We adopted in April 2013 from Illinois Doberman rescue our girl passed in July of 2023 we had her since 1.5 yrs old. We have had dobermans since 1982, 5 from breeders 4 from rescue. Now IDR has out priced the regular people with their high fees but we have seen our country and all goods that people use increase almost twofold......really sad they have out priced us even adopting a dog. read more

Illinois Doberman Rescue plus - Our beautiful Cece adopted in 2013 from IDR. - Animal Shelters Near Me

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Very good looking dogs I love Dobermans. I don't have small children. It's just me and my husband and I have two cats. If you think that that should be OK I had my Doberman for eight years or nine and he went to heaven. He was great with the cats and the grandkids read more

Our application was denied because we have a doggy door. They said it would allow theft, injury, and or death to the orphan. We have had two dobeys in the 19 years we've been married. The first one was 10 when she passed. The second one we adopted at 2 and had to put her down at 11 because of a heart condition/quality of life issue. We have had the doggy door in place since the very first dobey. There is a gated fenced deck and a fenced potty area that this doggy door leads to. We live in a small town and have great neighbors. I don't believe any smart person would ever try to steal a dobey off our deck especially since they would have to lift it over the locked gated deck to get it out. I'm just saying that doggy doors are very safe and know of a few people that use them. To me it's more humane than leaving a dog in a crate for 8 or more hours while you are at work. My wife is a huge animal person and would have given one of their dobeys a loving home. Sorry that they denied our application!!! read more

Illinois Doberman Rescue plus - Our deck, fenced-in potty area and doggy door for which our application was denied. - Animal Shelters Near Me

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Thank you for our new little rescue Sammie, she is a joy and we are so lucky to have her. Your foster Moms are awesome people. read more

Illinois Doberman Rescue plus - IDR rescues, our angels! - Animal Shelters Near Me

Since I wrote my original review, in 2010, I have lost Lexus, to "old age" and I have since adopted 2 additional Doberman Pinschers from IDR+. As required, I have completed the necessary paperwork, vet check and home visit and then moved on to the process of selecting a pet that is a good match for my situation. I think it is important to remember that as a non-profit, 501c3, these individuals are ALL volunteers. They have real jobs, other lives and families, yet they take time out of their busy lives to help animals find homes. The really cool part is most IDR+ dogs are in foster homes. The foster parent gets to KNOW the animal. Rather than living in a kennel or shelter, the pet experiences family life and family responsibilities, so the foster parent is in tune with the quirks of their foster dog. This makes the parent the best person to determine the "fit" for that particular animal. I have read some of the past reviews. Some potential adopters don't like this system and they seem to feel they know best. That is an incorrect assumption. When an animal lives in your home, you get to know them, REALLY know them. The foster parent has the most information about that animal and it is only right that they have the final say in the adoption. Take at a look at IDR+ successful adoption rate and know this group knows what it is doing. read more

6 weeks of hell with this dog and we couldn't take it anymore. Were told by Kirstin C at the rescue "bring him back and we'll refund your adoption fee - it's not about the money for us - we just want you and the dog to be happy." We returned the dog along with $500+ of brand NEW doggy items we had purchased for him - all of which we donated to the rescue just to be kind. And guess what? Yep - NO refund. I got a bitchy email from the owner quoting the contract to me (which I already knew) "after 2 weeks no adoption fee refund". Just please don't go to this AWFUL place and don't let your friends get burned here either. I've told all my friends to pass this on. What a horrible and depressing "1st time dog owner" experience this has been. Phew. read more

