It might be helpful to ask yourself what you are looking for in a dog. Several GSD rescues have put to together great info on the question 'Is a GSD right for me?':
Before You Own
BrightStar German*Shepherd Rescue, Rochester, NY
A major difference between labs and GSDs is the high likelihood that a GSD is protective of his people and home. Do you need that? It is a double edged thing: You must know how to be in charge of your dog, or the dog will take charge in the way a GSD does. For example, when you take him for a walk off leash, a well trained and well handled GSD will move to the handler's side when a stranger approaches, ready to protect just in case. The poorly handled and poorly trained GSD is likely to approach the stranger and bark threateningly. I once had to walk my last GSD while having a flu with a high fever - b/c I was weak and wobbly the dog wouldn't let anyone near me on that walk. A great GSD as far as I am concerned but not a dog for everyone. One of the reasons I adopt GSD (mixes) is the protectiveness - I enjoy solo hiking, and I am in charge of my dogs. But a protective dog is also always a liability.
Most GSDs are reserved with strangers and dislike being petted by strangers. Would you want your dog be chummy with your friends and neighbors?
Of course, there are always some individual dogs that do not behave 'typically' for the breed. A shelter in my area currently holds a pb yellow lab that was relinquished for being protective of his home, something the lab owner didn't know how to handle and didn't want. It'll be difficult to place this dog, and I fear for him. A GSD in a lab's body has a harder time than a lab in a GSDs body.
I've always had rescued dogs, all terrific. You can get purebred and great mixes in rescue and from shelters, and there are many lab/shepherd (crosses and sorta) puppies that get killed in shelters. Here are lists of GSD rescues:
www.akc.org/breeds/rescue.cfm#812
Eden Publications - US Online Pet Resources - Dog Breed Rescue & Adoption
(one from the akc, one from evangelists - i am not a fan of either but the lists are helpful) These are just lists - adopters might want to check out a rescue's policies and reputation, e.g. see 'questions to ask a rescue before adopting' that i posted on another forum:
Questions to ask a rescue before adopting - GermanShepherdHome.net
If there is no breed specific rescue in your state: People travel long distances to meet a breeder - why not travel to the next GSD rescue to meet a dog? And: Since you live in Utah - you can visit the Best Friends Sanctuary!
Best Friends Animal Society Home Page
Being a sanctuary and not a foster home based rescue group, many of their dogs have medical or behavioral issues - some dogs have overcome the issues with good care in the sanctuary, others not. BF discloses everything fully.
And have a look at the rescue forum here, both 'urgent' and 'follow-up', to get a sense of what dogs look like in shelters and how they blossom in foster care and in their adoptive homes. There are terrific dogs there!
Sarah