Aries is a wonderful boy who has had no luck at all in his short life. Poor Aries was a victim of a house fire where he ended up at the shelter. Here he sat for less then a week getting sicker and sicker each day, a combination of smoke inhalation and inability to keep his food or water down, and being depressed about the loss of his home, his family who had two children. The family wasnt able to take him back since they were in a temp housing. VGSR came to his rescue, swooped him up took him to the nearest vets office where he was extremely dehydrated, malnourished, pneumonia if this wasnt enough he was also diagnosed with mega esophagus, hence his low weight. After 3 days of being on IVs for dehydration he was released to come into foster home. Hes been in my home since this 8-29-09, he is doing wonderful with the special feeding technique. What is currently against his odds now of getting better is his pneumonia. Aries is a special boy, he loves to go for car rides, walk beautiful on a leash, knows commands ie heel, sit, down, stay, wait, kisses oh does he ever kiss. Once he starts to feel better we will know more of his activity level. Please check out our web site at www.shepherdrescue.org for more information about our dogs, our adoption process and to download an application. You must have a fully approved application on file prior to privately meeting our dogs. We do not have a facility, all our dogs are housed in private foster homes throughout MD/DC/VA areas. More information available on our web site, so please read through our web site before emailing questions, as it might save us both some time!

VGSR can only adopt dogs out in the Virginia/Maryland/DC area, no exceptions.

Although donations of all types are needed, our primary need is foster homes for our lovely dogs while they wait for their new family to find them. Fostering is an extremely rewarding experience. Vet care is paid for by our rescue, and we can even provide you with food. All YOU need to add is love and security.

The adoption process starts with the applicant filling out the adoption application. This can happen at any time during the process, before or after having met a GSD that might be the ideal companion. (It's an advantage to have a pre-approved application on file with VGSR. It should be stressed here that being pre-approved does not mean that any potential adopter can select any available dog at will and take that dog home immediately. VGSR will exercise its best judgement as to which GSD will be the best match for that specific adopter based on a number of qualifying criteria. Many GSDs that come to us are matched up with their new people very quickly because their people have been pre-approved.) The applicant then submits the application form with a non-refundable $10.00 processing fee. VGSR reviews the application, then schedules an interview and home visit during which a number of questions are asked and the home is reviewed to be sure there is a contained/safe yard, and to meet the family involved. Once the application is approved, the applicant is asked to submit a $250.00 donation to VGSR, and the adoption is completed.

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