The negative reviews about this wonderful rescue are from people who either feel entitled to different rules or simply do not have a clue how a rescue work. This rescue is comprised of people who are unpaid volunteers without a facility. The dogs are fostered in peoples home all across IL, IA, IN and WI. Thousands of animals have been saved through this unbelievable loving rescue. IDR+ takes in senior animals and well as severely medically challenged dogs. Most rescues only take in the young and the healthy due to turn around time and the severe money drain sick or senior dogs can create. These dedicated people spend enormous amount time, bathing, vetting, driving and loving these unwanted animals. You think the adoption rules are tough? I guess when you dedicate most of your free time to ensure these animals go to forever loving homes, you can make the rules. You are upset because IDR would not take in a mixed dog? Really? Do you think they have the resources to take in every dog that is dumped in this world? They are a breed rescues, for Dobermans, and will take in some other select dogs. I can NOT believe that someone - who is DUMPING THEIR RESPONSIBILITY is criticizing a rescue. You are appalled because you did not get your money back after the contract clearly states two weeks trial for refund and it was 6 weeks? The adoption money barely covers the vet bills and medical care these dogs are given. Its laughable to think you feel entitled to a refund. These dogs are not the rescues personal dogs, but dogs rescued from various situations. There are hundreds of dogs in this rescue. It is impossible to know how a dog will react in a new home environment. Most dogs need time to adjust to a new home and a loving person would give them the time to settle in a routine. IDR is a dedicated and a unselfishly loving rescue. They give each and every animal a chance to have the life they deserve. Anything less than 5 star reviews I am appalled at . Spend an hour in these volunteers shoes before you whine. read more

DO NOT USE THIS RESCUE PROGRAM!!!!!!!! After weeks struggling with the idea of parting with my wonderful pet due to a relocation, I decided to contact Pam at the Illinois Doberman Rescue for advice. Needless to say, she was pitiful. She was utterly unhelpful, offensive and rude. Below please find her email to me AND an article discussing how UNLIKELY it will be that my pet will ever find a home because she is a "black dog." "Hi - I'm sorry but Bella is not a Doberman. She might have a smidge in her but honestly I see none. And I am just going to be honest with you if you put her at a shelter her chances will be next to nothing to find a home as she is 6 years old and black. This is from the internet. "Black Dog Syndrome" - Black Dogs are the Last to Find Homes Pam" I would not recommend this non-for-profit to anyone for adoption or otherwise. Clearly, Pam does not have concern for the animals or their well being and her utter lack of etiquette toward a customer regarding a sensitive subject further illustrates that she should make a career change. read more

IDR is a great rescue organization. I was looking for a pekingese since I love that breed. I found a cute little boy named Oscar on PetFinder and saw that he was being fostered by a volunteer from IDR. Strange, since it's a DOBERMAN rescue, but apparently they take in other breeds as well, which is always nice. My boyfriend sent an email asking about him but they said he had just gotten adopted. Sad. I continued my search for a peke for another week when my bf got an email saying Oscar was returned because the adopter's allergies became too much to bear and said if we were still interested, we could put in an application for him and they said we could take him home within days! Since we were in the process of moving into a house, we wanted to wait until we were settled before we took him home so they put our application on hold, but told us that if someone was able to take him sooner than we could, then they had to go with another adopter because it would be in the best interest of the dog. That's fair. Once we approached our moving weekend, we activated our application for Oscar. Since the foster had already reviewed it, all we had to do was go meet him. Once at the foster's house, she gave us the lowdown on the dog, telling us what a normal day is like for him, what kinds of food he eats, how he socializes with people and other dogs, etc. Basically everything you need to know. She decided we were a good fit and told us we could adopt him. Usually they do a turnaround in three days, but since we wouldn't be ready for a few days, the foster said she could hold on to him for us for the extra two days, even though our adoption was finalized. Finally we got to take him home. He came with a leash, collar, bag of current food, and they transferred the microchip to our name. The shelter works with 24PetWatch, a pet insurance company, and gives you 72 hours to activate your insurance for 30 days of free insurance. There was a problem with the transfer of microchip info and we missed the deadline, but IDR worked with us and they were able to extend the deadline. Oscar is a great boy. He is just as the foster explained him to be. I highly recommend IDR and other rescues as well. They are different from big chain shelters because the animals are not trapped in tiny cages (see my review for Animal Welfare League, where Oscar was actually rescued from). I'm so grateful to IDR for giving me my new best friend and for rescuing dogs like him. read more

