German Shepherd Rescue of New England, Inc. |
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(GSRNE) is an all-volunteer, 501(c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to serving German Shepherd Dogs in need. We rely on our fundraisers and donations to continue our work. |
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Greetings!
Happy April to each and everyone of you! We hope everyone is enjoying the winter and continues to have fun with friends, family, and dogs, finding enjoyable ways to be outdoors. The cooler days mean fun for both you and your dog, so grab your dog (or a friend's) and take time to enjoy all the fun outdoor activities.
This issue includes Auction Excitement, Calendar Raffle News, Birthday Cards for Sale, Cookbooks for Sale, Happy Tails featuring Kyra, Adoption News of Loki, Blitz & Koda, Help Us With The Auction, Take Me Home presenting Guiness, Volunteer Spotlight featuring Dotti, Volunteer & Make a Difference.
All of our sales items can be ordered on our website at www.GSRNE.org!
Fondly,
E-newsletter staff
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Auction Excitement!
by: GSRNE Staff
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Our Annual Auction is being held on Sunday, April 24, 11 am to 4:30 pm at the Springhill Suites by Marriott, 43 Newbury Street, Peabody, MA 01960. Springhill Suites is close to I-95 and I-93, with a comfortable venue and fantastic staff.
The Auction is open to the public, so please invite your family and friends and come enjoy the day with us. We have received so many great items for the Auction, and there is sure to be something that catches your eye. The catalog and photos of items in the Live Auction and a listing of items in the Silent Blue and Silent Yellow Auctions will be available on the website prior to the Auction. We can't wait to share them with you!
Auction excitement is building, and we hope you will all come join in the fun. We can also use your help! We are looking for volunteers to come early on Auction Day to help us set up. We have three auctions to prepare in a very short time. At 9:30am, we start unpacking the items and getting them displayed on the tables. If you want to help set up and/or clean up before/after the Auction, please contact Sam T at: auction@gsrne.org.
GSRNE supporters come from all parts of New England to attend the Auction, so it is a great opportunity to catch up with old friends and to meet new volunteers. People start arriving around 11:00 am, and the first step is the registration table, where you sign up for a paddle and receive an Auction Catalog. Even if you are not sure you are bidding, it is nice to have a free catalog and paddle just in case! After registration, most people walk around to see the Auction items and check off their favorites. And of course, there are lots of homemade goodies at the food sales table to tempt you.
The Silent Blue and Silent Yellow Auctions start bidding at 11:30 am. Bidders write down their paddle number and their bid on the sheet for each item they hope to take home with them. It is always fun.
At 12:00 noon, our Auctioneer Extraordinaire, Lauralee D, takes the podium to begin the Live Auction! You'll hear, "It's all for the dogs..." and "Just five dollars more..." as Lauralee whips the crowd into a bidding frenzy. This year, we have a surprise in store! Lauralee will be joined by Jim H. for a Double Dynamic Duo Auction-fest of the Year! Yes, that's Two for the price of One!! Jim has been with GSRNE since 2008; he and his wife, Tracy and daughter, Kiera have hosted our Tagging Party for several years. He is also our Co-Supplies coordinator for foster dogs and is always ready to help out in any way he can. He will be stepping up to the podium to entice everyone to bid, bid and then bid again! So, be sure to bring your seat belts so you can buckle them up when the Auctioning starts!
At the end of the day, even if you didn't win the item you wanted, everyone is a winner for coming out to help support GSRNE. Your support makes a difference!
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Calendar Raffle News
by: Lauralee D
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We are hard at work putting your 2022 calendar raffle together!! Our Wonderful donors have come together yet again to make this year’s calendar one of THE best for you AND our dogs in need!!
* If you haven’t heard from me or if you think I’ve missed you, please reach out to me!!
All my letters & notes have gone out, and I don’t want to miss anyone!! The *** deadline *** for correction/additions is April 6, 2022, so we can send it onto the rest of the team and get it printed! Then it’s off to All of our sellers, who do a Fantastic job of getting them out to You!!
Thanks for Everything you do to make this a Great treat to look forward to during the summermonths and help our dogs at the same time!!! Remember we have had Multiple winners on the same ticket!!
