Fosters are the frontline heroes for these dogs and a crucial part of saving more lives! A foster home provides a temporary, safe place for a German Shepherd while they wait for their forever family. As a foster, you offer shelter, care, love, and guidance—while GSRA covers the cost of food and medical care.
The number of GSDs we can rescue depends entirely on the number of people willing to open their hearts and homes. For some of these dogs, fostering is their first experience of being treated like a beloved family pet. You are their lifeline—never underestimate the effect you have on their journey!
The only way we can save GSD's is through the generosity of foster homes. Fostering offers more than just the satisfaction of helping a pet in need—it comes with unique rewards. For some, it’s a way to enjoy the companionship of a GSD without a lifelong commitment, while others want the simple joy of saving a GSD.
Foster care is critical to our rescue efforts—the more foster homes we have, the more GSDs we can save. Becoming a foster is not only a deeply rewarding experience, but it can also be a lot of fun. Saying goodbye can be emotional, but knowing you’ve saved a life and made room to rescue another makes every moment worthwhile.
Fosters typically care for a German Shepherd for an average of 2.5 months, though some may need more time due to age, illness, injury, or behavioral challenges. Before you agree to foster, we’ll discuss the expected time commitment with you upfront. However, we encourage fosters to keep the GSD until they find their forever home.
To ensure a smooth experience, first-time fosters will not receive a dog directly from a shelter. Instead, they will be matched with a GSD that has been in our rescue for at least 14 days. This allows us to better understand the dog’s personality and needs, making your first foster experience easier.
All GSRA dogs spend at least 14 days in foster care before becoming available for adoption. This decompression period helps them adjust, and it also gives you time to get to know them. The more you learn about your foster dog, the better match you can help make for their future home!
