Garden State German Shepherd Rescue

01/01/2026

🐾As we say goodbye to 2025, we would like to thank everyone who helped make this year such a success for our rescue.

🐾Garden State German Shepherd Rescue is a breed-specific rescue, unlike groups that take in all breeds. In 2025, we experienced our most successful year yet in rehoming dogs—many of whom had nowhere else to go and were facing euthanasia, not because of behavior, but due to overcrowded shelters with limited space.

🐾This year was truly an emotional test for our volunteers, but they remained strong and committed to doing what was right for every dog we saved.

As we look ahead to 2026, we are in desperate need of more foster homes, and we hope more people will consider opening their hearts and homes to fostering. Our volunteers give up a tremendous amount of their personal time, and it’s important to remember that Garden State German Shepherd Rescue has no payroll. Everything our volunteers do is at their own expense, and all donations go directly to veterinary care and the animals’ needs.

❤️🥰This year, we also took in a crippled puppy named Forrest. If you haven’t yet, please take the time to read his story at gsgsr.org. Forrest is doing great and is now walking. He continues to receive care in his foster home and attends therapy weekly, where he has made incredible progress. Forrest is still in need of his forever home.🐕‍🦺

Thank you to everyone who supported Garden State German Shepherd Rescue in any way—through fostering, adopting, donating, volunteering, or sharing our mission. You have helped save lives.

We wish you all a happy, healthy, and safe New Year🐕‍🦺.

12/31/2025

Thank you everyone I believe we found what we needed

WE ARE IN NEED OF DOGGIE WHEELCHAIR

If anyone has a doggie wheelchair for a 70lb and still growing pup please let us know.

12/28/2025

🐾 Meet Bailey – Our Newest Rescue Pup! 🐾
Please welcome Bailey to our rescue program! 💙
Bailey is currently available through our foster-to-adopt program, as he will need to be neutered before his adoption is finalized. Once that is completed, his foster family will complete the adoption paperwork.

Bailey is a 14-month-old, friendly, big boy with lots of personality and energy! He would do best with a strong, confident, and experienced handler who can continue his training and help him thrive.
Bailey loves:
Going on walks and hikes
Playing ball and running in a large yard
Spending time with his people

Bailey is very high energy and has been around other dogs, but a proper meet and greet is required to ensure a good match.

He is crate trained and already knows sit, paw, and down. Bailey walks well on leash but will benefit from continued training. We recommend older teenage children.

If interested in fostering to adopt Bailey, please visit gsgsr.org and complete the foster application form.
⭐ If you have already submitted an application and are interested in Bailey, please email us your AA number or the name used on your application.
Help us give Bailey the loving home he deserves! 🐾💙

12/27/2025

Meet Vinny! 🐾
* Vinny is a 4-year-old sable German Shepherd who is unfortunately looking for a new home.
As typical of the breed, Vinny has lots of energy and would thrive in an environment similar to the one he knows now:

• A farm or rural setting with other animals
• Suitable for a home with teenage children who can play and interact with him
• Dog-friendly (we would place him with a female dog)
• Cat-friendly

This is a commitment-based situation — once you meet Vinny, we will need a decision to adopt or foster immediately.

If you believe you can provide the home Vinny needs, please contact Garden State German Shepherd Rescue and complete an adoption application at gsgsr.org.

If you already have an approved application that fits Vinny’s needs, please email us with your application number or the name on the application.

12/25/2025

Just a few of our recent rescues. Great end to another successful year. If you have a Christmas picture of your rescue pup, please post in comments. 🎄

12/23/2025

*IN NEED OF INMEDIATE FOSTER *

Gunner is a 1-year-old sweetheart who came from a tough situation. He was saved by a kind neighbor who, unfortunately, wasn’t able to keep him long-term. Now, Gunner is safe with us—but he urgently needs a foster home so he can settle into a loving environment.
Gunner is a very shy boy who just needs someone patient and understanding to help him learn that the world can be a safe place. He is not aggressive and does not show fear-based behaviors—he’s simply unsure and looking for reassurance. With time, consistency, and kindness, Gunner has all the potential to become an amazing companion.
✨ What Gunner Needs:
• A calm, patient foster
• Someone willing to help build his confidence
• A loving home where he can learn to trust
🏡 Fostering Information:
• Fosters always have the first right to adopt
• If you’re interested, please visit gsgsr.org and complete a foster application
• If you already have an approved application and are interested in Gunner, please email us with your application number
Help us give Gunner the fresh start he deserves

More pictures in comments.

