Over the years I've helped with transportation of dogs and materials, fostering, home visits, and preparing for and assisting at fundraisers. I've watched the organization grow and change, and met lots of dogs whose lives turned out much better than they could have because of this organization. GSPs are a nutty bunch, and often don't test well on shelter temperament tests because they're so into everything that they don't "display interest in people". The foster program provided by NorCal GSP Rescue allows these great dogs to get out of the high-stress environment of a shelter, chill out, brush up on their manners, and meet people who are ready to adopt a GSP forever.
‘Who rescued who?’ This is the question I have been asking myself since my wife and I started volunteering for the NorCal GSP rescue group. In December of 2011, our GSP passed away unexpectedly, and we were devastated. Soon after our GSP’s passing, my wife and I found ourselves missing the love, companionship and joy we had found with our GSP, and actively started searching for ways to be involved with rescue groups in our area. My wife and I were blown away by both the warm welcome to volunteering and the amount of effort, affection and pro-active action this group takes on a daily basis to execute their rescue mission. We have been able to meet not only incredible and dedicated individuals, but also gain the love and companionship of some amazing dogs. Additionally, we were able to adopt a handsome recued GSP into our family last year. NorCal GSP implements the highest and most thorough screening and adoption standards, coupled with exceptional vet and foster home care. I have had the pleasure to witness how these tools have repeatedly ensured success at pairing up the right rescued GSP with their Forever Home and family. I admit, before volunteering with NorCal GSP, I had an obscure view of what a rescue group’s mission and involvement was. However, after my involvement with NorCal GSP, I have found joy, fulfillment, friendships and new found respect for everything NorCal GSP does for this incredible breed. Again, I ask myself…’who rescued who?’
NorCal GSP has far exceeded my expectations. Our GSP passed away a couple years ago and we were of course heart broken. We were not quite ready to get another dog but we missed having a dog in our life. I researched rescue groups so we could be a foster volunteer. I was so impressed with NorCal GSP Rescue's website, documentation and FAQs online, their easy to complete volunteer questionnaire and prompt response. I also love that they do home inspections. I believe in finding these dogs their true "forever home" and I appreciate all the steps NorCal goes through to ensure they are finding the right homes for the dogs and vice versa. The quality of care and service they provide to these dogs is amazing! We now have another handsome GSP in our life, one of our foster failures, and we couldn't be happier. We continue to volunteer with the adoption process as well as the foster process and look forward to helping as many GSPs as possible! I wish all rescue groups took this much care and effort when helping dogs - it is amazing!
-Lindsay
My first experience with NorCal GSP rescue was in the fall of 2010. After my old dog passed, I decided that it was time to add a new companion to my home. There was no question that my new friend would come from a rescue group. I first pursued rescue through groups from another breed. I have nothing nice to say about my experiences with these two groups... fanatical, dramatic, unprofessional and totally disheartening. As I reconsidered my adoption plans, I found NorCal GSP (my old dog was 1/2 GSP) and the amazing people who volunteer and run this very organized and professional organization! The people I met in my search for the perfect dog were wonderful were down to earth, welcoming and honest about the dogs they were representing. On my last stop, I met two dogs who "chose" me... much like cats choose their people... and even though they don't usually adopt two dogs out to one new home at the same time (these two had been fostered together so they knew they got along) they agreed to let me have both... some things just happen for a reason. The dogs never missed a beat and settled in like this had always been their home. A volunteer checked up on the dogs' progress, as did their foster mom... and we still keep in touch. Not long after I volunteered to foster another dog...and then another... and I joined the ranks of the "foster failures" and have had many wonderful interactions with this organization. I love that they have an annual rescue reuinon... the group has a very warm family feel to it. I look forward to many more interactions with this organization.
We started out fostering our Pointer with NorCal GSP and then ended up adopting him.
The foster coordinators were very helpful addressing all our first-time dog owner questions. We really felt like they cared about us.
NorCal also covered a lot of our dog's initial medical expenses, as we worked to get him healthy again.
Overall, it's been a great experience!
I began volunteering with rescue group when they were going to pull a sibling of my dog from a local shelter. Fortunately the dog was pulled prior to NorCal GSP needing to step in, but in the short period of time where I was becoming eligible to be a foster parent I saw how wonderful this group is! Since then (2 yrs ago) I've fostered several dogs, assisted in other roles of the group and I couldn't speak more highly of them. They're 100% professional! They only do what is best for the dogs.
