25-Year Legacy At Risk: Beloved German Shepherd Rescue Of Orange County Seeks Urgent Support
The Californer/10325290

ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. - Californer -- For 25 years, German Shepherd Rescue of Orange County (http://www.gsroc.org/) (GSROC) has been a beacon of hope for abandoned and surrendered dogs, successfully placing over 10,000 German Shepherds into loving forever homes. Today, this award-winning lifeline for Southern California's most vulnerable animals faces its most challenging time ever.

The heartbreaking reality: too many desperate pet owners with nowhere else to turn, skyrocketing veterinary costs, and an unprecedented animal overpopulation crisis that has left even municipal shelters turning dogs away. While 85 orphaned German Shepherds currently depend on the rescue for their very survival, the organization that has saved thousands may not survive the year without immediate intervention.

The statistics paint a devastating picture: local animal shelters from Los Angeles to San Diego are beyond capacity and some are now refusing intake and directing desperate pet owners to "contact a rescue group" – rescue groups that are already beyond capacity.

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German Shepherds are flooding shelters in record numbers. Without rescue groups like GSROC stepping in, many of these loyal companions face an uncertain fate – abandonment on the streets or worse.

"We have never been in this situation before, and we find ourselves struggling to manage the challenges."

"Our phone rings constantly with calls from pet owners desperate to find safe haven for dogs they can no longer keep," says Maria Dales, Founder and Executive Director of GSROC. We know that our rescue provides a critical lifeline for German Shepherds in need, but without resources, we just can't help." GSROC receives no federal or municipal funding, relying entirely on private donations.

Game Changer: The $100,000 "Sheptember Match" Challenge

To address the urgent situation, the volunteer-driven non-profit is launching a $100,000 Sheptember Match Challenge, running throughout September. If they can raise $100,000 during this time period, two anonymous animal-loving philanthropists will match that amount, doubling the impact. "This isn't just about keeping our doors open," Dales explains. "This is about honoring 25 years of trust from this community and ensuring that the thousands of dogs that will follow have somewhere safe to go when their world falls apart."

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"This life-saving opportunity comes at a critical time for us—if we make the target amount, we can continue to support the community.  If we don't make it, our rescue's future is uncertain."

How to help save GSROC's mission, donors can contribute by Venmo, PayPal or by mail:

German Shepherd Rescue of Orange County, 120 Tustin Avenue, C-1111, Newport Beach, CA 92663.

GSROC is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that has been rescuing, rehabilitating, and rehoming German Shepherd dogs since 1999. www.gsroc.org.