Be informed!   HB2790 is an IL bill you should be aware of.
Please read the original bill and its 3 amendments carefully!

Sponsor a dog at our rescue in memory of your own German Shepherd Dog or German Shepherd mix that has passed away.

All donations will go directly to the care of all the German Shepherds at this rescue.

Please visit our Sponsor a Dog page to find out how to have your German Shepherd or German Shepherd mix remembered on this page.

Thor was a beautiful boy and a wonderful friend. His owner always referred to him as "her boy" and he will be dearly missed. —Jessica from Illinois, a friend of Thor's mom

Baroness Marishka's Pride, aka "Marah" was euthanized on Oct. 29 2004 due to increasing complications form degenerative myelopathy. She was a month shy of her ninth birthday. She was a happy dog, even after degenerative myelopathy stole the use of her hind legs, and she required aid to go for a walk. She never let it get her down though, and looked forward to going for a ride in the car or a walk around the yard (and still tried to chase the rabbits, with me running, trying to keep up). Marah is fondly remembered, and greatly missed. My new rescue dog "Dweezel" has brought me some comfort. —Steve Hitz from Illinois

We picked [Max] up from West Suburban Humane Society mid-March, 1991. Within two weeks, he had the run of the house. Dave, my husband, brought home some toys and Max quickly became attached to a yellow, squeaky football. We began to realize that Max was really a gentle soul who rarely barked or put up a fuss. He never chewed, didn't have accidents in the house and headed for the "driver's seat" every time he got in the car. When not allowed to drive, Max resigned himself to hanging his nose out the window, taking in as many sniffs as possible and slobbering on the window. [Years later] he passed away peacefully in his sleep. To this day we look around the yard and the house and think of Max.No animal will ever replace our Max, but at least, after Dave and I have time to heal, we will be able to spring another dog from the shelter. Read more about Max... —The Smith family from Illinois

We got Rommel when he was a 6 months old. He was a huge, big framed dog and very active. When we picked him up we had all these plans to keep him separated from our then three year old daughter on the way home. Rommel had other ideas. He climbed in the back seat with her, laid his big head in her lap and that is where he stayed. As you see in the picture he would not have intentionally hurt anyone and let Kati dress him up including some of her shorts. The other dog in the picture (bottom right) would take everything away from him, sticks, bones, toys. So he started carrying around big red bricks as toys. He had a favorite cat that he carried around in his mouth. The cat just hung out of his mouth on either side. Rommel never bite down. We miss him very much. — The Smith family from Illinois Rommel playing dressup with the family's child Rommel, trying to play with the toy-hoarder

This is in memory of my big, beautiful Shepherd, Kobi. Kobi passed away on Jan. 10, 2004 very suddenly because of a twisted intestine, just shy of his 4th birthday. He was our great protector and friend. We always felt safe when he was around. He was not a real affectionate type, but he would always let me kiss him and hug his neck. I would always get mad at him for leaving big muddy paw prints on the glass of the garage door, and he left one for us that we will always have. He was always so full of life and loved chasing birds and squirrels and playing with his ball. There is a hole in our hearts that only he could fill and we miss him terribly as he was taken too soon from us. We will always remember Kobi fondly. He was such a big part of our life and we loved him very, very much. — Aileen O’Dea and family from Illinois

We pulled Cleo from a shelter in January 2003. She was to be another foster dog who we care for, train, socialize, and then tearfully send on to their new home. Less than two weeks after bringing her into our home, Cleo was diagnosed with end stage renal failure. We adopted her ourselves and so began our journey together. Cleo and I may not have had the benefit of sharing our lives for years, but we crammed a lifetime of bonding into the 11 too short months that we did have together. My life and schedule revolved around Cleo and her needs. Nothing was more important to me than taking care of Cleo and enjoying life with her. She and I could read each other perfectly. If she were a human, we would have finished each other's sentences. In my heart I know that Cleo was an angel sent to me. Her silliness and happiness in spite of everything she endured was an inspiration to me. She taught me how to live in the moment with her, and give a pishaw to the other things going on around us. During her final days she taught me to smile despite utter sadness. We were blessed to have had her in our lives. She was and still is my hero. May the memory of her incredible spirit live on forever in the lives of those she touched. Rest well my sweet girl until we can be together again. There will never ever be another dog quite like you. — Marilyn, rescuer from Indiana