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Coming soon - GSRNE Birthday Cards!
by: GSRNE Staff
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GSRNE Birthday Greeting Cards will be available to purchase soon |
Cookbook For Sale
by: GSRNE Staff
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Happy Tails: Kyra
by: GSRNE Staff
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Kyra (GSRNE #461) was adopted by Barbara and Geoff in 2016 when she was about three years old. Kyra didn’t have an easy life early on, though she had at least one owner on her way to GSRNE who tried hard to care for her. (When Kyra came into GSRNE on 3/2/16, she was in the care of a veterinary hospital and needed immediate surgery to try to save her right front leg. She had wandered into a horse stall and had received a kick that shattered the bones in that leg. We followed her progress on our Facebook page, and Kyra had many people pulling for her to make a complete recovery, and that’s just what she did!) After surgery and a lot of care by GSRNE and her foster home, she found her way to Barbara and Geoff and has made the family complete.
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Barbara says they think Kyra is the sweetest dog ever. As in her foster home, Kyra still doesn’t like other dogs and has flunked a couple of training classes. She still, however, loves people and car rides. In fact, Barbara tells us that she, Barbara, has to ride in the back seat of Geoff’s truck when Kyra is along for the ride! Kyra is getting older now and does have some issues typical for older German shepherds, though Barbara is hopeful and looking forward to a fun summer with her. After a hard start in life, Kyra has a loving home and Barbara tells us again that Kyra is such a sweet dog, and they are so glad to have her. GSRNE is so glad to hear that Kyra is an integral part of this happy family. |
Adoption News Loki, Blitz & Koda
by: The Adoption Team
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GSRNE’S Loki has been ADOPTED!!
We are so happy to announce that Loki has found his forever home and fits in perfectly with his family, two-legged and four-legged alike.
To sum up Loki in one word: playful! 7-month-old Loki just loves toys. He can frequently be seen running around the house with a squeaky toy, a stuffed animal, or a ball in his mouth. Playing outside, particularly in the snow (this is the first time he’s seen snow!), has been a joyous occasion. He’ll grab a jolly ball or rope toy and shake his head swinging it around with glee. Loki loves people and dogs alike. Even his new sister (GSRNE’s Lola #538) can’t resist his charm. They enjoy chase games in the yard. His human kids are his best friends, and he shows affection with kisses galore. Loki’s family is continuing to work on training. Loki’s enthusiasm and energy need structure as is the case with all young dogs learning manners.
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When Loki's previous owner called us for help, she said that she had never had a dog before, but her boyfriend knew of a litter and wanted to get a GSD puppy. There were three children in the family, and they lived in a second-floor apartment; it wasn't long before the landlord was saying they couldn't have a dog there. Loki was affectionate with people but untrained, so he jumped for attention and pulled hard on leash, causing the woman to fall when trying to walk him.
We're grateful that she called GSRNE and asked us to find a more experienced home for Loki; he's now GSRNE # 603 and is fitting in beautifully in his forever home!
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Blitz has found his forever home! If you routinely check out our Available Dogs page on the Website, you'll have noticed that Blitz was up there for a long time, waiting for the right adopter to give him a chance. When we do a write-up to post, we try to give an accurate description of the dog's personality and what he'll need from an adopter; we feel it's only fair to both the dog and the potential adopter. That can mean that some dogs wait longer than others, but when they do get adopted, they usually have a home for life.
Blitz had been purchased as a puppy by an elderly couple, and when he was four years old, the husband died; the wife was not able to care for Blitz, and he went to a shelter. We were contacted and told that Blitz was a very anxious dog, wary of new people but did make friends if given time and patience. A volunteer at the shelter told us that she was visiting him three times a week, and he had bonded with her and had started accepting the people who work there. She said he had a lot of energy and loved playing with a tennis ball above any other activity; she suggested it was a great way to start gaining his trust. After a few more weeks, we had a foster home willing to give Blitz a chance so we could see how he would adapt to living in a home again.
