Frequently Asked Questions

Question: Why pay $225-$250 when I can get a free dog in the paper or adopt from a pound for $40 - $75?

Answer:
Remember, our dogs are fully vaccinated, have extensive bloodwork and often training. The dogs have been quarantined away from contagious disease. Our dogs have also had behavior evaluation and testing around cats, children, small dogs, men and women. When you go to a home that is trying to get rid of their dog, their is no guarantee that they will tell you everything there is to know about the dog, especially if the dog has bitten in the past or has had serious illness. Remember, the interest of that family is to get rid of their dog.

At the pound, the animals have limited veterinary care, very little, if any, handling or training, and are exposed almost daily to contagious viruses and parasites. Again, due to government-based funding, numbers may be a primary goal, and not necessarily a perfect match between dog and owner.

Even after health issues are taken care of, the families are often left with a major behavior problem they must work on, or an aggression issue which results in the agony of destroying the animal.

The main purpose of the breed specific and private rescue is to find, rehabilitate, and create "ready for home" pets — not make one person's problem another person's problem. We want to keep the dogs in a permanent home, not see them back in a few months.

Keep in mind also, that if you take a dog you adopted from the Central Illinois German Shepherd Dog Rescue to the vet, the bill for your first vet visit should look much like this:

Procedure or Dispensed Item	Charge
Office Exam	28.00
Total Estimated Charges	$28.00

If you were to get a free or very inexpensive dog, the bill for your first vet visit may resemble the following:

Procedure or Dispensed Item	Charge
Spay, Canine (26-75 pounds)	58.50
Telazol w/Iso (26-75 pounds)	33.40
Torbugesic	06.70 (per injection)
Catheter, IV	19.20
Nails & Ears w/surgery	00.20
Pre-op screen, mammal	30.00
Office Exam	28.00
Rabies, Canine (1 year)	12.00
Bordatella, Canine	13.00
DHLLPP-CV Annual	15.00
Fecal Flotation	12.00
Heartworm Test, Canine	25.00
Intercepter (51-100 pounds)	06.49 (per month)
Frontline Plus, Canine (45-88 pounds)	11.60 (per month)
Panacur-3 pack (51-75 pounds)	24.00
Total Estimated Charges	$295.09

If and x-ray is needed, you can add on another $57.

More information on the adoption fee...

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Did you know... Approximately 8-12 million companion animals enter animal shelters nationwide every year and approximately 5-9 million are euthanized (60% of dogs and 70% of cats). — Annual Shelter Statistics, ASPCA The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) answers the question Why Spay or Neuter? (PDF—15K). This low-cost surgery keeps your animal healthier and helps fight pet overpopulation.    You can support this rescue with purchases...         Visit our German Shepherd Dog Shop at CafeShops.com Sammie's Meal Time Bib now available!

Check this out... Try the ASPCA's "Is your Home Poison Safe?" Interactive Quiz on the ASPCA web site. Elizabeth Riddle, our rescue president, outside of her full-time job and continuing educational pursuits, is an animal behaviorist and an obedience instructor, with a Bachelor's degree in Biology from the University of Illinois with a specialty in Ethology (the study of animal behavior). She officially founded this rescue in November of 1997 while attending the University of Illinois. Learn more about this rescue...