Dixie was my baby, my best friend, and my teacher. I had always wanted a dog like her and she was everything I had ever wanted and more. She has taught me so much. I have learned infinite patience from her younger days when she let me know, time and again, that she had a mind of her own. She never completely lost this willfulness—and I never wanted her to—but it was tempered with maturity and wisdom. We began to form a partnership and she realized it was alright to do what I wanted her to do. (However she always reserved the right to do it her way!) She taught me the true meaning of unconditional love. Through all that she and I went through, the good and the bad, she never failed to be there with a wagging tail and an invitation to play—showing me that she loved and accepted me completely. She also taught me the meaning of true friendship. She was always there when I needed a shoulder to cry on or someone to jump for joy with. I could always talk to her and she would listen, truly listen, to every word. She was a unique mixture of energy and serenity that was contagious. Everyone who met her instantly loved her and she never met a person or animal that she didn't immediately consider her own. She lived more in her short life than many dogs get a chance to live in a long life. I only had her for four and a half years, which wasn't nearly long enough..... but what wonderful years they were! — Jodi from Illinois

Sadie and Beau. When I went to look at the "free" German Shepherd puppies that someone was giving away, Sadie (on the left) stole my heart immediately. She was the runt of the litter. We took her home and began the training process. I can't tell you how many shoes we went through until she learned that shoes are NOT toys. Beau came to live with us a few months when the people that owned him couldn't keep him anymore. These two dog were smarter than I ever seen. I felt I could talk to them like any person and they understood me. After many years of having them, I let them out one morning for a yard break, and when I came back a few minutes later, Sadie could not get up. I thought maybe she just hurt herself while being outside so I left her in the house for the day while I went to work. I couldn't concentrate at work, so I came home and told Sadie we were going to the doctor.Sadie did NOT like going to the vet, but before I could get the front door locked, Sadie was already pulling herself down the hill trying to get in the car by herself. She had no feeling from below her front legs to her tail so she was literally was dragging herself. The vet sent us to a specialist that said they could do surgery, but Sadie's chances of walking were not good. We spent that afternoon with Sadie at home and then took her in to the vet and had her put to sleep. I held her as she fell asleep. Sadie was my child and it was a sad day for everyone. Beau mourned for weeks and wouldn't eat. Beau suffered from a lifetime of horrible allergies which was hard on his poor body. He passed a couple years after Sadie. These two dogs truly loved each other as did I. I still miss them. — Tammi from Kansas

Misty, Our Vice-President's very special puppy and honorary German Shepherd (schnauzer mix), recently passed away after two decades of unsurpassed loyalty. Misty was a one-man dog for our VP's entire adulthood. She saw him through the best and worst of times with unconditional love and acceptance, often kept him going with snuggles on cold nights. Misty will never be forgotten, and the clicking of her nails will be missed terribly. Twenty years is a wonderfully long time to keep your best friend. She is now dancing in green fields with our other beloved pets, until it is time for us to meet again. — Rick and Elizabeth, Central Illinois German Shepherd Dog Rescue

