Final Call for the “Sheptember Match Challenge"

German Shepherd Rescue of Orange County (GSROC) has been a beacon of hope for 25 years, successfully placing over 10,000 German Shepherds into loving forever homes.... yet this award-winning rescue faces its most challenging time ever. Eighty-five orphaned German Shepherds currently depend on the rescue for their very survival. The organization that has saved thousands may not survive the year without immediate intervention.

Large breeds, particularly German Shepherds, are flooding shelters in record numbers. The reasons are heartbreaking; job loss, family death, housing displacement, even deportation separating families from their beloved pets. Sadly, local animal shelters from Los Angeles to San Diego are beyond capacity and numerous shelters are now refusing intake and directing pet owners to “contact a rescue group” – rescue groups that are already beyond capacity.

“Our phone rings constantly with calls from pet owners desperate to find safe haven for dogs they can no longer keep,” says Maria Dales, Founder and Executive Director of GSROC. “The sad stories are overwhelming, with most people simply unable to care for their dogs any longer. We know that our rescue provides a critical lifeline for German Shepherds in need but without resources, we just can’t help.” GSROC receives no federal or municipal funding, relying entirely on private donations.

The rescue's support is vital to the local community and the good news is there's still time to make a difference.

Game Changer: The $100,000 “Sheptember Match” Challenge - One Day Left
To address the urgent situation, GSROC launched a $100,000 Sheptember Match Challenge that runs through the end of day tomorrow. If they can raise $100,000 during this time period, two anonymous philanthropists will match that amount, doubling the impact. “This isn’t just about keeping our doors open,” Dales explains. “This is about honoring 25 years of trust from this community and ensuring that the thousands of dogs that will follow have somewhere safe to go when their world falls apart.”

Without rescue groups like GSROC stepping in, pet owners will have nowhere to turn for support.

How to help save GSROC’s mission, donors can contribute by Venmo, PayPal or by mail:

German Shepherd Rescue of Orange County, 120 Tustin Avenue, C-1111, Newport Beach, CA 92663.

(No dogs are housed at this location).

GSROC is a 501c3 nonprofit organization (EIN 20-3455479) that has been rescuing, rehabilitating, and rehoming German Shepherd dogs since 1999. The organization has earned the Best of The Southland (Charity Division) honors from the LA Times in 2022 and 2023 and earned highest rated Platinum Status by Candid™ and Four Stars by Charity Navigator™ for transparency in accounting.