Coastal's Owner Surrender Information

We are only able to take a limited amount of privately owned German Shepherds at this time. Our first priority is to dogs in kill shelters. Since we have limited foster homes and funds to pay for boarding, it may be a while before we can take your dog into our organization

In the mean time, if you are able to continue to house ("foster") your dog and would like our help to get exposure for your dog or wish to surrender it, you may e-mail photos, a bio and proof of current vaccinations, spay/neuter (if you are able) to baltao@sbcglobal.net to be posted in our Private Party Adoption Section. Only dogs with all the requested information submitted will be posted online. You will also need to supply whatever contact information you would like for us to post in your dog's bio. This way we may be able to help facilitate the placement of your dog directly from your home.

We will provide a courtesy listing for dogs which you are able to foster… this means you are responsible for evaluating the prospective home and placement of the dog. Coastal GSR is simply helping you to reach interested adopters and makes no claims as to the health or personality of the dogs we courtesy list as we have under most circumstances never met these dogs.

I Need to Find a Home For My German Shepherd because...

· I'm being transferred to another town/state

Find a place to live that allows pets! Would you abandon your children if all you could find or afford was a home that only allow adults? Do a Goggle Search for Pet Friendly apartments. They're in every town in America.

· I can't afford the pet deposit for my new home/apartment

If you wanted to buy a new car and needed a down payment or had to take your child to the emergency room, you'd find a way to come up with the money... wouldn't you?

· I just don't have time for my dog anymore

Make time! You don't have 10-15 minutes a day you can spend playing ball or walking your dog? If you don't... you need to re-evaluate your lifestyle because chances are... there are others (humans) in your life that are being put on the back burner too. A little attention can go a long way. TRUST US WHEN WE SAY THIS... your dog would rather have you for the rest of their life for 15 minutes a day than to have to be uprooted from the only love and family it has ever know.

· My dog won't stay in the yard

Have you considered bringing your dog inside your home, house training them, crate training them and making him/her a real part of your family? You would be surprised how quickly they adapt to the "inside" world. If you were left in a backyard 24/7.... wouldn't YOU want to jump the fence also to see how the other half lives?

· My child/spouse has developed allergies to our dog

Take your family member to see an allergist. There are many treatments and medications that may help. Please consider doing this before giving up the dog that has come to know no other home but yours.

· My dog jumps and lunges at other dogs... barks at the dogs in the next yard... won't "mind" me... I can't control him and I'm tired of putting up with it!

Find a qualified and reputable trainer so YOU can LEARN to TEACH your dog not to behave in ways that are inappropriate. There are very few behaviors that can't be unlearned.

· My dog bit my neighbor and I need to find it a new home

You think passing on your dog's biting habits is going to solve the problem? 99.9% of dog bites are the fault of the owner. They were either running loose in the streets (lawsuit waiting to happen), the owner has no control over the dog, or does not keep the dog away from situations where a bite may occur. ALL DOGS WILL BITE given the right circumstances and it's up to YOU to make sure those circumstances don't happen.

MOST owners that are wanting to surrender their German Shepherd are just giving up on the dog. Having no value or respect for the wonderful loving and loyal dog each and every one of them are capable of becoming. They are giving up on a wonderful opportunity to build a trusting, loyal relationship with their German Shepherd,

You brought this dog in to your life, and at that time, you had every intention of keeping it the rest of it's life. Well... that dog had every intention of spending the rest of it's life with you too. Why do you think your dog is so devoted and gives you unconditional love every single day. A dog will ALWAYS give you more than you give it. That's just how dogs are and why those of us who don't give up love our dogs so much. We get back ten times what we give them.

In so many cases, the only problem the dog has is LACK of leadership... someone to make the effort and take the time to change the situation. Some GSD's are of ill-bred temperament.. But you combine not so great temperament with lack of time, fair, consist leadership, and the dog soon learns to behave in a way that is unacceptable and becomes uncontrollable.

The dog's behavior is the responsibility of the HUMAN. All dogs look for leadership in their humans. You can't expect dogs to behave unless YOU yourself have LEARNED how to TEACH them what is acceptable.

Educate yourself and train your dog to know what your expectations are. The dog will learn quickly... GSD are a VERY intelligent breed... even your misbehaving dog. Why do you think they KNOW they can get away with so much... because they are smart!.

And honestly, most of the training is for YOU! GSD are the loyalist of loyal dogs and are respectful of those who have earned it. So think about it... don't you think YOUR dog is worth the effort?

We do.

Another resource: http://www.wonderpuppy.net/canwehelp/

We do realize that sometimes life throws us a curve, and we have no choice but to find our beloved German Shepherd a new home. And when that happens, you can count on us to help in anyway we can. But please realize, like every other rescue across the U.S., it is the lack of foster homes that may keep us from being able to take your dog in immediately.

You may view the contract you will be required to sign should we accept your German Shepherd in to our program.

Please proceed to the following page for our Owner Surrender Guidelines and Owner Surrender Application.

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