He was in the foster home for almost three months, and they were impressed with his sweet personality as well as how quickly he learned new behaviors. To help build his confidence, they encouraged him to find treats by using his nose; he quickly caught on and would happily search in more remote parts of the house for his reward. There were things he did not want to do, though, such as going into a crate or going up stairs. He was not happy to see visitors, but he could be introduced outside in the fenced yard and would warm up as soon as a tennis ball was tossed for him. When the foster home could no longer continue due to family reasons, we moved Blitz to a board/train kennel where he was given obedience training and exercise on a doggie treadmill. He bonded with his trainer, and we scrutinized each new adoption applicant to find him his forever home.
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When we heard from a family who had adopted from GSRNE previously, we thought they could be the ones for Blitz. We introduced them, and Blitz interacted nicely with the couple and their three adult children. They were impressed with his playfulness, and he showed off a bit when asked to "sit" or "down" for treats. They took him home that week and have been giving us updates about how he's adjusting. At first, he would get overly excited by having a huge fenced yard to run around in and would jump on the person playing with him if the ball was not thrown quickly enough. He definitely had to learn some self-control, and they focused on leash walks and other low-key activities for a while. They now can play ball again, and Blitz has learned to wait for it to be thrown... no more jumping up and pulling at jackets.
Everyone in the family has said how much they love Blitz and enjoy having him in their life, which is our best reward for giving him the time and help he needed. Blitz is now GSRNE # 597 and has even learned his new name.... Freddie!
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Koda has been adopted and is our GSRNE graduate # 604! This is another male GSD whose path to a forever home has taken longer than usual but is all the more rewarding now that it has happened. We heard about Koda from an ACO who contacted us in early August 2020. Koda was two years old at that time and in danger of being euthanized after running through an electric fence on his owner's property, grabbing and injuring a small dog being walked by the house. The ACO felt that Koda needed to be with people who understand how to work with a German Shepherd and should have another chance at life.
One of our most experienced foster homes was available and wanted to help Koda, so we brought him into GSRNE and kept in close contact with the foster parents. They had a female GSD, Ava, who had been a good role model for other foster dogs, and getting Koda to become comfortable with another dog seemed to be the main challenge. That actually was accomplished nicely by taking things very slowly, giving both dogs time to get acquainted gradually before even having them in the same room on leashes. During this time, we learned that Koda lacked confidence and would dribble urine when he felt stressed. He would feel stress in situations where none was expected, like having a leash attached, taking off a collar, being told to go into his crate, meeting a new person. His foster parents had to backtrack a lot and try different methods to reduce the stress level; there was forward progress followed by regression. Once Koda and Ava were buddies, though, that was a big "win," and they delighted in chasing each other around the huge fenced yard, retrieving balls and enjoying life.
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Trainers were consulted to help with the hardest issue, which was Koda's reactivity to other dogs. Months passed, some progress was made, but Koda couldn't seem to hold it together while out for a walk with Ava and his foster parents, making those walks stressful for everyone. A few months ago, the foster parents learned of a trainer in NH who works with dogs who are very reactive to unfamiliar dogs, and we sent him there for two weeks of training, followed by training with his foster parents on how to continue working with him. They are having more success with redirecting Koda when he sees another dog during their walks, and the trainer is continuing to help. Koda's foster parents tell us that he's a very affectionate dog whose tail will start to wag if they move in his direction. Needless to say, they have become very attached to this boy during all the time they've been his foster parents. They have learned as much from him during this time together as he has learned from them, and they would like to continue the partnership. Ava agrees, and Koda's foster home has become his forever home... a blessing all around. |
Can You Help Us With The Auction
by: GSRNE Staff
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If you haven't already marked your calendar, our Annual Auction is almost here! It is open to the public and is being held Sunday, April 24, 11-4:30, at the Springhill Suites by Marriott, 43 Newbury Street, Peabody, MA 01960. This is such a fun event, and there are so many ways that you can help to make it a success!
Attend the Auction: Enjoy spirited bidding, great food, and the opportunity to catch up with GSRNE friends.