About three years ago, I was surfing the pet section of craigslist and came across an IDR+ listing for "the Snow Crew," a litter of nearly all-white kittens. I already had Harry, a pure white kitten from PAWS and I like to stay within a color scheme. (Kidding.) Long story short, I wound up a sweet couple's house in the middle of nowhere. It was like that scene from Ace Venture (http://bit.ly/7REEbW) where all the animals come running out from their hiding places. This couple fostered A LOT of animals for the IDR+. And in the midst of it all was this white beastie with a little black yamaka on his head who promptly fell asleep on my lap. Today, Gus has outgrown the yamaka and increased in size by about 18lbs. Together with Harry, he is the proud -- and patient -- foster brother to Twinkle Toes, another IDR+ kitty who is living with us until she finds her own forever home. Throughout Twinkle's time with us, I have spent quite a bit of time interacting with the people who run the IDR+. They are conscientiousness, it's true. I don't think that is a bad thing considering how many of these animals have already suffered in abusive homes or overcrowded shelters. And the IDR+ doesn't have a facility; instead, they rely on a network of foster parents that -- like me -- really want to do what is best for the animals. But I imagine tough choices must be made in order not to overextend their resources and volunteers. I am sorry people had negative experiences with the IDR+ staff, but in the end, any organization that takes animals off the street, away from abusive homes, and out of overcrowded shelters is A-OK in my book. read more

Although I sympathize with the other reviewers in that they did not get the full truth about their dogs, this is a rescue organization, not a breeder. This shelter takes in strays and dogs that have been neglected and abused and dogs that need hundreds of dollars worth of treatment and surgeries; what are you really expecting? I would think that going out of your way to adopt a dog, you would have this in mind, and be willing to work to give a dog that has had a hard life a good and loving home. That being said, the application process was not as bad as I was expecting! The application was online and took me 30 minutes. We heard from a volunteer within 2 days and had the house visit within another 2 days. By Friday we had our new dog! She is the sweetest thing and we are already head-over-heels in love with her. We couldn't be more happy to give her a home. Of course she has some quirks, but with patience, love, and training, she is getting better every day! Every person that we dealt with was efficient and thorough. I was pleased that the process was detailed, because it shows that these people truly CARE about finding a loving and lasting home for the dogs. They are going out of their way to try and keep these poor dogs from ever being strays again. Keeping in mind that all these people are all volunteers, the least I felt I could do was be patient. I would recommend this rescue to anyone. Dobermans are such a kind and intelligent breed, it takes a lot of self restrain not to keep going back to Illinois Doberman Rescue and adopting more dogs! read more

This place saved my animal. Mila was able to find a great home. They had a place all picked out for her before I even dropped her off. They gave her shots and made her feel loved. I cried the entire way home. They sent me pictures of when she got adopted and updates about how happy the family was with my pupper. I couldn't be more grateful. read more

i really wish i could give this place 5 stars with a successful story attached but thats not the case here!!!! since i cannot write a review on their fb figured id come here instead! So i have 2 dobermans already a 5 year old and a 2 year old! both trained and overall great dogs! ive discussed with my spouse we wanted to add to the family and get a smaller dog, no intentions of looking though. I USE to follow IDR on fb and a particular 40 pound smaller female dog popped up i showed my spouse he said go for it but good-luck! he already warned me about this place but i didn't care. i put the app in got all excited had someone contact me immediately saying the foster mom would contact me.. she never did so i emailed the org person who did. they told me the foster mom thought i had too big of dogs for such a little dog but i could still talk to her so i said yes immediately. she did email asking me for more info on my dogs i gave a very detailed email she emailed me back right away and loved my email and thought i had sweet pups and was a good fit for her foster dog and wanted to set up a meeting. i said yes right away ...... 4 DAYS LATER i get a email from the foster mom saying now I AM NOT A GOOD FIT AND THE MEETING IS CANCELLED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No explanation nothing i even emailed her back right away asking why a change of mind.. its going on the 2nd day and NOTHING!!!!!!!! idk what these people are looking for but you have a overload of animals yet wont adopt to anyone esp someone who deserves a dog. i have since unfollowed them on fb and have been telling EVERYONE NOT TO GO HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i am truly disappointed, heartbroken, and confused!!!! read more