"Her name was Shadow, but life was brighter because she was in it." My family adopted Shadow at the tender age of 9 weeks. She was a pure black fur ball of energy. Little did we know the beautiful and proud dog she would grow into. She was protective, almost to a fault, (ask a few ex-boyfriends) and often threatening a passerby for getting too close to us on our daily run. Though barking at people walking on "her" sidewalk was a favorite pastime, she was most content being in the middle of the commotion with her paw on your hand. Whether it be in the middle of Christmas paper wrapping or under the kitchen table - wherever the family was, she was. Some of my very favorite memories of Shadow are when she misbehaved - coming home to her with a tiny bathroom garbage can stuck on her head because she was trying to eat the Kleenexes out of it, or coming home from church to find a bag of hamburger buns hid throughout the house in bedding and couches. I often wonder just how many toys were buried in our old couches before we gave them away and how many bones we left buried in our old yard. Shadow was nowhere as happy as she was at Mom and Dad's summerhouse in Wisconsin. Whether it be fishing with Dad in the boat or chasing the ducks in the lake (and then them turning around to chase her), she was home. Sadly, as much as we loved Shadow, God had other plans for her - he needed a new protector and companion. On April 5th, 2003 Shadow joined Shasta and King and is happily playing and swimming in a place that bears a striking resemblance to Buffalo Lake. — Korrin from Illinois

We did everything right. Good bloodlines, healthy sound parents. All his shots, New collar, leash, bed, bowls, toys, crate...ah yes the crate! Small enough to feel safe and lie down in but big enough to get his head through the wires and hang himself...5 days before Christmas. Never had this happened to us. We had grown complacent thinking we were doing everything perfectly. Never did we check the kennel, we just assumed it was "perfect" also. Please, check these wire kennels thoroughly. Strong little necks can push the lid up but can't pull themselves back in. Maybe some day, we will be able to adopt another German Shepherd Dog pup like our little "Candy's Cain" (but not replace him). — Jan from Ohio

We adopted Leia (right), and her brother Luke (left), in April, 2001. They were both very shy around us and incredibly attached to each other. Eventually, they came to accept us as their new family and their individual personalities emerged. While not the goof ball her brother was, Leia was extremely affectionate and playful. When she was very happy, she had the most adorable prance where she would spread her toes and high-step with her front legs. She loved to chase toys and went crazy over anything that squeaked. Leia even liked to watch TV! She was also incredibly devoted to Luke, waiting by the door until he came back from his walks. They would often parade around the house together, holding on to the same toy. Everyday, they gave us something new to laugh about. In February 2003, Leia suddenly developed cancer in her spleen. There was nothing we could do and she had to be put to sleep just one week later. We are so lucky to have found these two and glad we were able to make Leia's last years so much better than her first. We miss you Leia! — Luke and his Family from Illinois

Burl was a gorgeous, male, sable, 4 year old. He was also blind, and because of that, lost his home. His owner dumped him at the pound because he had "too many dogs". We only had him for a few days, but in that time this 89lb sweetheart tolerated a 2 1/2 hour bath, ear cleaning, nail trim, having to learn a new environment and new people. He was very compliant and at one point fell asleep on, my husband, Rick's lap. We even have a special foster home with extensive experience in training blind dogs, so the condition of his blindness wasn't an issue. We will never understand what any of these dogs have suffered through in their lives, and we really do not want to. We, as ground level rescuers, already know too much of the truth. There are three other dogs at this person's house who are dying a very slow and extremely painful death. Burl was left outdoors for his 4 years and didn't even know what to do inside the house, but curled up next to the heater on his comforter in the kitchen and slept comfortably for maybe the first time. Burl had been caked with feces and saturated to the point of urine crystals on his hair follicles. He was blind, probably later in life and probably as a result of his illness and was dumped from the only family he ever knew for this inconvenience. His owner didn't even want to pay the $10 owner give up fee to the pound and complained about it. Burl was unneutered, unvaccinated, and untreated for heartworm or any illness. He wagged his tail at the littlest bit of attention. He ignored cats. He wagged for other dogs —probably the only creatures to ever help him in his life. This dog died 100% because of human neglect. The dog did nothing to deserve this treatment. He had no medical care, no preventative care, no affection or love. After all of this, after having every reason to hate or fear humans. After having every reason to fear the world, fear the unknown. This dog laid his head on our laps, snuggled his head into us, laid his paw on our arms, licked our faces, cautiously followed us and trustingly went where we led him. This dog ate our food, drank our water, slept on our comforter in the kitchen and next to our bedroom door. This dog let us bathe, brush, nail trim, and clean his ears without so much as a growl or a lip curl. This dog let our veterinarian examine, take a temp, check ears, eyes, heart, and draw blood without so much as a cross look. This dog let that needle take him home (euthanized) without a fight. Thank you to Aileen O'Dea, Gina Addis, Kathleen Braun, Rebecca Kuk, Susan Caley, Steven Hirsh and family, and Deborah Eades (God bless this sweet dog and may he chase squirrels forever in a better place across the Bridge) for their donations to give Burl a proper cremation. — Elizabeth, Central Illinois German Shepherd Dog Rescue