Solicit advertising: Did you know that you, your employer and/or the local businesses you frequent can also support the GSRNE Annual Auction by purchasing ad space in our Auction Catalog? You will find links to the forms on our website at gsrne.org (under “Auction Donations, Forms…”) for information and pricing, or go to: our Donations & Forms Link: https://gsrne.org/gsrne-live/auction-donations-forms/
Publicize this fun event: We need your help to spread the word so that we have a good crowd at the event! Tell your friends about the Auction using social media. Ask local businesses to post our Auction flyer. You can download it at: https://gsrne.org/gsrne-live/auction-poster/
This is also available on our website, gsrne.org
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Take Me Home: Guinness
by: GSRNE Staff
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Guinness is a stunning 6-year-old, all-around good guy who knows how to turn on the charm to make you fall in love! Originally rescued from the south after being found tied to a tree by a K9 officer, Guinness didn’t let his rough start at life affect him and was an affectionate dog from the start. He was taken in by a local family wanting to give him a better life, but he was ultimately too big to care for in their advanced age, and they knew he needed more space and exercise. They contacted GSRNE because they loved him and wanted him to have the best life possible. |
Guinness was moved to a foster home when one became available. A bit confused with the changes; he wasn’t very playful initially but soon realized that playing ball was a lot of fun! He enjoys belly rubs and playing in the yard. Guinness has good energy and enjoys attention, but he’s not too fond of the little dog next door or others that he sees walking by his house. He will need some work on socialization and training, something we encourage with all our dogs regardless of age. He is ready to find his forever home! |
Volunteer Spotlight: Dotti
by GSRNE Staff
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Hometown: Grafton, NH
How long have you been a GSRNE volunteer? Since 2017.
What do you do?
I do many things right now, including, but not limited to, Transport Coordinator, Vet Coordinator, Dropbox manager, Form Updates, Assistant to Intake Coordinator, and Assistant to the President. I also do anything else that needs to be done when asked or when I find out about it. I also do home visits for new adopters or fosters and dog evaluations in my area.
What do the jobs entail?
Transport Coordinator makes all the arrangements for transports, doing all the forms and sending them out to everyone involved. I also write foster dog announcements, get health certificates and arrange ISO when needed, and organize all the information for each dog and create folders for each of them. I really take care of putting all the details together for bringing in a dog from the owner, shelter, or transferring from a foster to a board/train or other foster. I also order food and other supplies for each dog, as needed.
Vet Coordinator includes making sure all dogs get proper care, as needed; keeping the vet records for each dog and each visit; keeping in contact with the fosters/FTA/board and train to get all info and appointment info for dogs, contacting vets for all vet records and paying the invoices as needed, ordering meds as needed to be sent to fosters/board and train, keeping track of unused meds to send to other fosters for new dogs, making decisions with BOD guidance for vetting done for dogs, and whatever else involves vetting for our dogs.
Dropbox manager involves keeping everything up to date as much as info is provided to me, managing access to the files for the volunteers who need it, maintaining all Dropbox functions as needed, helping volunteers to setup and use Dropbox for our functions as well as instructing them as needed.
Form Updates are done as needed. There is a list of all the forms that are needed for each aspect of GSRNE that is self-explanatory for easy reference; it is critical that they always are current so that volunteers are always using the correct version of each form.
Assistant to Intake Coordinator involves backing her up and helping her do intakes when there are many of them or she is busy doing evaluations or other things.
Assistant to President involves making calls to fosters (no current foster coordinator - we need one), plus calling anyone I am asked to contact; giving training advice for dogs when needed; and any other tasks assigned by the President.
How many hours per week/month?
I pretty much do GSRNE full time as needed. Some days are lighter than others depending on what needs to be done. On average it is 8 hours a day, but generally it can range anywhere from 4 to 12 hours a day. I am retired and disabled, so I have the time to offer. I also like to keep busy and keep my brain functioning - lol.
How did you get interested in GSRNE?
I did rescue for approximately 20 years for Save a Shepherd Rescue in PA when I lived there. When I moved to NH, I found GSRNE and have been with them ever since!
I also have been a dog trainer for 40+ years doing private consults and training, aggressive dog classes, puppy classes, obedience classes, agility classes. I trained under and with many different trainers and organizations. I did AKC canine good citizenship training and testing, and also had and trained K9 Search and Rescue Dogs. I did K9 Search and Rescue with my dogs for about 10 years and started a K9 unit here in Grafton.
What is it about the organization that interests you?
