# Senior GSD Needs Home Urgently



## stig (May 5, 2009)

I am with Wishbone Pet Rescue in Saugatuck MI. We are trying to home a 10-12 year old male German Shepherd who must be removed from a home after a bite incident.

We are familiar with the history of this particular dog and are not aware of any previous incidents, though he does have a reasonably strong prey drive. In this incident he nipped a young child who had wandered near the yard. No skin was broken, but the child was understandably terrified. The father of the child, a neighbor, has demanded the dog be removed from the neighborhood.

The shepherd, Buddy, had been removed from his original home when his owner, suffering from a mental illness, was placed in psychiatric care. By all accounts he had a loving, though neglectful, home. He did not receive proper preventative care and contracted both Lyme's disease and heart worm. He has been treated for both, neutered, and fully vaccinated. He is currently healthy and active, though his life expectancy surely will be reduced.

Buddy's current family fostered, then adopted him a few months back. The bite incident was the first and only such incident. Though Buddy has demonstrated a prey drive by chasing squirrels and cats, he lives with two small dogs and has been fine with them.

I realize it is a tall order trying to re-home this boy, but he has been through much in his life and we feel he deserves to live out his few remaining years in a safe loving environment rather than be destroyed. But because of the nature of this latest incident, re-homing him with an unprepared family is not an option. We are hoping to find a sanctuary or professional home for him.

Can you offer any suggestions to help find this boy a home ? We are prepared to arrange any necessary transport.


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

The harsh reality is that rescues just cannot afford to get involved with dogs with a bite record. The chances of a lawsuit are too great.

One dog could put an end to a rescue group.

I would look at some of the dog sanctuary places - like Best Friends.


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## NWS_Haven (Mar 24, 2003)

I would try Mackenzie's Animal Sanctuary in Lake Odessa, MI.
http://www.mackenzies.info/

I've seen several senior German Shepherds on their website and they will keep unadoptable animals for the remainder of their lives.


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## Myamom (Oct 10, 2005)

hmmm...but was it a "bite"???

Sounds like what my Ava does to my kids all the time when they are running around.....


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## gsdlove212 (Feb 3, 2006)

Mary Ann that was my thought as well.


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## Prinzsalpha (Jul 6, 2005)

I agree MaryAnn. Finding the right home may take time but it can be found.


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## staxi2 (Oct 18, 2007)

Is this dog even in a kill shelter???? Or does the bite issue ,and the fact the person is with a rescue make a difference??? I do understand the importance of the age thopugh.I was just wondering.........HE DOES DESERVE TO LIVE OUT HIS REMAINING YEARS IN A LOVING HOME ETC.


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## stig (May 5, 2009)

Hello All -

Thanks for the quick responses. Here is some additional detail.

The adoptive parents live in a community with association rules, they cannot have a fenced yard. They have an invisible fence. When Buddy takes after something like a squirrel, he often will blast through the barrier. So he is always on a leash or tether outdoors.

In this instance, his mom took him out the front door off leash to head to the car. He darted around the corner of the house and came upon a 4 yr old child and his father picking mushrooms. He nipped the child in the back. Though the skin was not broken, it left a welt and bruise.

In a previous incident a small dog belonging to the same neighbor ran into Buddy's yard. Buddy pounced on it and pinned it to the ground, though did not harm it and released it when told to.

The end result is this neighbor has promised not to involve animal control, or a potential law suit, if Buddy's parents agreed to remove him from the neighborhood within 48 hours.

So we have removed him and are hoping to find a sanctuary or professional home. We are selves have six other dogs and no additional room for a long term stay. Though kenneling him is an option, he spent months in the kennel system when he was removed from his first home and he did not do well there. We do not want to take a step backward with him.

One additional note. He was removed from his first home because his owner was committed to psychiatric care by the county. There were no family members to care for buddy so the county placed him in the shelter and the owner relinquished him for adoption.

We have already contacted Mackenzie's, they are full. We are waiting a response from Best Friends.

Thanks.


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

So you are with the rescue? This is a dog in rescue? But the rescue is not taking him back? But would not put to death/not in imminent danger? 

Just trying to figure out if he is in the right forum here. There is a non-urgent rescue section as well.


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## stig (May 5, 2009)

One additional note. We have been involved with Buddy's care and re-homing in one way or another for the past 10 months. The nipping incident is the first and only such incident. He previously stayed for a time with our pack which includes dogs ranging from a Jack Russel, another Shepherd, and a few mixed large breed dogs. His done well with all of them.

