccines etc 2)That they don't reproduce and make more pups that will one day find themselves homeless. Almost all our dogs are not spayed/neutered when they enter our rescue. Then there are the unexpected vet visits...urinary tract infections, ear infections, injuries...it all adds up. Sometimes, an application is approved for a dog but not suitable to the specific dog that the applicant applied for. For example we can not adopt out a young energetic pup to a senior who only goes for a 15min walk a day. Its not fair to the puppy or the adopter...Its just not a match. Matching dogs as noted above is a very important aspect of rescuing.... People get very upset with us when we deny their applications based on previous dogs not being neutered or no vet records, references stating that their dogs were never walked, lived outside etc etc...This is not the life we want for our furry friends. We want the dogs to be treated with love/respect by providing physical exercise, a loving touch and vet care when required. We couldn't continue to rescue unless we felt 100% that the dog leaving rescue will receive all he/she requires. So, if you are not approved because your past dog was not neutered/spayed then we need a good medical reason why. If the reason was because "we didn't feel the need to" that is not a valid reason and it causes some concern that the dog could have been pregnating other dogs or giving birth to yet more pups IE: We are a rescue and want to prevent dogs from breeding and breeding. Maybe they just didn't want to put out the money to fix the dog...so what happens when dog needs to go to the vet. Will that be a money concern as well? As far as vaccines and the vet history is concerned, we are looking to see if the dog was cared for and tended to by a veterinarian when needed. I don't believe a dog needs to be vaccinated yearly but there does need to be a full set of vaccines in the dog's life. If the dog had an ear infection he/she received treatment etc...If that is not found we can not approve the adoption. Lastly, people ask daily can we meet the dogs before filling out an application. No, all our dogs are in foster homes and we do not have a facility. People just dropping in to view a dog is a great way to lose foster families because their lives would constantly be disrupted. Approved application are required and once adopted we can make arrangements to meet any of the dogs. We value our foster families and couldn't do what we do without them.