German Shepherds are over-represented in shelters nationwide, but Texas in particular has a lot of homeless German Shepherds.
The good news is that there are also a lot of breed-specific rescues to help German Shepherds in this state.
If you’re looking for a new German Shepherd to add to your home, you have a lot of dogs to choose from at the following rescues.
1.) German Shepherd Rescue of Texas (GSRTX)
German Shepherd Rescue of Texas (GSRTX) is a non-profit dog rescue dedicated to saving German Shepherds in Texas shelters. They primarily rescue from rural shelters and places that do not have a lot of adoptions.
They know that German Shepherds tend not to do well in a shelter environment and may be overlooked, particularly in shelters that don’t get lots of visitors looking to adopt dogs.
The vast majority of dogs come from shelters, with only about 5% of intakes being owner surrenders.
This rescue is entirely volunteer-run. Dogs are usually housed in foster homes until they can be adopted.
German Shepherd Rescue of Texas was founded by a couple that is dedicated to German Shepherds, Kristin and Craig Hensley.
They have four shepherds of their own and hate the thought of any shepherds being mistreated, neglected, or euthanized in county shelters.
They work full-time, but strive to save shepherds in their spare time.
They believe that finding the perfect match for the dogs in their care is essential, so they are not in a rush to find homes for dogs, but rather take their time to make sure that the right dog ends up in the right home.
German Shepherd Rescue of Texas is always seeking out fosters to help them rescue more dogs.
They provide foster homes with everything they need to give superb care to the dogs in the rescue.
Foster homes are given a crate, training support, and training strategies customized to each dog.
If you are interested in having a German Shepherd but you’re not sure if this is the right breed for you or if you are ready for such a powerful and intelligent dog, fostering through German Shepherd Rescue of Texas is a great idea.
If you would like to adopt a dog from German Shepherd Rescue of Texas, you can expect your application to be approved within about five business days.
If the dog isn’t working out in your home, German Shepherd Rescue of Texas will take it back, but they ask that you be considerate to the fact that they may not always have a foster home available to take the dog back so you may need to keep it for a little while until a foster home opens up.
German Shepherd Rescue of Texas requires that dogs be allowed to live inside with the family, rather than being kept outside in a dog house.
Dogs are not placed in homes on a first-come-first-serve basis, but rather matched to the best possible home for them, so you may not be matched with a dog you saw on the website unless the rescue believes that’s the best fit for you.
Rescue and Adoption Details
- Address: PO Box 3253 Waxahachie TX 75168
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: gsrtx.org
- Social Media: Facebook | Instagram
2.) German Shepherd Rescue of Central Texas
German Shepherd Rescue of Central Texas strives to save as many German Shepherds and mixes as they can.
They save dogs from very difficult situations where they may have been neglected, abused, or euthanized in a shelter.
They make the important distinction that rather than selling dogs, they adopt sensitive creatures into new homes where they will be valued as they deserve.
This is a foster-based rescue, which means that dogs live in a foster home until they can be adopted. Foster homes are provided with food, medical care, and whatever else dogs may need.
If you are interested in adopting but not ready to make a commitment yet, fostering through German Shepherd Rescue of Central Texas is a great solution.
German Shepherd Rescue of Central Texas has a wide variety of German Shepherds and German Shepherd mixes available at any time.
You can see beautiful high quality pictures of the dogs right on their home page so you will fall in love before you know it.
German Shepherd Rescue of Central Texas strives to keep bonded pairs together, so you may be encouraged to adopt two dogs instead of just one if you are interested in one of the bonded dogs.
This can be a great idea if you’d like more than one German Shepherd since this breed doesn’t always get along well with other animals.
Adopting a pair that’s already bonded is the best way to be confident that you will be able to have a two-dog household.
If you would like to adopt a dog from German Shepherd Rescue of Central Texas, you will need to fill out a fairly significant application declaring your information, your employer, whether you rent or own, as well as information on what you want in a dog and how you’ll care for it.
Rescue and Adoption Details
- Address: PO Box 3184 Cedar Park Texas 78630
- Website: gsdrescuectx.com
- Social Media: Facebook | Instagram
3.) DFW German Shepherd Rescue
DFW German Shepherd Rescue saves German Shepherds all the way across Texas, but they are particularly focused in North Texas.
