INDIANAPOLIS — German Shepherd Rescue Indy has saved hundreds of dogs since its start over a decade ago.
Now, the walls of the current rescue are closing in and they’re working to move to a new space out in the country.
“I feel so responsible for their lives,” Amber Marks, owner of GSD Indy Rescue said.
For the last decade Marks has made taking care of German Shepherds her life’s passion.
“You know how hard it is to walk away once you look in their face and their eyes and they’re looking at you? How can you just go 'I can't?' Because I know I can. I might die doing it or I'm exhausted but I'm a sucker,” Marks said.
Through her non-profit, German Shepherd Rescue Indy, Marks has been able to care for, foster and adopt out hundreds of GSDs.
Right now, Marks has around 50 dogs in her care and they’re running out of room.
After three years of searching, she finally found her slice of Heaven. A safe and large space to relocate her rescue.
“It's not going to look like a dog rescue. I don't want that,” Marks said.
With more dog runs and more space, Marks is excited to move her four-legged family from the city out to the country.
“To me this is a sanctuary. That's what it feels like to me and hopefully when the dogs get here it'll just be so much better,” Marks said.
Her current plan is to convert the old horse barn into the new sanctuary.
“It's going to be a nice slower pace and I'll have my work done faster, so I can concentrate on adoption and behavioral stuff, because that's why I do what I do and I don’t want to clean kennels all day,” Marks said.
But with permits, the cost of materials and the fear of the unknown, Marks is relying on her faith and support from the public to get the sanctuary built.
“We have a lot to look forward to, but I have mountains in front of me and I have deep faith I know that there's going to be a way made, we just can't see it yet,” Marks said.
Marks needs to raise $75,000 to complete this build and create this new life for the dogs in her care.
“I'm still short because the construction costs and the materials are so much more, you know I keep asking for help but without help I can't do it myself,” Marks said.
So far, she’s raised $46,000 just over half of her new goal.
“It's magic that someone will see a story and say I want to help, and they have the heart of giving and then I'm receiving it but I'm also giving it right back,” Marks said.
She said when her hard work pays off and its finally complete….
“it's going to feel like three years of faith being revealed, God's grace, these are his creatures you know we are entrusted to care for them and it will be a long time you know, but I know me I won't stop there'll be something else I'll be starting to do you know these smaller, but gosh I can't even, i can't express what that would feel like. I really don’t know.
You can donate to German Shepherd Rescue Indy to help with the care of the animals by clicking here.
You can donate to the new building by clicking here.
