The Pack is Busy, the Dogs are Adorable, and You Are Amazing
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First Things First: You Blew Us Away
When we launched the Benny Memorial Medical Fundraiser our goal was $20,000. We thought that was ambitious. We thought it might be a stretch. We were wrong.
You raised $31,554.
Let that number sink in for a moment. Our goal was $20,000 and you looked at that number and said "how about we add eleven thousand dollars to that." We are still a little speechless, and if you know GSRA volunteers, you know that is saying something.
Every dollar of that money goes directly to the dogs in our care. Emergency surgeries, diagnostics, medications, heartworm treatment, and the kind of care that turns a scared, sick, or abandoned dog into someone's best friend. Because of you, we can say yes when it matters most. We saw exactly what that looks like with Nika, whose emergency surgery would not have been possible without this fundraiser. More on her in a moment.
From the bottom of our hearts, and from every wagging tail in our care, thank you.
The need, however, has not slowed down. We are receiving desperate calls from shelters across the state that are at capacity, many at three times capacity. That means three animals to one kennel. That means shelters are being forced to euthanize dogs simply because there is no space. That is the harsh reality of what we are up against every single day.
Every plea takes a toll. If I am being honest, it takes a personal toll on me. Because I know that most of the time when I have to say we have no room, that dog is not going to survive. When I look at the incredible dogs we do have in our care, and see what amazing creatures they are, knowing there are others just like them who will not get that chance is absolutely devastating.
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Welcome to the Pack: New Dogs!
We have been busy. Here is who has joined the GSRA family recently:
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| Nika |
Sadly, we lost one of the pups despite everyone's best efforts. Rescue is not always a happy ending, and we do not take that lightly. But the rest of this litter's story is one worth telling.
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| Nika Pup |
Here is the really exciting part: we are hoping to bring the puppies to our Hollywood Feed event on July 11th for their very first public appearance! Fair warning though, they have not completed their vaccinations yet, so they will be safely tucked in a puppy pen. They cannot walk around and mingle with the general public just yet, but the good news is you absolutely can pick them up. We encourage it. We insist on it. Come hold a puppy. You deserve it and frankly, so do they.
Keep an eye on our website where those little ones will be making their debut soon!
Mom Nika is recovering beautifully, and reminding everyone around her that German Shepherds are resilient, grateful, and incredibly good at making you forget they ever caused you any stress at all.
Meet Nika: https://gsdrescue.org/dog/nika/
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| Sherman & Mongo |
Meet Mongo: https://gsdrescue.org/dog/mongo/ | Meet Sherman: https://gsdrescue.org/dog/sherman/
Skylar is seven months old, already pending adoption, and honestly showing the rest of the pack how it is done. Good with dogs, house trained, sweet as can be. We barely had time to get to know her. https://gsdrescue.org/dog/skylar/
Juno was found abandoned on a rural roadside, severely underweight and very much alone. She loves dogs, cats, and children, which is a lot of love for a one year old! She deserves every bit of it back. https://gsdrescue.org/dog/juno/
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| Whiskey |
Ginger spent her early years as a breeder dog and is still figuring out what it means to just be someone's dog. She is clumsy, charming, heartworm positive, and absolutely worth every bit of patience. https://gsdrescue.org/dog/ginger/
Casey is about a year old and an absolute love bug. She came to us underweight, but with a heart full of sweetness that she is handing out to anyone who will take it. Her temporary foster made it approximately five minutes before admitting she was going to have a very hard time giving her up. We completely understand.
Casey
Meet Casey: https://gsdrescue.org/dog/casey/
And do not forget, we have more amazing dogs still waiting for their forever homes. Come meet them all: https://gsdrescue.org/available-dogs/
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Come See Us!
We would love to put some faces to the names of the people who support this work. Come hang out with us and meet some of our dogs at our upcoming meet and greet!
📍 Hollywood Feed Pet Store 9660 Falls of the Neuse Rd, Raleigh, NC 27615
🗓 This Saturday, July 11th -10:30am to 12:30pm
Bring your family, bring your friends, bring anyone who has ever said "I have always wanted a German Shepherd." We will take it from there.
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We Need You: Volunteers Wanted!
Rescue runs on love, determination, and volunteers. Lots and lots of volunteers. And we are always looking for more.
Let's talk about fostering. In the last couple of months we welcomed three new foster families into the GSRA pack. Three new families means three more dogs we were able to say yes to. That is how directly fostering translates into lives saved. We will not pretend to be neutral on this one: fostering is the best volunteer gig out there. You get a dog, the dog gets a home, and everyone wins. Yes, it is hard to let them go. Yes, it is absolutely worth it. If you have ever thought about it, now is the time.
👉 Learn more and apply here: https://gsdrescue.org/is-fostering-right-for-me/
Not ready to foster? We completely understand. We will not guilt you. Much. The good news is there are plenty of other ways to get involved and we would love to have you on the team in whatever capacity works for your life.
👉 See all volunteer opportunities: https://gsdrescue.org/volunteer-with-us/
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Want to help? Visit gsdrescue.org to adopt, foster, volunteer, or donate. Every little bit keeps this pack running.