He's the classic big lovable old shepherd. Sleeps at your feet, patrols the rooms in the house, and follows you from one room to the next.


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## stig (May 5, 2009)

The urgency was due to the 48 hour window given by the neighbor. If animal control was called, he would be quarantined for 10 days then euthanized.

We are handling this outside our rescue. As with many rescues, taking on such a case requires committee approval. That wasn't possible in the time frame given. But beyond that, our rescue has no room.

I have taken him on with our own pack that consists of family members and a couple other rescues. We have no room to keep him, but are trying to buy him additional time. ..really just days.


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## Myamom (Oct 10, 2005)

Why does it require "committee approval" to take back one of your own dogs? Isn't that in your contract...that you take back your dogs if things don't work out? 

I certainly hope no one is considering this a vicious liability dog...because HE'S NOT.


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## stig (May 5, 2009)

Yes Mary Ann -

That is part of our contract, if an adoption doesn't work out, the animal comes back to our rescue, they are not re-homed by the individual. But this particular case has other layers. In our own county, bite cases are referred to animal control, no exceptions. We work with animal control, so we are bound to that. This incident happened in a different county, so there is some latitude, but it's not for one person to decide. There are also restrictions placed by our insurance.

All this, combined with the time pressure, meant that we had to act outside the rescue to save him. Now we are trying to act with the additional time we have bought for him.

..and I agree with you... he is not an aggressive dog, but if a bite label is hung around his neck, he is a liability. It is going to take a very special home, or sanctuary to save him.


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## Myamom (Oct 10, 2005)

Bump!


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## pamela berger (Jun 19, 2008)

This whole situation is very maddening. I would tell the neighbor who threatened AC involvement and a lawsuit if they didn;t get rid of the dog to go take a flying #*%?!?*#!! If the dog is UTD and has no previous complaints on file, I doubt AC would or could take the dog. And as far as the lawsuit, it's frivolous; the child was not injured, there are no damages.


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## Myamom (Oct 10, 2005)

..........and to the incident with the small dog running through HIS yard.............it probably wouldn't have ended so nicely in my yard....


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## wsumner26 (Jan 27, 2006)

> Quote: ..........and to the incident with the small dog running through HIS yard.............it probably wouldn't have ended so nicely in my yard...


lol, not in my yard either. We are talking about GSDs here, not some little lap dog. If this old GSD wanted to do damage to a small dog or a small child, the outcome would have been much different. 

Bump!

Can anyone help this old guy?


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## Myamom (Oct 10, 2005)

Bump for this sweet old boy that needs to FINALLY find some stability and live out his golden years.....

This one has really touched me...I pray someone helps him!!


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## staxi2 (Oct 18, 2007)

bump


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

Bumping this poor old sweetie...


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

bump


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## Myamom (Oct 10, 2005)

back up top.................


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## Myamom (Oct 10, 2005)

Bump


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## becca5880 (Apr 13, 2009)




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## RebelGSD (Mar 20, 2008)

What are the formal reqirements for his adoption/rescue?
I am trying to find something.


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## Myamom (Oct 10, 2005)

Up the top!!


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## Myamom (Oct 10, 2005)

Wishbone Pet Rescue
PO Box 775
Saugatuck, MI 49453
800-475-0776
[email protected]
http://www.wishbonepetrescue.com


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## Myamom (Oct 10, 2005)

Here was Buddy's old profile........

http://www.wishbonepetrescue.com/wpr/buddy.html


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## Kuklasmom (May 13, 2005)

I can donate to an approved rescue to help with Buddy's expenses.

Please send me a PM if help is needed.


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## Myamom (Oct 10, 2005)

That is so very kind of you Madonna!

Any updates on this sweet boy...where do we stand?


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## Myamom (Oct 10, 2005)

any news?.......


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

bump


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## Myamom (Oct 10, 2005)

anything?


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## sravictor (Mar 17, 2008)

Bump


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

http://wishbonepetrescue.com/wordpress/?cat=6

Any new information?


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## stig (May 5, 2009)

Hello All -

Thank you for all your posts and inquiries. Buddy still needs a home but we've relieved a bit of the urgency by working things out with local animal control. Livingston County has a pretty harsh "zero tolerance" policy for dogs that bite, typically 10 days quarantine than euthanization. Hence the urgency to get him out of the home, and out of the county.

