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The Hoffer Family Foundation Inc. (a 501C3) founded South West Florida German Shepherd Rescue in 2007. Our Rescue implemented its program in early 2008.  To date IN 2010 we have adopted out over 38 pure bred German Shepherd dogs and about 8 not so pure bred, but tremendous four legged friends. IN THE PAST 3 YEARS OF THE FOUNDATION WE HAVE ADOPTED OUT OVER 70 GERMAN SHEPHERDS TO GREAT FAMILIES! We operate the rescue with dogs received from shelters and from owner turn-ins. Follow us on Twitter, my sign on is Hoffdogbun!

These dogs primarily come from an area just south of Tampa, to just South of Naples Florida.

Our Mission:

To take in discarded or turned-in German Shepherd Dogs, give them a positive environment, healthy food, medical attention, socialization and lots of love and understanding in order to find them new forever homes in our local communities.  We are breed specific but at times fall in love with a dog or two that requires our help.

We seek qualified families and individuals who wish to own German Shepherd dogs.  If you wish to adopt, please send us an email to schedule a qualification interview.  The interviews are held in Punta Gorda.  Our ideal adopter is someone who has had a GSD in their past and knows the breed. We especially want people who will dedicate the appropriate time to train the dog.  We require that people we adopt to have the resources for the medical any physical health costs of the animal.  We especially want people who will provide the kindness, compassion, love and affection these dogs crave in a forever home.

Adoption Process:

Our adoption process begins with an interview. We will ask you about your current pets, we will ask you for evidence of their up to date vaccinations, your vets name and number, your track record in keeping animal shots and registrations up to date, your training experience and about your commitment. We will ask to meet your entire family and anyone else that lives in the home with the dog. We will also ask that if you have pets, that you bring your dog here to meet his new friend.

We will require that you sign an agreement regarding the care of the dog you may be given.  We will ask that upon adoption that you show us receipts for 6 months of heart worm prevention and give us your vets name and address and phone for verification purposes.

We charge $150 for any dog we adopt out and $150 for any we take in as give ups from owners. We also require owner give ups to be spayed or neutered, at the owners expense prior to the turn over. At the point when dogs are surrendered to SWFLGSD Rescue we require all medical records be given to us along with any chip registration information and numbers, complete shot record and vet who administered them as well as a current heart worm test paid for by the owner prior to turning the dog over to us.  The money is paid to us by check made out to the Animal Welfare League of Charlotte County.  The AWL is a 501C3 charity and the ‘donation is tax deductible.

These funds provide us with medical resources we need to cover expenses required to restore the health of many of the dogs we get.  The AWL provides us with assistance and supports us in countless ways.

We strongly recommend researching the breed before deciding on a GSD.  Once you have adopted a dog, we recommend a qualified training program. WE NOW REQUIRE LOCAL AREA RESIDENTS TO ENROLL YOUR NEW DOG IN TRAINING AND POST A MINIMUM OF 1 6 WEEKS CLASS SESSION AT A COST OF $70 IN A CHECK MADE OUT TO THE CHARLOTTE BOC. This class is taught buy the Peace River Dog Fanciers club. For those adopting outside the local Punta Gorda area, we require proof of enrollment in any dog training class from PetsMart to Schutzund. As affiliates of the German Shepherd Schutzhund Club of SW Florida, whose contact information appears above, we advise you to seek their help in developing a training regimen during the first 6 months you have the dog.

This needed training will insure a bond between you and your pet and guaranties a great relationship for life. Nothing is more stressful than having an animal you love be out of control, unruly or unsocialized.

It is important to note that we are not in the pet business, but rather a rescue. When we get dogs we do our best to find them qualified adoptive families. We do not seek out dogs to rescue. If you are approved to get a dog from us, we will not stop trying to find the perfect dog for you until you have the perfect pet.  We never ask that you take any dog, but rather show you what we have in our system and allow you to decide.  We will always take a dog back if things do not work out. You will never feel pressure from us to accept any animal we offer. We expect honesty from any potential adopter in giving us as much direction as possible in so far as “your perfect dog’.

If you feel that a German Shepherd is right for you and your family then give us a call at 941 575 0243 or email us at alphadog63@comcast.net or goingtothedogs@comcast.net to schedule an interview in Punta Gorda. You can now follow us on Facebook and Twitter if I could only figure out how to use them.