I love GSDs and wanted to continue to do rescue work. GSRNE is one of the best organized and run rescue groups I’ve experienced.
Do you have a GSRNE dog?
Yes, I have Kylie (formerly Rylie, GSRNE# 523). She is 7, and I adopted her about 2 years ago. She came as a trained service dog and goes everywhere with me whenever possible. She also helps me with evaluations of dogs for GSRNE, too.
What would you say to prospective volunteers?
These dogs, and all animals, need as much help as they can get from everyone. There is always something that any volunteer can do – no matter how little or how much time you can give. The trick is to make sure you are assigned to the tasks that you have time to do, are interested in doing, and will do promptly and efficiently.
We need everything from a few hours a month to people with lots of time to do urgent and timely functions every day or as needed almost every day. We need you! And, more importantly, these dogs need you!
THANK YOU to all the volunteers who help every day in every way. You are all very much appreciated by GSRNE and especially by the dogs we help.
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In This Issue
- Auction Excitement
- Calendar Raffle News
- Birthday Cards for Sale
- Cookbooks for Sale
- Happy Tails: Kyra
- Adoption News Loki, Blitz & Koda
- Help Us With The Auction
- Take Me Home: Guiness
- Volunteer Spotlight: Dotti
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Love IS Adoptable!
Forever Homes Wanted!
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To see all the dogs available for adoption please check out Available Dogs
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We thank all Volunteers for being a part of our pack.
Welcome to the Pack:
Katie C. Westfield MA
Chris S. Sharon MA
Kerry K. Manchester NH
Steve F. Milton MA
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Donations For Our
Foster Dogs
Thank you to so many of you for helping our foster dogs by sending us several of our requested supplies on our Wish List.
Most items provided to our foster homes for the dogs' care and training are generous donations from people like you. There are many items on the list that we need, but currently, we especially need toys for our foster dogs.
Our Wish List has a link that will bring you to our continuously updated list of items that you can order through Amazon.com. We have now updated the list to show which items we need more by being listed first and/or showing the priority level.
If you would like to help, please visit our Web site and go to our Wish List tab or click on this link: Wish List
to view the items.
The shipping address is included on the Amazon Web site when you "check out". You will see a shipping address to choose called GSRNE Foster Dogs Wish List. The shipping address will be automatically added to your order once selected.
For privacy reasons, Amazon will not share your address with us unless you add it to a "Gift Card" during the Checkout Process. We never share your information with other organizations and will only use it for the purpose of acknowledging your generosity and providing you with a receipt for tax purposes.
Thank you for all you do to help our GSDs in need!
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Foster Homes Needed!!
If you love the breed and want to help, consider fostering. GSRNE pays all the expenses. You provide the love and care. We receive several hundred calls for help every year from Shelters and Owners looking to place a dog with GSRNE. We cannot help them all but we need Foster Homes to help those that we can. Some of our Foster Homes become so attached to their Foster Dog that they become the dog's Forever Home. We love every happy ending but that also means we need a new Foster Home for the next dog in need. To learn more about fostering, please visit www.gsrne.org/foster/
When you look at the wonderful dogs available for adoption and you read the Happy Tails in our Newsletter and online, remember that GSRNE was able to help these dogs because of our Foster Homes.
Fostering Basics
A fence is required. Dogs are at the greatest risk of escape when they are first introduced to a new location. Children living in the home need to be age 10 or older.
Frequently Asked Questions
1.What does the foster home do?
You provide a safe and stable environment for the foster dog until he or she finds a forever home. You take care of your foster dog like you would your own dog - play, exercise, grooming and basic manners training. You also provide periodic reports to GSRNE about the dog's progress, personality, likes & dislikes so that GSRNE can find the right match for him or her.
2. How do I know if the foster dog will be a good fit for me and my family?
We work with you to determine what general type of dog will adapt to your household for a successful fostering experience for you & the rescue dog. We also provide strong support for you & help is only a phone call away.
3. How much does it cost to foster a GSD for GSRNE?
There is no cost to the foster home. GSRNE reimburses you for the foster dog's food and pays for all authorized vet care. In addition, GSRNE loans you a crate, feeding and water dishes, bedding, brushes, collars, leashes, & of course, toys!
