Just to clarify everything for those who have written in: yes, I know this post was on three or four times...I inadvertently hit the send button instead of the save button...sorry! Brain melt down after dealing with Coweta County shelter... LHSH strives to rescue ONLY purebred GSDS. Again, we sometimes have to go by photographs; we have been relatively successful in maintaining our policy. There have been a few perhaps who have slipped under the radar, but VERY few and those dogs were usually VERY high mixes.. This organization was founded for the German Shepherd Dog. It will hopefully evolve into a prototype for other purebred clubs to emulate, thereby lessening the numbers of THEIR dogs in the kill facilities. If it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a Club to save a breed. As to bearing responsibility for mixed bred dogs, I believe that to make a public stand against the vast numbers of dogs being euthanized and to DO something about it would only better serve to educate the public about our Parent Club as well as make a difference for the GSD who we were not able to reach in time. One of our major issues is the court of public opinion. It seems the only time we get any public notice is when something BAD happens; a GSD bites someone or our membership is challenged. People in general are unaware of the difference between the "ethical" breeder and the BYB's and puppy mills. A purebred dog is just that; a purebred dog. They know nothing about the efforts that the GSDCA has made in canine health. They never heard of a "Breeders Code Of Ethics" and when I tell them about this program, they are STUNNED. They are blissfully unaware of the nightmarish conditions that the major portion of shelter animals live in, or the ending they face. Someone said to me recently that the term "BREEDER" had been hijacked and turned into a dirty word. We need to take that word back and have it MEAN something...that we STAND BEHIND what we produce; that we make EVERY effort to breed HEALTHY happy and sound dogs; that we place pet dogs with limited registrations ONLY and offer spay/neuter vouchers with each puppy or perhaps a cash incentive when the dog is altered, that we will make EVERY effort to assist someone who is unable to care for a dog they purchased either by rehoming it ourselves, or helping the puppy buyer to rehome the dog or find a rescue for it; that we identify each and every pup we breed by microchip or some other means of tracking so that we can unequivocally KNOW how many of "OUR" dogs are landing in shelters thereby shooting down any radical animal rights groups comments. In short, we need a Breeders Code that sets the standard for ALL other clubs. I know many of you might disagree with me....and to this point, I am resending my story entitled Click. This has been a tough week...loosing Faith to her heartworms on Saturday last, sitting on pins and needles last night knowing we had no one to pull Zeus and Clark in Georgia, looking at the GSD with a HUGE tumor on his face and knowing we really have NO place to put him (but rest assured...WE WILL pull him and have him taken care of!), knowing that Beaufort County animal control in Washington NC has spent the whole morning euthanizing animals; perhaps a GSD we were unable to reach in time, going through our forum and removing those dogs whose "listing has been removed"...a not so gentle euphemism for dead. Do I love ALL dogs??? You betcha. If I were a millionaire (still playin the lottery guys!) I would open a sanctuary such as Leo Grillo has in California. But until that day, LHSH will do WHATEVER we are able to alleviate the pain and suffering of GSDs nationally...and pray for the day that we are no longer needed. Thank you for letting me post...and please accept my apologies for the repeats...Click coming...very short. Blessings to all.... Dawn Dawn Restuccia, Pres. Last Hope, Safe Haven Donations may be made to: Paypal via windwych@xxxxxxxxx ============================================================================ POST is Copyrighted 2007. All material remains the property of the original author and of GSD Communication, Inc. NO REPRODUCTIONS or FORWARDS of any kind are permitted without prior permission of the original author AND of the Showgsd-l Management. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. ALL PERSONS ARE ON NOTICE THAT THE FORWARDING, REPRODUCTION OR USE IN ANY MANNER OF ANY MATERIAL WHICH APPEARS ON SHOWGSD-L WITHOUT THE EXPRESS PERMISSION OF ALL PARTIES TO THE POST AND THE LIST MANAGEMENT IS EXPRESSLY FORBIDDEN, AND IS A VIOLATION OF LAW. VIOLATORS OF THIS PROHIBITION WILL BE PROSECUTED. For assistance, please contact the List Management at admin@xxxxxxxxxxxx VISIT OUR WEBSITE - www.showgsd.org ============================================================================