Adoption Process

Step #1:
Discuss your desire to adopt a GSD with you ENTIRE family, and make sure everyone is certain that a GSD is the right breed for your family. Take into consideration that GSDs are large, very active and generally excuberant dogs. They are also working dogs...note the word 'herd' in German Shepherd. That's exactly what they do, too. Other pets, their people, children; this is their natural instinct.
GSDs are highly intelligent dogs. They need lots of excercise, and you need to keep them thinking. Without lots of stimulation, they become bored. A bored GSD makes for a very unhappy pet owner when he/she begins shredding window blinds, digging in the garbage, chewing on furniture, digging up the yard...well, you get the idea.
Oh, and did I mention the hair? LOTS of it. All over everything. Year round. We don't call them German Shedders for nothing ;) A healthy diet and good care will minimize this, but the bottom line is if you're overly bothered by hair balls floating around, a GSD is not the breed for you.
GSDs are very loyal to their families. They do not need to be 'trained as guard dogs.' Their natural instinct is to protect their home and family. They bond deeply and quickly (in most cases), but with a rescued GSD the need extra time to get over the loss of their previous family. But make no mistake that once they are comfortable with you, you will have a velcro dog who thinks the sun sets and the moon rises because of you.
DO NOT adpopt a GSD because you enjoyed Rin Tin Tin or Run Joe Run as a child, and want that in your life now. Neither Rin Tin Tin (any of them) nor Joe started out as what you saw on your TV screen. It took a lot of time, patience and training to get them there. Your new family member will not come to you perfectly trained with perfect manners and an instruction manual. I'll stress again...lots of work, but so worth it!

Step #2:
Check out our Available dogs, then fill out an Application. You can do this online, or email for a printable application to snail mail. We do not adopt strictly on a first-come, first-served basis. All applications are dated by when they are received. Once the application process is completed, the first approved adopter (by date) to apply for the dog will be the one to adopt him/her.
How long the adoption process takes can vary depending on the dog you are interested in, availablity of a dog that matches your lifestyle, your location and available time to process your application. You will not be left hanging for weeks on end, though. I do not work outside the home, so if you are in my area, chances are the process will move along relatively quickly. I devote a LARGE portion of my time to the rescue, and do everything in my power to move adoptions along once a good match has been found. I'd hate for a dog to sit in rescue for an extended period of time if the perfect family for him/her is out there waiting patiently.

Step #3:
Reference checking and application review. You'll notice we don't ask for personal references. I really don't see the point. How many people are going to use someone as a reference who will have something negative to say about them? But we do require a vet reference, and it will be checked, so please call your vet immediately after filling out your application and give him/her permission to speak with us.

Step #4:

We require a home visit, at which time the dog you arepotentially adopting will be brought to your home and introduced to your family. We do require that everyone who lives in the house be present. The is the single most important part of the adoption process, to me, anyway. Nine out of ten times, all the information I need is apparent then. I like a hands-on approach, and meeting people in their own home and observing the interaction between family members and other pets (if there are any), usually tells me what I need to know.

Step #5:
Once all of the above has been completed satisfactorily, you will be asked to sign an Adoption Contract. All terms set forth in the contract must be agreed to before an adoption can be finalized.
Once you have adopted a Mid-South Shepherd, you are a part of our extended family. We offer life-time support for all our dogs and their new families.

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