ShepHeroes®

ShepHeroes: Compassionate Care for Abandoned German Shepherds

At ShepHeroes, we're deeply committed to saving abandoned German Shepherd Dogs, and we owe our efforts to the many volunteers and generous donors like you who believe in our mission. Every day, we witness these shepherds' profound impact on their adoptive families, offering an abundance of unconditional love in return for the care they receive. Our heartfelt goal is to ensure lifelong placements for our furry friends, and we take great pride in matching each dog to a loving home. By placing all of our dogs in nurturing foster homes, we provide the space to decompress, allowing us to understand their unique personalities, temperaments, and needs. 

When we have dedicated medical foster homes available, we prioritize dogs with medical requirements, as they are often the most vulnerable in shelters. Stewie was one of our prior year medical cases who arrived in our care with a complete fracture of his rear leg which was repaired with a plate and eight screws requiring months of crate confinement to heal. In late 2024, Stewie needed additional surgery to remove his implant. Unfortunately, he developed an infection around the implant, making its removal essential. This meant another two months of crate confinement and minimal activity, as the removal left eight large holes in his bone, increasing the risk of further fractures until they healed. Although we hadn't anticipated $2,400 in vet bills, we were relieved that surgery was an option after multiple courses of antibiotics failed to address the skin infection ultimately associated with the screws. As an active young shepherd, Stewie began to show signs of pain, difficulty jumping into the car early 2025.  After enforced rest and anti-inflammatories, we returned for diagnostics and X-rays determining that he had pulled a groin muscle, which take months to heal. This visit added another $800 to our expenses for Stewie. 

In early 2025, we welcomed a sweet 3-month-old shepherd Lunaa. During her spay appointment, a heart murmur was discovered, leading to the diagnosis of moderate to severe subaortic stenosis, a congenital heart condition that requires daily medication, as there are no other treatment options. With her gentle nature, Lunaa deserves a forever family that understands their limited time with her. We are seeking to raise funds to cover her heart medication and cardiology visits, as her heart condition is considered pre-existing and will not be covered by pet insurance. Her cardiology visits have already approached $1,000, even with our rescue discount. The time spent with Lunaa is a precious gift, and those who welcome her into their lives will truly cherish the bond they create.

 Switching to undersocialized pups, as Uno flourished in his foster home, his stranger danger became more pronounced leading us to seek professional advice. He's heading to 2 plus weeks of professional intervention before his behavior becomes ingrained and more challenging to reshape in adulthood. He's a happy, loving boy, and we need your help to compensate for his lack of exposure to the world and care and guidance before ending up at the local shelter. His two weeks of board and training will cost $2600; our adoption fee is $450.

In our care, many dogs have recovered from surgeries caused by ingesting foreign objects and received treatments for ear and severe skin infections caused by lack of care, age, influenza, and kennel cough. Since 2018, we've been dedicated to providing routine veterinary care for over 383 shepherds, ensuring they receive the vaccinations, heartworm treatments, hw/flea/tick preventatives, and spay/neuter services they need to thrive.

One of our most inspiring stories is that of Kenzo, who was taken from the streets to the ER after being struck by a car. His journey was fraught with challenges - a brain injury, a fractured leg, and severe trauma that left him unable to walk or even raise his head initially. With love and careful guidance from his veterinary specialists, we provided support and are overjoyed that Kenzo has blossomed into a sweet, loving, active adult thriving in his forever home. 

Since our inception, we've partnered with 24 municipal animal control shelters, seven rescues, and a variety of vets from the Sacramento Region to Monterey County and beyond. However, our heartfelt focus remains in the Sacramento Region. 

Founded in Sacramento in May 2018, ShepHeroes benefits from a passionate team of volunteers and board members who have dedicated over a decade to saving and supporting German Shepherds. Together, we move forward with empathy and determination, focused on providing these deserving dogs with a brighter future filled with love and happiness. 

Thank you for believing in our mission and helping us make a difference in these dogs' lives. Together, we can continue to provide them with the care and love they need.