There is a lot of hoops and barriers you have to jump through. It seems like they make the process as annoying as possible and their generally negative attitude doesn't help either. I have tried working with them on 2 occasions but the frustration is always so high I end up giving up. The first time they denied my application after a month of preparations because I was putting in a new fence and there was 1 section not yet complete when they decided to make their home inspection. I suppose the new fence pallets and tools that were propped next to the missing section was not a hint to them. The 2nd time, I gave up after 3 weeks of unreturned voicemails and unanswered emails. I am very happy with the dogs I ended up getting from reputable breeders, but I can't shake off the frustration that these folks impose if you try to give a good home to a dog that needs one. read more

I've adopted two dogs from IDR over the years, and they have both been delightful, sweet Dobermans who fit into our family very quickly. They excelled in obedience classes and both earned their Canine Good Citizen titles. One of them went on to become a therapy dog. Rescue dogs truly appreciate the good life once you give it to them, and your house isn't a home until you have a snuggly Doberman trying to crawl into your lap on the sofa. read more

Ever since I was lucky enough to get Fritzy into my life, I've been grateful to IDR! I knew I wanted to rescue, not buy, and Kelli really made the process easy for me. She was accommodating when I needed to reschedule my appointment to first see the little guy and she was really careful to make sure he was going to a good home. Thanks IDR read more

This is a really impressive rescue organization that deserves 5 stars. For anyone who is concerned by Kelly b.'s negative reviews, please don't be. Take a look at her profile. Every business gets 5 stars except those who refuse to give her special treatment because she doesn't read their policies (http://www.yelp.com/biz/shoe-soko-oak-park#hrid:VwGB22Wu3jNwf-f36vVwvw). IDR has policies and rules, just like any other rescue, or business, for that matter. Yes, they will apply to you. That said, we recently adopted two cats from IDR foster mom Melissa. We originally found them on the IDR website and filled out an application. Our application was approved after a series of pleasant emails with IDR co-founder Alise, and we were placed in contact with Melissa to schedule a visit. Melissa was friendly and made herself available for a visit at our convenience. She fosters several cats in her home, specializing in cats with various medical issues requiring advanced care. Melissa is incredibly knowledgeable about cat care and provides a clean, sunny, home for the fosters in her care. She described the cats' personalities accurately on the IDR website, and filled us in on additional relevant information during our visit. While we had only intended to rescue one cat, we ended up falling in love with a second cat who also came home with us. Based on the adoption process we experienced, it was clear that IDR is interested in finding forever homes for their rescues, and places that interest above financial considerations. Both cats adapted quickly to life in our house, and have become members of the family. Alise and Melissa have been available and happy to address some minor medical concerns since we brought the cats home. In short, this rescue, its leadership and volunteers go above and beyond to look out for the best interests of the IDR rescue cats. I would not hesitate to adopt from them again, and highly recommend IDR to anyone looking to save a life. read more

Wonderful foster home based rescue. I adopted both a chihuahua (considered a plus dog) also my Doberman girls In 2008 and 2014. The application process was easy and adoption fees are very reasonable. All 3 dogs came with all current vaccinations and already spayed. Multiple family members have also adopted a variety of cats and dogs as well. read more

Kelly B.- Not sure that adopting a Doberman would be the greatest idea for a "1st time dog owner". Do your research, Dobermans are wonderful dogs, but require an experienced owner. Nothing to do with the stereotypes here, actually just because of their size and strong personalities. Not sure why you would donate $500.00 of dog items, unless you were giving up on the whole "dog ownership" thing altogether. As much as that was a nice gesture, it also shows that you adopted a dog, couldn't train it, and gave up, not only on the dog, but the whole idea of having a dog in your life, which in the end shows that you were not all that committed to begin with. Being a dog owner for 19+ years I have to say that reading your review, I think it is an unjust review of a wonderful organization. as for the housebroken "guarantee" and "good with cats" supposed "guarantee" come on, you are really showing your "1st time dog owner" true colors. Alexandra W. - I am sorry you had to go through relocation issues, but at the end of the day, you have to step into this organization's shoes. If worse came to worse I am sure Pam would have taken the dog, but that being said I believe she was just trying to deter you, and if that initial determent set you off to motivate you to write a review, then I see how easily you were deterred when the next place you were living said "no dogs" and the new apartments skyline view was just so much better then the dog that had grown to love you. J.G. - welcome to a good adoption process. Hurdles are in place to weed out the people that are not serious, committed, or qualified to rescue a doberman/ any breed. example, review Kelly B., somehow she slipped past said "hurdles" and look where it got everyone involved in that situation. FYI - to everyone, I am not an IDR member or volunteer, I do own a doberman, that I rescued from Anti Cruelty, not from IDR. but I have met Pam before and other volunteers and they are great people. I also have been around enough adoption agencies, including my girlfriend that volunteered at a certain no kill shelter here in Chicago. we have a wonderful, going on 2 year old, golden retriever / chow mix that has been a handful since he was a puppy, is still one of the most wonderful dogs I have every met. really the equation here is: Dog's personality + adopter's commitment = Success for canine and human. The adoption process in it self is there to try to set up a good fit, but really it is up to the new owner to make and carry out the commitment. Sorry to bash you guys but come on, you are bashing a good organization because of your own personal decisions/ inabilities/ inexperience. read more

