Hi SantasNuttySTaff - I'd recommend for rescue contacts that you take a look at the German Shepherd Rescue UK website - they have dogs across the country. Also the Biggsd site, who primarily operate to help rescue but who also have rescues across the UK advertising the need for homes as well as private re-homes. Will come back to you with local ones as am having to ask my contacts - don't really know your area as far as rescue is concerned, sorry.
As for my newcomer, SparklyTinselBella, it was nearly a tragedy. I am a network rescue volunteer - I receive appeals from likeminded individuals and a couple of websites who need to find rescue or foster places for pound dogs and those who are unwanted. If a dog is straying and taken to the pound he has just 7 days for his owner to locate him. If the owner doesn't come forward he may be rehomed, sent to rescue or put to sleep (PTS). Some council pounds are kinder than others but almost all are full at this time of year and the credit crunch has caused more dogs to be in pounds than ever before to my experience. Dogs handed over by their owners can be rehomed/sent to rescue/PTS immediately.
A rescue owner friend alerted me to a white long haired GSD in a northern pound who was old, going blind, had kennel cough and had outstayed his welcome and thus was due for PTS at any moment. I obtained the pound details from the Rescue Helpers Unite website and called the pound to ask for more information and beg them to hold him for a few more days so that I could get in touch with all my rescue contacts and find him a place.
I rang, explained who I was and what I did, and the manager said...
"He's just been taken down to the vet to be put to sleep. You may be too late. Give me your number and I'll try to stop the vet!"
I waited, the longest 10 minutes of my life, sobbing and shaking, making deals with the devil... if you save him I'll do anything...
You see, I used to own a white long haired adopted old boy myself, and lost him to an incurable illness two years ago. I KNOW these are special dogs. Mine was SO gentle and loyal.
The call came... they had got to him in time!
No time to ponder though, I wasn't risking letting him die (pounds are very quick to PTS dogs with mere kennel cough in order to prevent it spreading and thus to reduce vet bills). No longer did I want to wait to get him to rescue - I asked for him to be reserved for me so that he could come to me!
I put out a call for help with transport as I am the other end of the country and car-less and within minutes got a promise from a friend and contact who could take him to York where he spent 2 days in boarding before a wonderful couple from Parrot Rescue I'd never heard of before collected him and brought him to my house. (Thank god for the power of the web!).
He is indeed nearly blind, a bit wobbly on his back legs and has some really nasty abcesses where he has clearly been attacked - I can't say got into a fight as he is the gentlest boy imaginable and just wouldn't. He was filthy and matted but immediately settled in without a fuss with my kids, my Lab and GSD and the cats and is currently snoring at my feet with my own dogs alongside him, having had a bath today.
He'll be in the vets tomorrow for a check up and any medication he might need and I shall be pleading with my landlord to allow me to keep him. I have a rescue place for him if I can't but I pray I shall be permitted to as he is the friendliest boy going and absolutely no trouble and I feel he needs a home rather than a rescue place, as wonderful as that rescue is. I can't bear to think of letting him go, although he only arrived here on Friday night.
YOU may think he has been given a second chance by me.... I know that he gave me a second chance... that of a beautiful, friendly, gentle loyal long haired white GSD to love again.