Orange County’s nonprofit German Shepherd rescue is struggling to keep up with the influx of dogs while costs go up and adoption numbers continue to dip below pre-pandemic levels.

The German Shepherd Rescue of Orange County was founded in 1998 and strives to rescue, rehabilitate and re-home German Shepherds across Southern California.

Maria Dales, the organization’s founder and director, said she’s never seen dog overpopulation numbers this high in her 30-year career.

And now her organization is feeling those effects.

“We’re in the eye of the storm, and we just can’t keep up,” Dales said in a phone interview. “Honestly, the calls are coming faster than we can answer them.”

She said they’re even having a hard time getting puppies adopted — an issue volunteers have never seen before.

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