About Us...
OUR MISSION
AGSR specializes in the rescue, rehabilitation and re-homing of homeless German Shepherds, mostly acquired from Wisconsin shelters. These dogs have no advocates and are frequently scheduled for euthanasia (even puppies!) because there just aren't enough homes for all the dogs that need homes right now. Our foster homes are almost always full with shelter dogs, so we generally do not accept owner surrenders.
All adult German Shepherds are first temperament-tested, then fostered in AGSR volunteer homes. While in foster care, the dogs calm down from the stress of the shelter. They are fully vetted (spayed or neutered, vaccinated, checked for heartworm and internal parasites, dewormed, and micro-chipped). They are house trained and begin basic obedience training (sit, off, down, come, etc). The fostering period allows us to get to know each shepherd's personality and is our most valuable tool when matching our dogs with their new homes.
We are all volunteers and there are not enough of us to respond to all the casual inquiries made to us so when we receive your Adoption Application, we know that you are sincerely interested in eventually adopting a German Shepherd. We will respond within 7 - 14 days to discuss your application and the qualities you want in your new German Shepherd. Interested in joining ARF's? Fill out a Foster home or Volunteer application!
And how we wound up doing this...
ARF's GERMAN SHEPHERD RESCUE started in 1999, when founder Terri Tinsley came upon a very sick German Shepherd puppy being sold outside the Weyauwega Exotic Animal Fair for $20. Terri knew she could use the Wisconsin Dog Rescue to contact a shepherd rescue, so she paid* for the sleepy little fellow and promised her husband the pup absolutely wouldn't be staying forever. The Rescue asked the couple to foster the pup for just two months, until they had room for him. Pistol (jokingly named because the worms, anemia, and the maggot living between the skin layers of his neck made him the most lethargic puppy ever) spent the rest of the summer sleeping at their feet, or going for walks and as he became healthier. Pistol never left the Tinsley household. After Terri became listowner for Wisconsin Dog Rescue, she decided volunteering for shelters and other rescues wasn't enough; she wanted to save the other "Pistols" out there, too. She filed the paperwork to become incorporated, followed closely by the 501c3 paperwork, and Arf's German Shepherd Rescue, Inc. was founded in March 2002. Lori Fowler took over the rescue in 2003 when Terri passed away in a tragic car accident. Lori was previously with Badgerland German Shepherd Rescue - along with Angela Iannone who joined ARF's as a foster home and serves as vice president. Lori and Angela have been working diligently ever since to rehome many German Shepherd Dogs!