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Resident Dogs 

  SPONSOR A RESIDENT DOG

You may have heard at least once in your life about a family who had an old German Shepherd that had gotten lame in the back end or no one in the family really bothered with anymore, so while the kids were at school, someone in the household took the poor old dog to the pound. But when the kids found out old Fido was no longer there, they became upset.

 

That's when mom or dad sugarcoat their sadness by saying, "We took him to a nice farm in the country to retire because he'll be much happier there." When in reality, poor Fido was just sentenced to almost certain death because shelters nationwide are full to capacity, and being an old German Shepherd in a full shelter IS a death sentence.

 

UGH... Whatever happened to a lifelong commitment?

 

This scenario and others are why we chose to label ourselves a sanctuary and not a rescue. Although we do rescue, we also want to give these forgotten senior German Shepherds a loving forever home that they can call their own because "WE TRULY ARE THAT PLACE IN THE COUNTRY WHERE OLD GERMAN SHEPHERDS COME TO RETIRE."

 

"Why make a dog a resident dog instead of adopting them out?"

Well, there are several reasons why we make the decision to keep a dog as a resident and not pursue an adopter. Here are a few of the reasons:

 

  • AGE...it's not easy being old and shuttled around from place to place.

  • Minor Urinary/Fecal incontinence

  • Degenerative Myelopathy or other "hind end" issues

  • Minor health issues that may or may not require ongoing medication, such as allergies, thyroid issues & EPI, to name a few.

  • Slight non-violent behavior issues such as anxiety or depression and not adapting easily to new environments or situations

  • No interest from potential adopters

  • Most importantly, because of the trauma the senior GSD has already endured being removed from their home and transitioned into another. 

 

It is not easy for any dog to find themselves homeless and in a shelter or on the streets, but we feel the trauma is even more pronounced for dogs who are up in years.  To the point, when they are in their golden years, they don't adapt as easily as their younger counterparts might, BUT that doesn't mean they don't still have quality of life and deserve a warm fluffy bed, a belly full of food, a gentle stroke of a hand, and a place to call home too.

 

Although our space for resident dogs is limited, when we commit to a senior German Shepherd resident dog, it is for the duration of that dog's life. And while they are with us, they receive top-notch care, which includes regular vet check-ups and medical attention, high-quality food and treats, plenty of orthopedic pillows to rest on, brand-name harnesses' and wheelchairs (for those who need them), constant supervision as they are rarely left alone, plenty of outdoor space for short, frequent walks in the fresh country air, toys for those who want to play,  and most of all lots of love and affection.  In short, when we agree to take on an abandoned senior German Shepherd, we commit to the fullest extent and treat them like they are our own because they are.

 

However, caring for our resident dogs is not cheap, and we are constantly in need of financial assistance and volunteers who share our views.

 

There is a Donate button at the top of the web page for those who would like to sponsor one of our resident dogs or make a one-time donation. We sure would appreciate it, and so would the senior German Shepherds in our care. Every dollar is tax-deductible (EIN 45-1284897) and goes toward the direct care of the dogs. Won't you help us, help them?

 

This page showcases the senior German Shepherds in our care, past and present, and our furry angels in heaven.

CURRENTLY IN OUR CARE

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Brandi is a 14-year-old, darling little girl whose owner left her "temporarily" at a friend's house and never came back for her. She was then surrendered to the Lakeland, FL SPCA, who then contacted up for help. Brandi arrived at the sanctuary on January 19, 2018.

Brandi's favorite things are:

* Walking with her friends in the woods

* Breakfast, dinner, and treats

* People

* Rides in the truck

* Laying in bed

*Sniffing the greenhouse for stray cats

* Playing with the other dogs

* Her boyfriend, Atticus

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Savvy is an 11-year-old, beautiful senior German Shepherd who was an owner surrender and came to us in July 2021 via plane all the way from Lake Forest, Illinois.


 

Savvy had spent her whole life with the same family and two sister dogs. Unfortunately, circumstances changed, and Savvy found herself in need of a new place to call home.

She was a little confused and uncertain the first couple of days, but she took comfort in the other dogs. 

We look forward to seeing her bloom as the day's pass

 Some of Savvy's favorite things are:

  • Take frequent walks

  • Bark at the goats

  • Lay on the sofa

  • Pal around with her friend, Prince.

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Atticus is a 13-year-old, handsome boy whom we received as an owner surrender on December 3, 2018. 

Atticus had multiple health issues when he arrived at the sanctuary, which required immediate medical attention. In spite of not feeling his best, he did very well meeting the other resident dogs and fitting in very nicely. 

After being in our care for a little while, Atticus has been neutered and receives constant care for his allergies and chronic eye and ear problems.

Atticus' favorite things are:

*His little girlfriend, Brandi

* Toys of any kind

* Sleeping on the sofa

* His buddies Rock and Champ

* His caretaker, Dawn

* Tantalizing cats, chickens, ducks, and pigs

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Brutus is an 11 +-year-old, super friendly boy who came from Southern Ocean County, NJ, animal facility on July 20, 2022. He was surrendered to the facility when his owner lost her home. 
 
Brutus was very underweight (only 61lbs), was missing quite a bit of hair, and has several growths that need to be investigated. Additionally, his teeth are in rough shape. He had a full geriatric workup with our trusted veterinary team on Friday, July 29, 2022.
 
So far, Brutus is a very sweet boy who gets along with everyone, and loves to eat!

Some of Brutus's favorite things

Attention
​Food
Sleeping
Hanging out with the kitty cats


 

 

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Nona is a 12-year-old, beautiful senior German Shepherd who came in as a stray in Rowan County, NC in August 2021. She was then transported to us to live out her golden years here at the sanctuary

 

Nona is a little girl, only weighing 66 lbs, she had trouble seeing, and she is partially deaf so she requires a little extra guidance, but we don't mind. 

 

She is a super sweet and loving little lady, and we are glad she is here with us.

 Some of Nona's favorite things are:

  • Take frequent walks

  • playing with kong jumbler balls

  • playing with any rubber squeaky toy

  • Fresh home-cooked food

Sponsorship

OUR  ANGELS IN HEAVEN

Our former residents who stayed with us for a short while, but will forever remain in our hearts.

Adopted

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Libby

Libby

Cheyenne

Cheyenne

Kara

Kara

Cali

Cali

Gretchen

Gretchen

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               Woody's Place ~ Senior German Shepherd Sanctuary, Inc is a 501(c)(3) registered nonprofit organization that is dedicated to saving the lives of abandon senior German Shepherds.

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