We went through the process and adopted the best dog ever. I understand WHY the process is there. To ensure you get a pet that is well suited for your family. Dobermans are not labs, and not for a 1st time owner! Illinois doberman rescue does an amazing job with theses dogs. Every volunteer I have dealt with has been wonderful, and you can tell that they truly care about the dogs. They take the time to evaluate each pet so they are placed in the right home. I would give them 10 stars if I could. read more

We adopted an enormous English Mastiff from these folks. The dog walked oddly and would not sit down. The woman who owned the kennel spewed some crap about "show dogs are trained not to sit". Got the dog home and he was clearly in great distress. Come to find out he had hip dysplasia something terrible. They knew it but did not want to deal with it. All they wanted to do was to get the dog out of their care. They did take the dog back and did refund our money, but were not at all honest about the dog. Beware! read more

We adopted Faye, a 7 yr old Boston Terrier/Doxie. We fell in love with her as soon as we saw her face. She is so awesome and smart, loves her new sister Mary, and her fenced yard. She is such a cuddle bug, and loves to sleep with us. I have to say that her Foster mom deserves a lot of credit for teaching her. This dog is perfect, thanks IDR Plus Kathy and John Barton read more

while some individuals may have a problem with honesty and reading contracts, I'm looking at adopting my second rescue from Pam. Love and respect a GOOD rescue group read more

We got a "plus" dog from IDR+. (non-doberman) Since we had 2 dogs already and some other pets, we became a foster first to make sure everyone got along with each other before making the final commitment. I wanted to adopt this girl right from the moment I heard about her. Once she was in our home, I knew she would not leave. Needless to say, we adopted her. I will be forever grateful to IDR+ for my little girl. Not many rescues would take in a 6+ year old mix that is not in their specific breed. If they had not, our home would be missing a valuable part that has made us complete. Thank you IDR+ ! read more

Well, I have had a great experience with IDR. I adopted from them a few years ago and due to changes in my family I had to return the pet. I adopted once again in April 2011, and from the start it all has been good. I adopted Chance, a 1 1/2 year old male blue dobe. He is a great dog, just as IDR described him. I would like to say that the doberman is a unique breed and if you don't know about the breed or if you are a first-time dog owner, do your homework. They need time, love and training. If you can't give these, don't adopt! They are frequently called "Velcro Dogs" this is very appropriate since they love to be around their family. If you don't want a 50lb+ dog following you around the house, don't adopt a dobe. If you want a true companion and friend adopt a dobe. Whatever you decide, please don't buy a puppy of any breed from a pet shop, this just encourages bad breeding and "puppy mills." Adopt, Adopt, ADOPT!! read more

Run don't walk from this rescue! You have 2 wks. to judge your rescue pet's behavior (that's how long you have for a full refund). We specifically asked for a non aggressive- no growling rescue. We had to pick up our rescue dog 1 day after she was spayed because there was no room in the president "Pam's" house. It was then we were told she growls but the president Pam said "all rescue growl". Not true! We later discovered that our rescue had tapeworms (supposedly stool sample was negative) yeast & ear infection Therefore, we had to treat our other pet..that's an extra $200 right there. We called to tell president Pam and she yelled "just bring the dog back" & "worms are no big deal". Her response was quite disturbing. We discovered later that this rescue had to been to 5 homes already.We couldn't imagine re-homing this rescue again. This president Pam is very unprofessional and incredibly rude. They're are too many great rescues out there to choose from - stay away from these shady people whose solution to dog problems are spraying them with water - my rescue is petrified of water now. Not my idea of positive obedience....In fact because of her behavior towards other dogs we may not even be able to put her in obedience class! read more