Elvis (a.k.a. woo woo baby) needed to be put to sleep on December 26, 2002 due to uncontrollable seizures. He was just a pup. He is pictured (right) with his pal, Duke. Elvis' biological mom was a purebred Australian Shepherd and his dad was a purebred German Shepherd. I saw him in June of 2002 when I took a neighbor to pick up a horse she had purchased. Elvis snuggled into my neck and made little grunting noises. I just fell in love with him! At 6 months of age, Elvis was very good at 'sit', 'stay', 'down' and fetched toys like a pro. He would get his tug and bring it to you to play with him. If he wanted me he would make this wooo wooo sound and couldn't wait to go with me to feed the horses so he could round up the cats to the feed bowl. He greatly enriched our lives in the short time he was with us. I ride with a volunteer Horse Search and Rescue (SAR) Team and had hoped to train Elvis to work with the horses in the field doing searches for lost people. SAR work rekindled my interest in having a German Shepherd or German Shepherd mix in my "family". I don't know how long it will take me to get over the loss of this young, but much loved pet. — Susan from Illinois

Dutchess (a.k.a. The Snoocher, Dutchy, Snooches) came to our lives in May of 1989 as the third child (with two human children before her). She was a shy, lanky pup with one ear up and the other undecided. She was jet black and came with an attitude. We were lucky enough to have her around for over 13 years. Dutchy spent much of her time playing with balls, plastic alligators, and a vinyl octopus. She saw my brother and me graduate from high school, college, and medical school. She got us through family good times and bad. There was seldom a day when we wouldn't smile about something relating to her. Daily walks by the lake were her favorite, and she would often return with a stick or rock keepsake from the journey. I had hoped for her to be the "flower dog" in my wedding. In her final years, Dutchess suffered with Degenerative Myelopathy (DM), which made it hard for her to stand up and get around. My parents installed carpet segments and ramps all over the house to facilitate her lifestyle. She left us peacefully (after barking at the mailman) and quietly passed away with her head in my father's lap. We all miss you Dutchy — see you later. — Andra from Ohio

Oscar came home with me when he was six weeks old - absolutely the "cutest little pea" in my eyes. When he was about 5 months old, he had an abdominal obstruction and a few inches of his small intestine had to be surgically removed, but he recovered quickly. In the following years, like many other German shepherds, he was very energetic and playful, he had also developed allergies, and was afraid of thunder. Other than work, he accompanied me almost everywhere. He came with me on vacation, to grocery stores; he even went to the bank with me sometimes. He was rather picky when it came to food. His favorites were roast turkey, rotisserie chicken, and broiled beef on top of NeutroMax small bite dry food. Oscar passed away on October 19, 2002, just less than a month from his 7th birthday. He had been suffering from hip dysplasia, followed by ITP. In his last days, he was taking a high dose of steroid to control ITP, and it was suspected that this might have contributed to a combination of sicknesses. He is being remembered as beautiful, loyal, and intelligent. Rest in peace, Oscar boy, you are always in our hearts. You are not only my best friend, you are also part of the family. Thank you for all the precious time you have given us. Until we meet again, play happily at the Rainbow Bridge, and always remember that we love you very, very much. — Rebecca from New Jersey What is Immune-mediated thrombocytopenia (ITP)? View an article on this topic by the River Road Veterinary Clinic of Vermont: http://www.rrvetclinic.com/lib_immune_mediated_hemolytic_anemia.htm In September 2003, Rebecca unvieled her new website in memory of Oscar. Her site is designed to help homeless German Shepherds find homes. Visit her site at: http://www.oscarthegsd.com.