They take in dogs primarily from shelters in the area, but they also take strays and owner surrendered dogs on occasion as well. They focus on dogs that need extra help.
Over 40% of the dogs that come into the program need months of rehabilitation to gain weight, receive medical care, and be brought back to good health.
Adoption events are held at the local Petco, which can make it easy for you to meet the various dogs that DFW German Shepherd Rescue has available at any given time.
If you would like to adopt a dog from DFW German Shepherd Rescue, you will need to fill out an extensive adoption application.
Prices range from $250 to $400 depending on age and whether the dog is mixed or purebred.
DFW German Shepherd Rescue is primarily a foster run organization. You can help them save lives by fostering dogs from them.
This is a great option if you are not sure whether you are quite ready for German Shepherd ownership.
Fosters and adopters are screened in the same way. Vet and personal reference are checked, landlords are contacted if you’re renting, and there will be a home visit.
DFW German Shepherd Rescue does everything they can to ensure that when a dog is adopted from them it is being adopted into its forever home, so matches are not made on a first-come-first-serve basis but rather depending on the needs of the dog.
Rescue and Adoption Details
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: dfwgermanshepherdrescue.org
4.) Good Shepherd Rescue of Texas
The Good Shepherd Rescue of Texas has been saving German Shepherds and mixes since 1999.
They operate out of the Dallas-Fort Worth area. This is a foster-based rescue that houses all of the dogs in foster homes until they can be adopted.
This gives the rescue the capacity to understand the dogs in their care extremely well, which can help them match adapters to dogs.
When dogs are rescued by the Good Shepherd Rescue of Texas they are neutered, vaccinated, and treated for diseases and parasites that are common in strays and dogs that might have been neglected.
These diseases include heartworms, Lyme disease, and Ehrlichia. Dogs are also given whatever medical care they may need.
If you would like to adopt a dog from Good Shepherd Rescue of Texas, you can email the group with any questions and submit a pre-adoption application.
Your application will be reviewed and your references will be verified.
At that time, you can make arrangements to visit a dog that you are interested in.
Prices range from $250 to $400 depending on the age of the dog and whether it is purebred or mixed.
Good Shepherd Rescue of Texas also takes in strays and owner surrenders. They work with local shelters to give owners an opportunity to reclaim stray dogs.
Taking a stray dog in directly instead of having it go to a local shelter saves room at the shelter and prevents the dog from going through the trauma of the shelter environment.
If you would like to surrender your dog to Good Shepherd Rescue of Texas, you need to be located in the Dallas or Fort Worth area.
Only dogs that look like pure-bred German Shepherds will be accepted.
Dogs that don’t get along with other dogs or have a bite history or significant behavior problems won’t be accepted either.
If you’re not sure whether you are ready to adopt a German Shepherd, fostering through Good Shepherd Rescue of Texas is a great solution.
t’s fine if you have other pets, as most of the fosters have German Shepherd dogs of their own.
Rescue and Adoption Details
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: goodshepherdrescuetexas.com
- Social Media: YouTube
5.) Austin German Shepherd Dog Rescue
Austin German Shepherd Dog Rescue was started in the late 1990s.
The founder was inspired by her love for a puppy she had found on a country road. An entire litter of German Shepherds had been abandoned there, but only this one puppy survived.
The founder of Austin German Shepherd Dog Rescue started this rescue to prevent any other wonderful dogs like the one she had rescued from meeting the fate of his litter mates.
Austin German Shepherd Dog Rescue was incorporated as a nonprofit in 2001. Its goal is to save German Shepherds all the way across the state of Texas.
This rescue strives to find a good match between the dogs they rescue and the home that dogs are adopted into.
They believe strongly in the human-animal bond and think that it’s very important that a good match is found in order to foster this bond.
If a dog is rescued by Austin German Shepherd Dog Rescue and doesn’t find the right adopter, it may end up living out its life in a foster home with the rescue.
Most of the dogs that Austin German Shepherd Dog Rescue takes in come from shelters.