I have adopted two dogs from IDR, and my b/f has adopted one. My personal experience differs significantly from the other reviewer. I felt they knew the dogs, served them and supported me. I wish other organizations were run as well as this one. (By the way, sometimes an adoptee may have an accident, even if well-trained. MOST people know that this can happen and are prepared for it.) read more

Personally I think the people that gave these bad reviews are NOT animal lovers. This shelter is trying to HELP animals. Sorry if your "first time" dog experience didn't work out. Sorry that the dog wasn't potty trained already. And sorry that this shelter tried to CONVINCE you that maybe you shouldn't throw your dog in a shelter because you have to relocate. ( YOU made a commitment to the dog. If you have or will have kids will you dump them too when you have to move again?) A rescue rescues dogs, doesn't make perfect dogs. You have to devote alot of time to an animal, especially a dog. It is a very rewarding experience to rescue a dog from a shelter instead of buying one from the store where they are mass produced in puppy mills. IDR has saved so many dogs and cats from various situations. I would recommend it to anyone who loves animals and wants to HELP them. read more

After losing my 13 yr old Lhasa apso in Oct we decided that we would get another dog and this time would rescue a dog. I looked on pet finder and found a tiny 5lb Chihuahua. I emailed the society and found myself emailing directly with his foster mum. I was out of the country at the time and I asked if she would keep him for me until I got back. I had told her about my other pets and completed an application form. More than 30 emails were exchanged from the time I inquired to the time I collected him. I am so pleased with my new little boy and so thankful for the help and advice I have received from this organization. He had a couple of issues -which are normal for a rescue dog but I can honestly say they have been there to help me. I would recommend using this society to find your new pet. read more

Great rescue organization that helps all sorts of animals! Obviously Dobermans but all breeds of dogs, cats and small animals. Their website is always up to date and super informative. read more

IDR is a wonderful rescue group that really cares about the animals they pull and place into homes. Yes like with any rescue there is a process but that process is there to ensure that these dogs, cats and small animals go into good homes that are the right match for them and their new family. I have had the wonderful pleasure of working with this amazing rescue in the past and miss doing so. You can't go wrong with going to IDR for your new best friend and family member. read more

This story starts off in the fall of 2016. I knew that it would take some time to adopt a Doberman from any rescue that I would deal with. My wife and I were looking to adopt a female Doberman. First Olga came out and did the home inspections. Both my wife and I had told Olga that our 2 male Dobermans have gotten into some scuffles in the past, but to remedy that we would lock one up in his cage and also separate them. Olga told us that it should be ok, because her dogs had gotten into scuffles before too. Then I waited for over a month to see if anything would be sent to my email or sent via mail. I never received anything. So I went ahead and emailed Linda LeVeille at Illinois Doberman Rescue. She told me that she would look into it. She emailed me back telling me that it went out per email. I told her that I didn't receive it. Then she emailed the approval letter to me, but the story doesn't end here. Before she emailed me the approval letter she had emails back and forth with me about the dog fights. I had told her that they were minor and what we did to calm down the situation between the 2 males. She must have forgotten that she hit the reply all button on the email, but her conversation with one of her colleagues said that my wife and I must not know anything about Dobermans. When I saw the email I emailed her back telling her that I have over 25 years of experience with Dobermans and training. I just wanted to disclose any issues that I have ever had with my 2 so that they were aware. I totally understand with Illinois Doberman Rescue with being concerned about the fights. The thing I don't agree with is assuming someone doesn't know anything about Dobermans. So I went ahead and just blew that off thinking this would be the end of it. Over the past year I have asked about a lot of the Dobermans that are up for adoption on the website. Looking at their bios I would go ahead and email Kristen Schmidt inquiring about adopting and I would get the response that they wouldn't be a good fit for my home. Kristen retired and told me to contact Linda about adoption. I then would find other Doberman per their bios that I felt would be good fit for my home. I would email Linda and she would email me back telling me that they weren't a good fit for my home. After a year of dealing this I finally gave up and went ahead and bought a female Doberman puppy from a reputable breeder in Wisconsin. I don't think anyone should have to go through this kind of bad service from a rescue. From having to bug them about a approval letter to them assuming that I have no experience with the Doberman breed. The approval letter is a simple solution. You should have the people receiving the email respond to your email telling you that they received the approval letter. read more