Since then we've unraveled a bit more of the story. In my mind this was not a bite incident. Buddy was being trained on an invisible fence, he only has about 80% hearing so it wasn't working very well, and he was only in his second day of training. 

When he bolted around the corner of the house, he apparently was startled by the father and son.. on their property line and at the invisible fence boundary. We believe he charged at the "strangers" that were in *his* yard and was simultaneously shocked by his collar. He nipped the smaller of the two, the boy of course, then stopped and jumped back away from the boundary.

The neighbors were sympathetic, but apparently the mother has a fobia of shepherds. The urgency was not that the neighbors were threatening to file a suit, but rather the fear that animal control would become involved and put down Buddy. The neighbors actually told animal control they did not want to file a report.

We since spoke with the director of animal control. They have agreed to drop the case if we quarantine Buddy and report on his health within 10 days of the incident.

So.. Buddy is safe, but he cannot return to his home. We need to find him yet another home. We're so sad, he was doing very well with his family and adored. They're crushed to lose him.

So now here is our quandry. Do we try and re-home this old boy and hang a bite history around his neck ? Any suggestions on how to truthfully present his history to a potential family ?


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## stig (May 5, 2009)

RebelGSD -

We have a pre-adopt form that must be completed for all adoptions.
If you locate a potential home for Buddy, please contact me directly at the link below. I monitor that address so I'll respond quickly.

Thank you so much for your care and consideration.

[email protected]


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

Hi there,

I would explain the situation to any potential adopter. Everything that I have read about invisible fences are that they are really very dangerous for dogs and are especially not recommended for territorial breeds like german shepherds. The problem is that without a physical barrier the dog gets very confused about the source of the shock. There have been many documented incidents where an invisible fence dog associates people or other dogs as the source of the shock and ends up eventually biting them. And of course the fence doesn't keep things out so it really is super stressful for the dog! 

I include all of that info because I think it does help explain Buddy's reaction. 

I hope that he will be able to find a loving home to live out his senior years!


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## stig (May 5, 2009)

Thanks Ruth -

I completely agree. Invisible fences are not a great solution. We've heard of so many incidents in which neighboring dogs or animals have entered yards and either injured or were injured by the restricted dog.

However, at the time we felt with Buddy's age and disabilities he would not spend much time outside off a leash. The adoptive parents had other dogs and walked them regularly on leash. What we hadn't counted on was Buddy's new found energy once the heartworms cleared from his system. He loves to be outside, to run and play. Since they were not allowed to erect fencing, they installed an invisible fence. His poor hearing of course compounded the problem and his heavy coat apparently made the vibrate mode less effective.


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

I'm sure the family is heartbroken too. I love these seniors. 

Hopefully someone might see him on here and submit an application. 

Is he located in Michigan? It would help his listing if his location were on it.


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## katieliz (Mar 29, 2007)

saugatuck is in western michigan on the lake. sounds like that's where he is ???


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## katieliz (Mar 29, 2007)

any news on this guy?


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## stig (May 5, 2009)

Hey folks - Just giving you another update on Buddy. 

He currently is at our place in Stockbridge, MI about 30 minutes west of Ann Arbor. Here is a report from his temporary mom.

' My estimation is that he needs to be with either a single person or a couple. No children ( they seem to make him nervous), and probably, no cats (he fixates on them like Gunther does with Wyatt). But he is a super good boy, loves to be brushed, take walks and go for rides in the car. He is very talkative, and greets you when you come home like you are the greatest thing since sliced bread. He covets his red ball, and loves to sleep on elevated beds, his doggie bed and/or yours. He can play quite contently by himself, and he does enjoy the company of other dogs, especially females (typical male) tee hee hee. He enjoys playing outdoors, but loves to live indoors. '

I'm going to continue this post under non-urgent rescue since his life is no longer threatened and to give him a fresh listing more in-line with the circumstances.

After collecting more facts and speaking with animal control, we are no longer describing this as a bite incident. I'm not sure how to describe the incident, other than to say Buddy is nervous around small children. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

We still need to find him a home quickly. We currently care for six other dogs and are at our limit. We split our time between the east and west sides of Michigan and transportation now has become a real issue.

Thanks for all your comments.


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## Myamom (Oct 10, 2005)

WONDERFUL NEWS!!!!!!!!!! 

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! 

I never felt this was a "bite case".


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