Welcome to Coastal German Shepherd Rescue of San Diego

Coastal German Shepherd Rescue of San Diego is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization dedicated to finding loving homes for abandoned German Shepherds in Southern California. Coastal exists solely because of your tax deductible donations, which support our efforts to save these very deserving animals.

Want to help a dog or puppy in dire need? Access our secure PayPal donation feature to contribute to Apollo's Medical Fund.  Read more about these courageous pups below. Follow these links to view the available dogs or our upcoming events calendar. Check out the link to our online store where product purchases directly benefit the rescued dogs.

Fiona's Plea

A puller is someone who goes to the shelters and brings the dogs back to the rescue.  It is an unenviable job.  While you do get to give a few dogs their last wish – a second chance and a new lease on life; you must confront many more that you cannot help.  You have to walk down the aisle of a shelter, look many a dog in the eye and try to answer the desperate plea in their bark and the obvious question in their eyes: “But why not me??...What’s wrong with me?"  You have to leave knowing that many of them will never know a soft bed or gentle touch again.

Often there is a list of dogs to pull.  Fiona was not on our list.  Fiona was not on anyone’s list.  Her coyote looks and emaciated state translates into a tough dog to find a home for.  But you can never discount a dogs spirit.  And it was Fiona’s spirit that saved her life.  The look in her eye reached out and grabbed the puller  by the heart and said: “take a chance, you won’t be sorry”.  The obvious question was raised when evaluating Fiona: “where will we get the money to pay for the care she needs?”  “We’ll do what it takes” was the answer.

Whether by abuse or an accident, we do not know what caused the damage to Fiona’s body.  The  ACL’s in her knees are completely shot.  She cannot walk, stand or sit without being in pain.  She arches her back dramatically when she walks to displace weight to her front paws.  She shuffles from side to side to alleviate the pain in one knee and then the other.  She staggers, she shakes, she squirms; but she never complains.  She never cries, never whimpers.  The only time Fiona appears to be pain free is when she lies on her side, or when being petted by a human.

Fiona needs corrective surgery to fix her ACL’s.  She also has a floating patella in one knee most likely dislodged by the same trauma.  Coastal – SD is reeling with medical expenses.  Many of the dogs we’ve rescued lately have had unexpected medical and surgical needs.  2 more dogs wait in line behind Fiona, the sooner we can address her surgery the sooner we can start to move on the next two.

Times are tough; many of our volunteers are struggling with the same challenges that many of you face.  We know it is difficult to give when there is very little extra in pocket these days.  But every little bit helps.  $5, $10, no amount is too small.  The BULK of our donations that come in are less than $20.  She is counting on us, and we are counting on you.  If you can help at all here is her link: Click here for Fiona's Medical fund

May 13th 2012 
With Fiona in so much obvious pain, but not yet strong enough to be put under for the entire surgery; the decision was made to do one leg now, then let her recover.  With her body under so much stress, there was no way she was going to put on weight.  So the worst of the two legs is done.  The ACL and floating patella have been surgically corrected.  Now we will work on her getting stronger and preparing her for the next operation.
 

“Three Years and Still Waiting”

Some dogs wait a short time for their happy ending.  For some it seems to take much longer.   Bran is one of our very special boys who has been waiting for what seems to be forever.  He has broken the record for the longest time in the rescue without finding a home.  He is now celebrating his third year since he was turned in to the high-kill shelter by his owner and snatched from the euthanasia list by Coastal volunteers.

What does that mean for Bran?  Well, in three years, Bran has patiently waited, laying in the front of his kennel, paws  regally crossed as German Shepherds sometimes do, and watched as more than 900 lucky German Shepherds have crossed over his shadow on their way to a loving forever home.  There is a sense of longing in his eyes, but Bran never complains. 

Bran has made some true friends since he has been in the rescue.  He has a dedicated group who try to go by the kennel every day to make sure he gets out for his walk.  Bran sits in quiet reserve until he hears the voice of one of his friends coming around the corner and then sees their face.  That is when Bran shows his excitement.  These are the people he knows he can count on, the ones who have never let him down. 

