Our Adoption Policies

• Our German Shepherd dogs are placed into family situations only in the Central New York area. If you are not in this area and are looking to adopt, please chick here for German Shepherd dog rescue organizations in your area.  Dogs are placed as indoor household pets only.  We do not place outside dogs.  We will only place dogs with young children that have a clear history of successfully living with children in the past.
• An adoption fee is required when you receive your German Shepherd dog, and an adoption contract is required when the dog is placed. All dogs are temperament tested by our volunteers. We will not knowingly accept or place aggressive dogs or dogs with bite incidents. We do not place dogs for the purpose of guarding or fighting.
• Before adoption, please take some time to research the breed to make sure a German Shepherd Dog is the right breed for you and YOU are the right owner for a German Shepherd Dog.
• Upon adoption, copies of all available records will be provided to the family. All animals are spayed or neutered prior to placement, are current on vaccinations, are tested for heartworm, and are on heartworm preventative medication. Adopters are required to continue heartworm preventative year round.
• While we do our best to accurately assess each of our dogs, animals in foster care and those adopted out through GSRCNY carry no warranty of any kind, express or implied.
• All family members are required to meet the animals available for adoption. We do not ship or deliver dogs. We prefer that our dogs go to homes with securely fenced yards. If your yard is not fenced, we require the dog to be on a lead at all times.  Cable runners or chains are not acceptable as they can build aggression. We do not approve invisible fences.  German Shepherds need to be walked!  

Minimum requirements for adopting from GSRCNY are:

• Proof of previous large breed ownership experience; German Shepherd experience is preferred
• At least 21 years of age
• Participation in formal obedience training utilizing positive reinforcement and ongoing socialization
• Demonstrated responsible dog ownership through excellent veterinary records; previous and existing pets must be spayed/neutered, updated on vaccinations, and on heartworm prevention, as we feel this is part of responsible dog ownership. THIS INCLUDES CATS!
• Demonstrated financial stability
• Residency in Central New York
• We will only adopt to individuals that own their own homes

If you do not meet these minimum requirements, please wait until your circumstances change before applying.  If you have read this page and believe you meet the minimum requirements for adopting a rescued German Shepherd Dog, please download and fill out an application or email us for an application.

You must have a copy of Adobe® Acrobat® Reader® to view or print the application. Acrobat® Reader® is free software that lets you view and print Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) files. If you do not have a copy of Acrobat, click the icon to the right and follow the instructions.