Legalectric

(photo fair use from examiner.com)

8 German Shepherds need homes…

Wally Swanson, the founder of Camp Wolfgang, a German Shepherd rescue, died last week.  Services were held today, in Minnesota!   He closed down Camp Wolfgang in October of 2009, and after that, keeping only a few dogs as health issues made it difficult for him to keep up.  When I first learned of Camp Wolfgang, there were over 300 dogs he was caring for, and I’d thought that when Ken and Krie died, I’d get a dog from Camp Wolfgang, but he closed it before then.  The GSD rescue world was scrambling when he shut down working to accommodate over 120 GSDs and other dogs, but they did it, all the dogs who needed homes were adopted out or sent to rescues across the country.

He also founded a program called “Paws in Prison” where local prisoners worked with dogs, training the dogs for future adopters (and training themselves in the process).  Here’s a blog post about a 2007 Paws in Prison graduation:

Paws in Prison Graduation – December 20, 2007

In the STrib:

Wallace Martin Swanson

Swanson, Wallace Martin 69, passed away at home on June 23 after an extended battle with respiratory illness. Wally was born August 22, 1941 in Fergus Falls, Minnesota to Marvin Swanson and Mary Lindsey Swanson. He was the grandson of Judge and Mrs. Wallace H. Lindsey, Sr. of Alabama and Martin Swanson, born in Norway, and Julia Falk Swanson. He attended Fergus Falls High School and then attended St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota immediately after graduation for a summer semester in 1959. He subsequently attended The University of Minnesota, from which he graduated with honors in 1962 at age 20. Wally received a law degree, with honors, from the Southern Methodist University School of Law, where he served as the Leading Articles editor of ‘The Southwestern Law Journal.’ He was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Alpha Tau Omega, Phi Alpha Delta legal fraternity and the Order of Barristers. After beginning his legal career in 1965 with a focus on banking and securities law at the Dallas firm of Coke & Coke, Wally, along with Art Hewett, John Johnson, and Lin Barbee, co-founded the firm initially named Hewett Johnson Swanson & Barbee and, later, Johnson & Swanson.

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This is Vera, a beautiful dog up for adoption at Camp Wolfgang, a German Shepherd Rescue in Ennis, Texas.

Camp Wolfgang… sound familiar?

Just one year ago, they were closing amid reports of budget shortfalls and health issues,  and there was a frenetic and successful effort to find rescues and homes for over 200 dogs.

If you google “Camp Wolfgang” and “Texas” you’ll get last year’s articles about it.  The old website is still down, but there’s a Camp Wolfgang Petfinder site now.

I sent an email asking what’s up, and he’s got 15 dogs with someone to care for them.  I’m glad he’s able to keep at it on a smaller scale.  There are SO many GSDs who need homes, and who need a rescue to care for them until they’re “found” by their new family.

From the Camp Wolfgang phone message, and comments here, all the  sheps have been/are being moved.

Like wow… so many sheps, so little time… and they’re gone off to new homes.

I can’t tell if they still need donations for transport and heartworm.  The phone voicemail is full again, so try email:

windigo1966 [at] yahoo.com

wally [at] campwolfgang.com

campwolfgang [at] yahoo.com