Episode 60. Everything You Need to Know About Rescue with Susan Shahoda of Westside German Shepherd Rescue

Susan Shahoda is a lifelong dog lover who has devoted much of the past 15 years to volunteering with Westside German Shepherd Rescue in Los Angeles, CA. But don’t let the name fool you – Westside rescues dogs of all shapes & sizes and adopts to families throughout the continental U.S. and Canada. In fact, Westside is celebrating 20 years and 20,000 dogs finding loving homes!

What should potential adopters look for in a rescue organization? Why are those adoption applications so long? How do rescues determine which dogs get chosen? And what do rescues really think about people who can’t keep their dogs anymore? Susan gives us a true behind-the-scenes view of running a rescue organization.

Susan also shares her thoughts on the unsung heroes of the animal welfare community, the surprising benefit of the Nextdoor App, the best & the hardest parts of rescue and what keeps her going even in the tough times.

We’ll also learn how Susan’s life has been touched by Laurel, a special needs German Shepherd Dog who suffers from permanent neurological damage after contracting Canine Distemper virus.

In the season of giving, your generosity is appreciated by organizations like Westside German Shepherd Rescue and your local animal shelter and rescue groups.

Susan & I discuss:

Susan’s childhood adopted pets;
How Susan was introduced to Shepherd dogs and volunteering in animal shelters and for rescues;
What is a transport volunteer?;
The relationship between shelters and rescue groups;
Foster home versus kennel-based rescues and Westside’s hybrid model;
How Westside decides what dogs to accept into their rescue;
How do you find adoptive families and homes for dogs in rescue?;
Adopting and fostering saves 2 dogs’ lives;
Is rescue a lifestyle?;
Preventing burnout and compassion fatigue in the rescue world;
Is the adoption process from a rescue too difficult?;
How to get the right dogs in the right homes;
Why would someone be turned down for adopting a dog?;
Why are Shepherd dogs so common in dog sports?;
The emotional impact of COVID on the rescue and shelter communities;
How do rescues feel about people who need to surrender their dog?;
What Susan has learned from Laurel the Special Needs German Shepherd Dog;
What should everyone know about rescuing a dog?

Find Westside German Shepherd Rescue:

Website: https://sheprescue.org/index.html
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WGSRescue/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westsidegsr

Links Discussed:

Listen to the Believe in Dog Podcast Episodes about B-More Dog’s volunteer work - Part 1 and Part 2
What is Canine Distemper virus?
Compassion Fatigue in the animal welfare community