Adopting a German Shepherd in Leeds: rescues, costs and the law

The count under the short answer is live: it shows every German Shepherd and German Shepherd cross listed with us in Leeds and within about 25 miles, with a link to the rescue that has each dog. It is often a short list, so contact the breed charity below as well.

German Shepherd Rescue says it treats each application individually, but sets out general rules. Check them before you apply, because several catch city homes:

• Flats. It doesn't rehome to applicants living in flats, saying communal gardens and stairways don't suit the breed's protective, territorial nature.
• Front doors onto the street. It doesn't rehome to homes with no front garden, where the front door opens directly onto a public area, and it needs a secure garden.
• Long days alone. No dog that would be left for longer than 4 to 5 hours on a daily basis.
• Young children. No homes with children under 7, unless the family is used to large dogs.
• Kennels, guarding and breeding. No dogs kept in an outside kennel and run, used for guarding or bred from.

German Shepherd Rescue's donation, £150 to £500, is not a purchase price: it says the money pays for kennelling and vet care for other dogs. Unlike the big rehoming charities, it isn't able to neuter before adoption, so you sign an agreement to have the dog neutered as soon as feasible and show proof, and it asks every new owner to insure the dog as soon as possible. Some dogs are already neutered by their previous owner, so ask.

A bought puppy can come with health-tested parents, and that is part of the price: Blue Cross says a puppy from a health-screened litter costs more upfront. PDSA estimates £560 to set up a large dog, including first vaccinations and neutering, then at least £116 a month. A rescue adult rarely has health paperwork, but the rescue has seen how it behaves, which no breeder can promise about a puppy.

UK breed sources point to the hips, the elbows and the back legs. Ask what a vet has found, and watch how the dog moves when you meet it.

• Hips and elbows. The Royal Kennel Club sets hip and elbow tests under the BVA/KC schemes as the minimum for German Shepherd breeders, saying "evidence indicates these conditions are a significant concern in the breed".
• Spine and eyes. For best practice it adds eye testing and a DNA test for degenerative myelopathy (DM), a disease of the spinal cord.
• Hind legs and nerves. The Royal Kennel Club's Breed Watch asks show judges to look for incorrect hind conformation, poor rear movement and nervous temperament.

The Royal Kennel Club lists the German Shepherd as a large breed needing more than two hours of exercise a day, best suited to a large house with a large garden. Dogs Trust calls German Shepherds typically high-energy dogs that need daily walks, time to explore and play, and training, and says they shed heavily.

German Shepherd Rescue adds a frank warning on its adoption page: this is a working breed that can be "difficult" for people new to it, can be very vocal, and is naturally protective of its family and home, so think about the neighbours. A bored, lonely German Shepherd can be destructive. A rescue dog's needs vary with age and health, so describe your home honestly and let the rescue suggest the dog.

Rescue German Shepherds are adopted, not sold. You apply, the rescue matches you with a dog, and you pay its adoption fee or donation. Puppies are uncommon in rescue near Leeds, so be open to an adult.

Buying instead? The Royal Kennel Club runs a "Find a puppy" service, and Dogs Trust suggests a word with your vet first, since some practices offer pre-purchase consultations on likely health conditions and rough costs. Ask the breeder for both parents' hip and elbow results. An advert for a "white German Shepherd" may describe a White Swiss Shepherd Dog, which The Royal Kennel Club recognises as a separate breed. If an advert looks like a scam, report it to Report Fraud (formerly Action Fraud).