You will find more information about our Foster Home Requirements at
If not you, who?
Please Foster
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If you can't adopt...FOSTER.
If you can't foster...DONATE,
VOLUNTEER, EDUCATE
& NETWORK. Tell your friends about GSRNE and fostering.
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Bringing Back an Oldie but Goodie! |
There is a new volunteer ….Maria O, who is working with Gail VH on the newsletter team. She will be highlighting volunteers in each edition.
Since I’m Volunteer Coordinator, I get to suggest people I think would be interesting and have been with GSRNE a long time!! When you hear from her you won’t be surprised!! It’s a good thing!!
Thanks!
Jeannie M
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Save The Date
GSRNE’s biggest fundraiser, our Auction,
is coming soon!!
Our new date is
April 24, 2022
Why come out, you ask? Because it's the Annual Auction and the gavel and the shouts of
"It's For The Dogs!"
It's a great day of fun, friends and good food: what a great combination!
Come join the fun!!
The AUCTION, Sunday, April 24, 2022, from 11am-4:30pm will again be held at the Springhill Suites by Marriott, 43 Newbury St, Peabody, MA 01960.
If you'd like to help with setting up, cleaning up or even manning the event, please let us know by emailing us at
auction@gsrne.org.
This event is a great way to meet a lot of other seasoned and new volunteers. We hope you can get involved!
More details are on our website
at gsrne.org.
Also Upcoming:
Our Appreciation Picnic & Reunion,
scheduled
Sat, June 25
will be held at our
usual spot,
Middlesex County 4-H Fairgrounds,
55 S. Chelmsford Rd,
Westford, MA 018886
More info to come!
AND THIS!!
Our July Calendar Raffle
tickets will be on sale in June!
If you want to sponsor a square, please contact Lauralee D. at
Squares are still available!!
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Volunteer Help Needed
We always need LOTS of Volunteers for our
Annual Auction
Sunday, April 24
If interested, contact us at
auction@gsrne.org.
More details at gsrne.org
See more in-depth information on opposite column.
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If you like to shop on AMAZON as much as we do please consider choosing GSRNE - German Shepherd Rescue of New England as your charity.
By choosing 'GERMAN SHEPHERD RESCUE OF NEW ENGLAND' as your AmazonSmile charity you can help our homeless dogs. It's easy to sign up and AmazonSmile will donate 0.5% of your purchase amount to the rescue.
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Volunteer - And Make a Difference
GSRNE Staff
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"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give." -Winston Churchill
-JOIN THE GSRNE FAMILY!-
We've always believed when you choose to dedicate your own time to help others, you feel capable and are rewarded with a sense of purpose. Becoming a GSRNE volunteer is a great way to meet other people who love helping dogs. Sure, we know that volunteering makes us feel good. Did you know that, when you volunteer, you are improving your life and maybe even your health? The truth is that volunteering will bring a world of rewards you might never have expected... Socially, the benefits of volunteering show up quickly and have long-term effects... So many of our volunteers have created wonderful friendships that have lasted a lifetime.
All dog rescue groups need volunteers to operate successfully, and German Shepherd Rescue of New England, Inc. (GSRNE) is no exception! Volunteering a little bit of your time goes a long way in helping a needy German Shepherd. If you would like to learn more about our volunteer programs, go to: https://gsrne.org/gsrne-live/volunteer/
Events are fun for our volunteers and get us out into the public to share our stories and information about the Shepherd breed. If you are interested in helping out or want more information, check out the link below.
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For more information, Please contact
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German Shepherd Rescue of New England, Inc. (GSRNE) is an all volunteer, 501(c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to providing veterinary care, evaluation & adoptive homes for the countless numbers of German Shepherd Dogs who are left in pounds to await uncertain fate, are owner surrenders (divorce, death, etc.), or are from abuse or neglect situations. We help provide a safe harbor for German Shepherd Dogs that might otherwise be destroyed.
For more information contact us at:
GSRNE, Inc.
PO Box 299
Wayland, MA 01778
24-hour hotline (978) 443-2202
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"The Shepherd's Watch" E-Newsletter Staff
Gina Dantuono / Design
Gail Van Hoesen /Editor
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