You should be able to get information here. German.
I had a Shepherdess once......... I remember she was jolly good
German shepherds come into rescue regularly in Switzerland (a sad comment on owners who don't fully understand what they are getting into...)
A breed rescue in Switzerland is Phoenixsons Schaferhundehilfe:
https://www.phoenixsons-schaeferhundehilfe.ch
Animal Happyend seems to take GSDs and GSD mixes into their care with some regularity:
https://www.animal-happyend.ch
As does Grisette:
http://www.grisette.ch/zuhausegesucht.html
In Germany, a breed rescue
There are others - simply google Deutscher/Weisse Schaeferhund+ Not (or Notfall),
Here is a list (not wholly inclusive) of Tierheim in Switzerland - simply browse the various Zuhause gesucht pages to see if any shepherds are in need:
http://tierheime.ch/tierheime/index.html
You should also browse TierOnline - unfortunately filtering on breed or mix isn't possible:
As for breeders:
A GSD breed club in Switzerland:
(They also occasionally have dogs listed for rehoming, currently there is one.)
And the White Shepherd Club Switzerland:
And the FCI in Germany, you can filter on breed (DSH, long or short hair, Weisse Schweizer Schaeferhund):
https://www.vdh.de/welpen/zuechter-suche
And a word to the wise: You need to do your due diligence for ethics and responsibility on both breeders and rescues.
They are prone to hip and elbow dysplasia They often have digestive issues and can suffer from allergies which means a special and expensive diet They are velcro dogs so expect to have a GSD attached to your hip. They often go through separation anxiety so should not be left alone for long periods of time They are also known as German shedders so expect to be constantly brushing them and vacuuming the house They should be very well socialised from an early age. They are extremely sensitive and you should only every use positive training methods on them (as you should all dogs). Aggression can arise if they haven't been properly socialised and roughly treated They are intelligent and highly inquisitive dogs that need plenty of exercise and mental stimulation Expect people that you meet on a walk to be terrified of them. I absolutely adore GSD but we got our boy knowing we were getting a high maintenance breed who needs a lot of time. I work from home so he is never left for more than a few hours. We have also spent an utter fortune on vet bills and speciality food over the last year. Love him dearly though and wouldn't be without him
https://www.la-spa.fr/adopter-animau...itle_1=&page=1
A couple GSDs listed by Animaux Sans Frontier, in France not too far over the border:
https://www.animaux-sans-frontiere.c...hundegroesse=0
In Switzerland also keep an eye on SPA Fribourg:
https://www.spafribourg.ch/index.php...hiens-a-placer
They don't have any GSDs currently (although they have two Malinois) but I have seen several there in the past.
(My dearly departed Belltie came from SPA Fribourg - I have a special place in my heart for the good folks who saved him.)
ETA:
Another site to keep an eye on is Adopt-A-Pet. There are a couple GSDs currently listed.
http://adopt-a-pet.ch/category/dogs/
This is a compilation site, so you need to go back to the listing rescue group to make sure the dog is still available.
Also some at the SPA Fribourg
https://www.spafribourg.ch/index.php…hiens-a-placer
A word about adopting here, and this probably varies from refuge to refuge so you need to check their adoption contracts to be sure. At SPA Fribourg at least you do not officially own the pet, you’re simply it’s registered keeper and any major decisions about it must be cleared with the refuge first.
The owner is free to make decisions as one normally would. As I have with all my adopted dogs.
There is a protection clause in most rescue contract that:
1. One may not give the animal to someone else without the consent of the rescue. As the refuge is the owner, only they can initiate the transfer paperwork. If one can no longer care for the animal, it must come back to the rescue - or when direct rehoming is in the best interest of the animal the rescue will be involved. This is a protection for the animal - there is life-long back up should it become necessary.
2. One needs to inform the rescue before euthanasia, when possible. This is another protection for the animal, as if there might be a reasonable alternative the rescue might be able to help.
In reality - and I have adopted from SPA Fribourg so this is personal experience, as well as from other rescues with similar policies - the folks at the rescue are simply there to lend a hand should it become necessary. Sometimes it is not possible to inform the rescue ahead of time - in such cases one simply informs the rescue afterwards.
When the sad day came that I knew the Belltie's time was limited I called the rescue to let them know that I would be making the decision in the near future. They were entirely supportive and sympathetic, thanked me for letting them know and reiterated that they had full trust in my decision and timing.
Yes it is true that if an adopter is found to be in egregious breech of the adoption contract the rescue, having retained ownership, has the ability to remove the animal. In a case of abuse, obviously, the rescue can act quickly to protect the animal. But such cases are rare.
One should never be afraid of the arrangement where ownership is retained. This is simply another layer of protection for an animal who has already been let down by his people - the rescue wants to make sure that doesn't happen again.
I searched online for Malinois/Lab mix for adoption in Switzerland and came across a site called RescueMe.org who had dogs for adoption in Switzerland. There was an ad with several photos of a dog who looked absolutely identical to our old boy available for adoption in Lugano. I filled out the email form and was contacted by an Italian association called I Pelosetti Di Silvana who told me the dog was in Milan.
I told the lady that I would be willing to travel to Milan to see him. I was then told he was in about 6 different places in Italy and was put in contact with various different people, none of them who could tell me exactly where he was. This went on for about 2 weeks, I was offered other dogs, was told to adopt a dog in Switzerland not Italy, was told he could be aggressive, meetings at Milan train station arranged so a volunteer could take me to the dog were made and cancelled.
Then money was mentioned! Apparently, the volunteer who had fostered him (and then apparently put him in boarding kennels in a forest) did not want him to be adopted because she was well paid by this Italian association to look after him. I was told she would reluctantly meet me late afternoon on a Sunday in January at Milan station but the dog was about 2 hours drive away. I insisted on an address to where I would be taken and got a vague location in what looked like a really isolated area with no hotels, shops etc anywhere near it
I did a bit of checking online and found out that the same dog was advertised in Germany and Netherlands. I have no idea if this association is genuine or just a scam set up to get donations and if this dog was ever looking for a home. Needless to say I didn't go to Milan!
Switzerland is a target for bad actors posing as both rescues and breeders. The average Swiss consumer is naive, has a lot of disposable income, and has a socially inculcated belief that high prices guarantee quality which prevents them from questioning or opening their eyes. Switzerland is the perfect place for the dark side to operate their dog dealing - both under the guise of rescues and breeders.
Added to the Hundemafia, the internet has given good-hearted but unprepared, unserious people lacking basic knowledge, resources, and infrastructure a platform to try their hand at rescue. These folks, even from the best of intentions, often do far more harm than good. And then there are the 'drama vultures' that proliferate on FB...
Hence why those involved in animal welfare drone on and on and on about due diligence when considering both rescues and breeders.
Support the good guys, walk away from the shady actors.
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Whether what you ran into was a dark side scam, or simply a badly organized, unserious rescue - who knows. But you were right to walk away.
I was so insistent on that particular dog because of how much he looked like our old boy. And it was such a great photo, looking into camera with one paw in the air! Reason returned at the thought of getting into a car with strangers and being driven to a forest, arriving when it was dark! Hoping not only were they genuine but they would also drive me back to Milan.
A week later my son found Axel in UK! We were able to meet not only mum and dad but also Grandma and Grandpa, who all have great temperaments.