Duke was a real sweetheart and a beautiful big boy. He broke our hearts because he was such a large and handsome boy, but would drop in a second as if in fear of being struck. He was so quiet and gentle and very snugly and surprisingly trusting, but if you tried to throw a fetch stick or said "no" too loudly, he just cowered. We were afraid he had been beaten and this is inexcusable. He was very well behaved. He was found by police locked in a basement and left for dead. Thankfully he did not suffer malnutrition or illness. Unfortunately Duke developed Gastric Torsion (bloat) in the morning of November 22, 2002, after breakfast. Because of his age (possibly 8 years old), the Central Illinois German Shepherd Dog Rescue opted not to try surgery and put him to sleep. A special thanks goes out to Duke's sponsor: Lori Broach — on behalf of her dog Leia, a Shepherd/Doberman mix Thank you to Aileen O'Dea, Marilyn Manley, and Rebecca Kuk for their donations to give Duke a proper cremation. — Elizabeth, Central Illinois German Shepherd Dog Rescue What is Canine Bloat? View an article on this topic at Cyber Canine: http://www.cybercanine.com/bloat.htm

Rebel was a handsome male German Shepherd. He topped a hundred pounds easy, yet was the sweetest boy in the world. He never asked for much from us at the Central Illinois German Shepherd Dog Rescue. He came from a sad situation. Apparently having changed ownership several times in his life and ending up with someone who never really wanted a dog. He was chained to a dog house under a tree. The neighbor fed him most of the time and asked permission to walk him. She was tired of seeing him in the weather with flies and feces surrounding him and asked if she could call the Central Illinois German Shepherd Dog Rescue to surrender him. Rebel certainly wasn't getting any younger, he was at least eleven, if not 13-14 years old. It was December of 1999 and winter was here. His old bones were not going to make another season of exposure. The Central Illinois German Shepherd Dog Rescue lucked out and picked him up during a mild beginning to the winter just weeks before bigger storms hit. He was brought in the house and given his own room to stay in. He was quiet, loving, and just loved a good meal. He had never been neutered and had a couple major masses on his body. We had his masses removed and tested, he was neutered and his teeth were cleaned. He braved all of this new medical attention and healed up well. We hoped for a couple of good happy years. He enjoyed car rides and walks around the block and was content to sleep in his room the rest of the day after breakfast and supper. His limbs started to get sore, so the walks declined and we had to be more careful on stairs. He was a senior and we understood the process, but he was still comfortable and happy. Rebel was never adopted to a personal home of his own where he would be loved and spoiled all alone. We came home one day in the summer of 2000 and he could no longer get up. We moved him closer to air-conditioning in hope of bringing comfort and called our vet. She came to the house and performed an exam. He had become painful on palpation and all of his organs were enlarged. She believed he was very end stage and things were just shutting down. Rebel was held by us, lovingly in our home, which we hoped he considered his, and our vet brought him peace. Rebel will forever be in our hearts. We only knew this magnificent animal in his golden year and could only imagine how fantastic he must have been in his youth. We don't want to imagine this animal's heartbreak at being discarded over and over and spending his final years at the end of a chain by a tree surrounded by his own excrement. How brave he must have been to accept care from complete strangers, tolerate medical procedures, and examination by a vet, when he may have never seen a veterinary hospital before. We can marvel at his gratefulness for a warm place to sleep without fleas, flies, or mess. We can be amazed at how happy a bowl of food made him. We can be reminded of the horror of irresponsible human actions and the purity of an animal's soul. Rebel was a dog who never left the rescue for a single loving home. We all understand the love we feel for our pets and how none of them will ever be forgotten, may we never forget the dogs who pass away in wait for rescue. — Elizabeth, Central Illinois German Shepherd Dog Rescue

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...