NorCal GSP offers so many resources to their foster homes and adopters - it's quite amazing and it's very well organized. I love being part of this team, and helping spread their goals!
I've done various different volunteer functions for NorCal GSP over the last 6 years. Sometimes it is a home visit to check out a foster family, another gig was an adoption event, but my favorite is helping with transport. What many people don't know is that transport is really the first step in that crucial difference between a bad ending for a shelter dog and a family finding their best friend.
Over the years I've seen NorCal GSP Rescue take in everything from adorable pups to discarded, sick seniors. Every dog deserves to be loved and NorCal GSP Rescue is committed to rescuing shelter dogs and fostering them until they can be placed with their new family or best friend.
I have been volunteering with NorCal GSP for just 7 months and I feel like I am part of the family! The rescue group is so welcoming, helpful, and is for such a great cause. All the volunteers seem to have varying reasons to be involved, but we all have one thing in common and that is our love for the well being of these dogs. Having that said, that helps to create the "family" atmosphere even though most all of our communication is through social media and email with one another. I stumbled upon the rescue groups while looking into groups to adopt from, and decided to volunteer as a foster home some I wasn't quite ready to adopt. Now I can't imagine not vunteering and helping these wonderful animals out any way I can!
I have volunteered for several rescue organizations who all do wonderful work. But norcal GSP rescue surpassed my expectations. They are so well organized and have so many wonderful volunteers that makes it possible to save more GSPs than I ever expected. Our volunteers are always on the ball and I doubt there is one needy GSP in Northern California that hasn't been helped by our great volunteers. In the 8 months I've been with this group I have seen many dogs come into foster who may not have been adopted if it were not for the work our foster families do to help these dogs learn to fit in to family life. Our group is so careful to place dogs in exactly the right home for the dog. No dog is left behind. There is always a willing volunteer to pick up dogs from shelters or other poor living situations. I love working with norcal GSP and hope to do so for many years. Saving lives every day is what we do.
We adopted both of our German Shorthaired Pointers through NorCal GSP Rescue. The rescue was fantastic throughout the adoption process and was very helpful about ensuring that both the dogs and their owners would be happy together. The rescue also hosts annual get-togethers and other events that are a great opportunity to meet other GSPs and their owners.
I started volunteering with NorCal GSP Rescue after I adopted my first GSP and best doggie buddy, Clark. Seeing what a wonderful companion he was changed my life. When the opportunity came to volunteer with the rescue that saves his GSP brothers and sisters, there was no question. After more than three years of volunteering with the rescue, I can not imagine doing anything else. The organization is run extremely well, and the mission is very clear: to save GSPs. Working with an organization so focused on one breed is very rewarding. The sense of accomplishment in helping all of the GSPs in one area of the world is very tangible, and although I know there are millions of other animals out there in need of help, my small contribution to this organization does help me feel like I'm making a dent in the problem.
The best thing about NorCal GSP Rescue is saving the lives of the dogs that need us the most. The ones at risk of euthanasia in shelters. The ones passed over because they are old. The ones that need a lot of medical care. We step in to help and give these dogs the care they need, so that they can go on to be adopted! Another great thing is that everyone is a volunteer, we have no paid staff. So when people donate, their money goes towards helping the dogs, not for salaries. Of course we have infrastructure expenses such as liability insurance, but we also have donors who donate specifically to help with administrative expenses. Lastly, our fosters dogs are fostered in private homes - so we do not have the expenses of having a facility, plus the dogs have the opportunity to learn the basics of being good canine citizens while in their foster homes and get their veterinary needs taken care of (shots, spay/neuter, etc).
Five years ago we adopted out German Shorthaired Pointer from this group. I was so impressed with their dedication and professional attitude that I decided to become a foster home for them. I also help transport dogs. Last year our Board decided that the next step in our professional development would be to do follow-up surveys with our adoptive families. I developed and instituted the surveys which occur at one week, one month and six months after adoption from our group. These surveys have shown us what we're doing well as well as where we need to change and improve. They have also provided an additional layer of support and education to our adoptive families and helped us see exactly what kind of information is most helpful to our families. This has been a very positive step for us as a group.