We have adopted 11 dogs from IDR, and fostered several others. We are on our 14 and 15 doberman friends. They are great companions, but may not be the best 1st dog for some folks. One of the reasons obedience classes are recommended for most of these wonderful dogs, is to help teach the folks how to work with their new friends and teach the person how to behave with their new friend. It is very important that the dobermans be instructed as to what behavior is expected from them, right from the start. These dogs make great companions, but they are very smart, and they will try to push their human companions to follow their ideas rather than the human ones if allowed to run the show. Obedience training is often process of teaching the human how to act around the dog, which often quite different than what most folks believe. One might be able to skimp on training their smaller friends, but this is not a very good idea with larger dogs, that can be can be just a bit harder to work with. Both parties need to understand what is expected from them, as hopefully adopting a doberman will be a 10 to 14 year commitment. Our current 2 doberfriends are both 7/8 years old. One was picked up as a stray in Chicago, the other was rescued from a pound in South Carolina. They are great dogs, once they learned what we expected from them and what they expected from us. read more

Great rescue program. Friendly and helpful too. People who think rescuing a dog is the same as getting a dog from a breeder should be better informed. Rescue dogs are special and usually come from sad situations. I felt like the IDR staff (Pam), was honest and helpful. You are not getting a brand new puppy. They cannot promise you anything. With love and patience the dogs will come around. I adopted our girl back in July and could not be happier. Keep up the good work....the dogs are counting on you. read more

Steer clear of this organization. They are not interested in finding homes for these wonderful animals, just interested in putting up hurdle after hurdle that no sane person would want to jump over, and for whatever reason I can only imagine. We were interested in adopting a rescue doberman back in 2006 as a companion for our then 10 year old doberman. Our doberman was a sweet old lady with a long list of health issues that we had raised since a puppy and was a much-loved member of our family. I had grown up with dobermans, she was the fourth one I've had, so I am obviously a big fan of the breed. We were denied adoption in 2006 because of a myriad of reasons, including the fact that our doberman was "running loose, unattended" with our children outside during the home visit. Huh? We had an underground pet fence which our doberman had never challenged, let alone escaped from, during the five years we had it. They further stated they were "very concerned for our dog's safety". If that was the case, what about the kids? They also didn't "feel comfortable" with some of our answers including crate training (I don't believe in long-term crating), our "exercise plan", and the introduction to our dog. They seemed to invent reasons why we were unfit to adopt one of their dogs. I think we could probably adopt a child with less hurdles. Sadly, we had to put down our sweet lady exactly one year ago. She was a week shy of her 15th birthday, which is a pretty remarkable lifespan for a doberman. We are finally ready to add a new dog to our family, and I once again ran across this "organization". They can rest assured I won't bother to apply again for a rescued doberman since CLEARLY I am an unfit doberman parent. We are going to adopt a dog this time around from an organization that is truly interested in giving a dog a second chance. read more

We adopted a dog from IDR some years ago, and I never thought to write a Yelp review about our experience until now. IDR was phenomenal, and we were able to adopt the most amazing dog from them. It was nice to work with a group whose sole concern is the long-term welfare of these dogs -- I really felt like they were trying to match us to a dog that fit our life and what we were looking for. In the end, we were so incredibly happy with our experience and our dog. If we still lived in the area I would use them to adopt another in a heartbeat. read more

We adopted two dogs from IDR. They were great dogs, one had special needs. The volunteers were incredibly helpful. I think they do a great job. I would adopt from them again in a heartbeat! However, I developed so much skill and confidence with the dogs I adopted from them I decided to go straight to an animal shelter where the dogs are kenneled and mostly strays for are next pet. read more