Adopting a German Shepherd in Liverpool: 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 Liverpool and within about 25 miles, and our Liverpool German Shepherd page links each one to its rescue. It is often short, and some days empty, so contact the breed charity as well.

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

• 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.
• 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.
• No dog experience. Its adoption form says it won't accept applicants who haven't had a dog or experience with large breeds as an adult.

German Shepherd Rescue's donation, £150 to £500, is not a purchase price: its adoption form says the money helps pay kennel fees and vet fees. 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 it asks every new owner to insure the dog as soon as possible. At Manchester & Cheshire Dogs' Home, by contrast, the £200 adult fee includes a health check, neutering, a first vaccination, a microchip and four weeks' free Pet Plan insurance.

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, then at least £116 a month. A rescue adult may not have health paperwork, but the rescue has seen how it behaves.

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 in a terraced street. The local rescues ask about gardens too: Warrington Animal Welfare says dogs must have access to a secure garden, and North Clwyd Animal Rescue's home check makes sure the garden is secure.

Rescue German Shepherds are adopted, not sold. You apply, the rescue matches you with a dog, and you pay its adoption fee or donation. Every German Shepherd on our Liverpool German Shepherd page is adopted that way, and an adult's temperament and movement are there to see before you commit. Puppies do come through rescues now and then: North Clwyd Animal Rescue asks £250 for a puppy up to 6 months.

Buying instead? The Royal Kennel Club runs a "Find a puppy" service, and Dogs Trust suggests asking your vet about a pre-purchase consultation on likely health conditions and rough costs. Ask the breeder for both parents' hip and elbow results. Report a suspected scam advert to Report Fraud (formerly Action Fraud).