Since Bran has been in rescue, his personality has remained the same.  Some would go crazy spending their days in a run.  Bran  just loves life.  He loves his people and he respects a person who is in command.   He can pick up on a person’s fear or intimidation in about two seconds.  And his mischievous side is always waiting to say “Boo” to one he sees lacking in the command and control department.   A quick correction from someone he has read wrong, and Bran is also ready to say “Oops.  My bad.”   He needs a home with a  family who is experienced with the German Shepherd breed.  He doesn’t mind relaxing around inside the home while you’re at work.  He would just like the comfort of a home.  While he came from a home with dogs, life in the kennel has convinced him that he would prefer a home where he doesn’t have to compete for the attention of another four-legged friend.  He likes to be the prince.

Bran has a very playful side to go along with his mischievous side.  At first he played a bit too much with his mouth, but his friends have been working on that with him.  He loves to play by himself.   He enjoys fetching a ball, but expect to retrieve it from wherever he decides to lay it down.   He wants everyone to know that he’s not a retriever.   He also enjoys a little rough-housing with his person, but sometimes this can escalate, so we don’t encourage it until a level of trust and confidence has been built.

We know that there is a home for every dog we get in the rescue.   Please consider giving Bran that home he has waited so long for.   Some dogs are easier to place than others.  Some have personalities that are a bit difficult to figure out.  Some are just who they are, a bit of a challenge but a whole lot of reward.   If you are up for that challenge, please consider Bran, as he waits patiently for you.  Tomorrow the sun will rise and Bran will go for another walk, at the end of which he will go back to his kennel where he will watch the corner and wait to hear another  familiar voice, another day in the life of Bran, a prince of a dog, without a home or family to call his own.

Mandy's Miracle !!!

April 12, 2012

Mandy has been dubbed the “Miracle Dog” by her doctor.   Last week Mandy’s doctor decided that we could wait no longer for her to have her surgery.  She was sure she had gained enough strength to make it through the surgery.   Thursday was Mandy’s day.  Her foster parents brought her to the doctor and gave her hugs and kisses, not knowing what would happen.   Again, Mandy greeted the  doctor she had seen at least weekly and sometimes daily.  Her doctor was again amazed.   With a big hug for Mandy, her doctor told her foster mom and dad that she would do everything she could for their little girl.

Hours later, we got  a phone call that knocked the wind out of our sails.  Mandy’s pyometra was not her only problem.  She had a tumor on her spleen which was taking up almost the entire abdomen.   Again, her doctor assured us she would do everything she could.

Less than two hours later, Mandy’s doctor called.  Her words “I don’t know what is wrong with this dog.  It has not even been an hour since she woke up from anesthesia, and she wants to go out for a walk.”  And out for a short walk Mandy went.     Knowing how much Mandy’s new family meant to her and how much she meant to them, her doctor requested they come for a visit since Mandy had to stay overnight.  As soon as Mandy saw them walk through the door, she sat upright in her kennel.   Her doctor’s words to her family, “I believe she lives for you.  Enjoy every minute of every day. ”  The infection was completely removed and the tumor was removed.  But there was still the cloud hanging over,  just  waiting for the result to find out whether the tumor was the dreaded cancer. 

Mandy went home to her foster the next day, with the “cone of shame” on,  five pounds lighter from the tumor that had been removed.  Yes, the tumor weighed in at five pounds.   Mandy’s appetite immediately soared, eating everything she was given.  Maybe she has a bit more room for food now.   Laying out in the grass, Mandy was watching her foster sister fetch the ball.  For the first time, Mandy jumped up to run after the ball, just one day after the surgery. 

Tuesday we got the call from the vet that we were both dreading and anticipating.  You could hear the excitement in her voice.  Again, “Mandy is truly a miracle dog.  The tumor is not cancer.”  

Mandy is recovering in her home with her new family, the one that she now lives for.   Whether she has the luck of the Irish or a guardian angel, Mandy definitely has decided she is going to stay right where she belongs and enjoy the good life, and her foster family has decided that she belongs with them forever.