They often have significant medical needs, and sometimes have serious behavioral needs as well. Whatever veterinary care dogs need is given, including heartworm treatment if necessary.
Dogs are trained and nurtured to become adoption-ready dogs who will become a beloved member of a family.
Fostering is a wonderful way to help German Shepherds. All of the dogs with Austin German Shepherd Dog Rescue are housed in foster homes, so opening up your home allows another dog to be saved.
You can foster if you live anywhere in Texas. Most things will be provided for you, including medical care, a crate, and some equipment.
However, fosters are required to pay for their own food and treats and usually provide their own collars, leashes, and bedding. Any money you spend is tax-deductible.
If you would like to adopt a dog from Austin German Shepherd Dog Rescue, just fill out an adoption application. Your vet and references will be called and a home visit will be scheduled.
If everything is approved, you will be put in touch with the foster so that you can meet the dog. Dogs are priced at between $250 and $400 depending on age.
Austin German Shepherd Dog Rescue holds a variety of fundraisers, so if you would like to be involved but aren’t ready to adopt or foster, helping them with a fundraiser is a great way to help.
Rescue and Adoption Details
- Website: austingermanshepherdrescue.org
- Social Media: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
6.) Greater Houston German Shepherd Dog Rescue (GHGSDR)
Greater Houston German Shepherd Dog Rescue saves the majority of their dogs from shelters in the area.
They focus on purebred German Shepherds. They don’t deliberately take mixed breed dogs. They also take owner surrenders at times.
Often, the dogs they rescue from shelters are scheduled to be euthanized.
Greater Houston German Shepherd Dog Rescue Provides medical care, spays or neuters dogs, has them microchipped, and places them into a foster home before they are adopted.
All of the dogs taken into this rescue are guaranteed a place in the rescue throughout their life.
Greater Houston German Shepherd Dog Rescue also educates the community about the importance of heartworm prevention, spaying and neutering, and providing good care for dogs.
Greater Houston German Shepherd Dog Rescue is desperate for foster homes. When they don’t have sufficient foster homes for the dogs that need to be taken in, they must close intakes.
In order to save more dogs, they need foster homes. If you would like to make a difference in the life of a dog, fostering is a great solution.
If you would like to adopt a dog from Greater Houston German Shepherd Dog Rescue, you can meet many of the available dogs at a Pet Supermarket in Houston.
Keep in mind that it can take two to three weeks to process an application once it is received.
The rescue will check your references and schedule a home visit. If you’re renting, your landlord’s information will need to be provided as well.
Your current pets need to be altered unless there is a medical reason for them not to be altered.
Typically, dogs under 6 months old won’t be adopted to homes that have children less than 7 years old.
Dogs cost between $225 and $425 depending on age.
Rescue and Adoption Details
- Address: PO Box 610150 Houston TX 77208-0150
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: ghgsdr.org
- Social Media: Facebook
About Adopting a German Shepherd in Texas
Unfortunately, there are a lot of homeless German Shepherds in Texas.
Thankfully, there are also a lot of rescues to support them. If you would like to save a German Shepherd in this state, you have a very good chance of finding your perfect match.
Here are some things to keep in mind when you are adopting a German Shepherd in Texas:
There will be an adjustment period
German Shepherds are intensely loyal, which means that they often have a hard time transitioning to a new home, even if their previous life was filled with abuse or neglect.
Be patient as your German Shepherd gets used to a new life with you.
German Shepherds are a lot of dog
The German Shepherd is known as the quintessential work dog for good reason. These powerful dogs have a lot of drive and need a job to do, so you need to be prepared to train them and provide something to occupy their busy minds and bodies.
You will need to be an ambassador for the breed
Unfortunately, German Shepherds can get a bad rap.
Although shepherds are loving family dogs, many people falsely believe they are always aggressive.
German Shepherds do tend to be protective of their people and property, so you will need to be careful about how you handle your dog to keep them safe and to improve the reputation of this breed.
Final Thoughts On Adopting From German Shepherd Rescues in Texas
If you are looking for a German Shepherd, Texas is a good place to look.
There’s a very good chance that you’ll find the perfect German Shepherd for you in this state.
Get in touch with the rescues on this list and keep your eye open for the perfect dog for you.