Southern Counties German Shepherd Rescue

Keep up with all the latest news on our Facebook page

Southern Counties German Shepherd Rescue is a charity that provides care and shelter for stray, neglected and unwanted German Shepherd Rescue dogs. We never destroy a healthy dog believing that, in the right environment, every dog can live a happy and fulfilled life whatever their temperament or disability.

We spend time many hours with each dog, getting to know their likes and dislikes and helping them to work through any fears or insecurities they may have when they arrive.

As a rescue, we take in some of the most challenging dogs for whom we are often their last chance, so some dogs do not reach the stage of rehoming. For whatever reason if the dog needs a permanent sanctuary away from the demands of the outside world they will stay with us.

These may be dogs that have faced abuse, neglect or mistreatment; or they may simply be dogs that have not faced enough novel situations (with a positive emotional response) in their early life to be comfortable dealing with new people and new situations. They may just need their world to be kept small and a safe haven in which to properly function.

Working with these dogs’ emotions to create a feeling of safety and wellbeing can be very demanding and each dog is different. Meeting strangers or going to unfamiliar places may be too difficult for these dogs. We respect that fear and do not force those dogs into situations that they will not cope with and which will only exacerbate their negative emotions.

We do not have a rescue centre but operate from our home, which we use as an administrative base for the rescue. Some of our dogs are able to live in foster homes, others remain with us. Our home (and our dogs) are not open to the public, so any visits or rescue business MUST be undertaken by appointment.

We, like so many rescues, have been struggling in recent years, with the changing social and economic landscape. The ever increasing pressure on finances, the ever increasing pressure on dogs resulting in ‘dogs with issues’, the lack of suitable homes and environments suitable for these dogs. The sheer number of dogs needing help is unsustainable - the facilities we do have are getting tired and old, requiring constant repair; we too are getting tired and old. Running the rescue is a full time commitment, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and we need to catch our breath to continue to do the best we can for the dogs in our care. For all these reasons, we have made the difficult decision to not take in any more dogs at this time. We are committed to those within our care and will continue to do our very best for them, but please don’t ask us to help with any new dogs - we just cannot do any more. Thank you for your understanding xx

Contact details

Southern Counties German Shepherd Rescue
Bogmyrtle Cottage
Tom's Lane
Linwood
Hants
BH24 3QX
Tel: 01425 473907

Email: alison@southerncountiesgsdrescue.co.uk

Company Number: 6866590   Registered Charity number: 1139914