12/22/2025

12/13/2025

🐾 Meet Bailey – Our Newest Rescue Pup! 🐾
Please welcome Bailey to our rescue program! 💙
Bailey is currently available through our foster-to-adopt program, as he will need to be neutered before his adoption is finalized. Once that is completed, his foster family will complete the adoption paperwork.

Bailey is a 14-month-old, friendly, big boy with lots of personality and energy! He would do best with a strong, confident, and experienced handler who can continue his training and help him thrive.
Bailey loves:
Going on walks and hikes
Playing ball and running in a yard
Spending time with his people

Bailey is very high energy and has been around other dogs, but a proper meet and greet is required to ensure a good match.

He is crate trained and already knows sit, paw, and down. Bailey walks well on leash but will benefit from continued training. We recommend older teenage children.

If interested in fostering to adopt Bailey, please visit gsgsr.org and complete the foster application form.
⭐ If you have already submitted an application and are interested in Bailey, please email us your AA number or the name used on your application.
Help us give Bailey the loving home he deserves! 🐾💙

12/12/2025

✨ Strawberry’s Journey — Now Scarlett! ✨

Garden State German Shepherd Rescue was recently contacted about an accidental litter. The family who owned the dogs knew they couldn’t keep all the puppies, and as they grew more and more attached, they reached out for help—quickly.

They wanted to be sure each pup would find a wonderful home. When we arrived to pick up little Strawberry, tears were shed. Her owner’s only request was that she go to a good home, and we promised she would,Strawberry went straight into a foster home, where it didn’t take long to discover her big personality.

This confident little girl was clearly ready to take on the world—or maybe even land a modeling contract at 8 weeks old (don’t miss her video strutting in her designer coat!) ❤️. Also the video of her walking under the leaves. Its quite adorable 😍 she will make you smile

Though her foster family loved her, they realized she needed more than they could offer at this time. With heavy hearts, they made the loving decision to let her move on to her forever family.

Now renamed Scarlett, she has found the perfect match—a home with a high-energy Belgian Mal who can keep up with her bold spirit, and most importantly, a young boy who will fill her days with adventure, laughter, and love.

At Garden State German Shepherd Rescue, dogs come into our care all the time.
If you have an application on file and the dog you hoped for gets adopted, don’t worry—we will reach out about others who need you.

You’re always free to decline, but being on file helps us match more dogs with great homes.

Shelters everywhere are full. We encourage everyone to also check their local shelters.

In fact, we often send approved applicants to adopt from partner shelters after one of our temperament testers meets the dog.

Our mission is simple: get dogs into loving homes, whether through us or through our shelter partners.

As a foster-based rescue with no physical facility, our ability to save dogs depends entirely on the incredible people who open their homes and hearts. To all our foster families—thank you. You make stories like Scarlett’s possible.🐾❤️💕🐶💗😊

12/10/2025

Two Hearts, one leash, endless adventures. Congrats to Scarlet on her entry into the GSGSR Family.

12/05/2025

We wanted to update everyone on the progress of Ollie, the German Shepherd who had been placed on the euthanasia list at the Perth Amboy Animal Shelter. Perth Amboy animal control picked up Ollie when he was dumped and tied to a tree in July 2025

From the beginning, Ollie showed only fear, never aggression. He struggled to come to the front of his kennel, and although he never attempted to bite anyone, there were conversations behind the scenes labeling him a “risk.” One dedicated shelter volunteer, Tanya Caceres however, believed in Ollie. She worked with him every single day, sending GSGSR videos of his slow but steady progress. Still, he remained too fearful for the shelter to feel comfortable, and they scheduled his euthanasia for 11/18/2025.

GSGSR members refused to give up. They spoke with many people in township of Perth Amboy—including a police officer who insisted it was “too late” once the vet signed off on euthanasia. Wanting to understand the situation, one of our members contacted the vet directly. He explained that he had never examined Ollie; the shelter simply tells him which animals to euthanize.

We kept pushing. More calls were made, and we asked if a behaviorist could be allowed into the shelter to evaluate Ollie. Dr.Lori [email protected], stepped in, spent time with him, and the very next day was able to take him out of his kennel. Outside those bars, Ollie was a different dog.

GSGSR then found a loving family willing to give Ollie the forever home he deserved.

We owe everything to our incredible team of volunteers—a dedicated group who refused to stop fighting even when every town official ignored their pleas. Their persistence saved a life.

Please enjoy Ollie’s photos, and remember: you are the voice of the animals. We cannot save them all, but we can change the world for one dog when we work together.

Ollie, you are so loved thanks to the family that opened their home and heart to you.

11/28/2025

ADOPT Forrest; he is wishing for the greatest gift this holiday season—a loving home to call his own https://www.gsgsr.org/forests-page