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Adoption Process As of 6/15/09 we no longer adopt to families who have children 6 and under. PLEASE SERIOUSLY CONSIDER YOUR LIFETIME COMMITMENT TO A DOG before adopting or buying any dog. Especially if you are planning to have a child within the next 5 years, because "having a baby" is the number one reason for giving up a family dog. All dogs come with individual differences and some may not easily adjust to life with a small child. However, these dogs also deserve a LIFETIME commitment from their people. If you may be planning to have a child, will you also honor your lifetime commitment to your dog? Or will your dog no longer be important enough to work through the bumps and challenges of life with a child? Please watch this video and understand the dog needs a committment for life not just a little while. We DO NOT have a shelter so please follow the steps below. You must complete an adoption application before we will consider you for one of our dogs. After your adoption application has been approved then we can begin to discuss some possible matches. Keep in mind it is possible that the dog you apply for could be adopted by the time you finish your application process. However we have many dogs available and we are sure another one will be a good match. We will hold your app on file until you find your match. Our minimum adoption fee is $100 for seniors, $225 for adults, and $300 for puppies under 6 months. Cash or check only. There is a two-week trial period where your adoption fee is refundable and the dog must come back to us, should you discover this dog is not the dog for you. After the two-week trial period, should you discover that the dog is not the dog for you, he/she still should come back to us, but we are sorry to say, that your adoption fee is no longer refunded. We will have used that money toward the care of the next dog. We hope that you will understand. One exception is that we cannot take back a dog that has bitten. Below is a more detailed summary of our process. The beginning process is the same for the "Plus" dogs and the fee is the same. For some purebreds the fee may be higher. The IDR+ process contains 5 steps as designated below. STEP 1. APPLICATION PROCESS We request that you complete and return our Illinois Doberman Rescue Application, which asks that your provide us with both a veterinarian and personal reference. Please note that it is mandatory that your existing pets are both up-to-date on their vaccinations and spayed/neutered (unless there is a medical reason or you are showing your dog in conformation-both will require proof). We have devised a vaccination protocol which can be read below. Vaccination Protocol The following guidelines are the minimum vaccination requirements that Illinois Doberman Rescue Plus will accept. These guidelines are based partially on the recommendations of the AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) and the AAHA (American Animal Hospital Association). It is advised that you should discuss these guidelines with your veterinarian as your vet may have reason to alter this protocol based on your animal's health and lifestyle. Not following the minimum requirements of this protocol, unless directed otherwise by your veterinarian, could result in your application being denied. DOGS All dogs shall be given Heartworm preventive during the mosquito season. This is typically 8 months of the year, and our organization recommends year round prevention as this helps to prevent internal parasites also. All dogs shall be vaccinated for canine distemper (CDV), canine parvovirus (CPV) and canine adenovirus type 2 (CAV2) according to the following guidelines: Puppies (if under 16 weeks) shall receive at least 2 sets of the above shots, with 4 recommended and another at 1 year of age. If over 16 weeks, puppies shall receive 1 set of shots and another at 1 year of age. Then annually there after. There are always exceptions and many people do not vaccinate their older dogs which we completely understand. All dogs shall be vaccinated for rabies as per state law. This is usually done at 4 months of age and yearly thereafter. If your vet recommends it, a 3 year rabies vaccine may be used if allowed by your state. As these are minimum requirements, it is best to follow the advice of your vet. There are other vaccines, such as those for Lyme disease and kennel cough, that your vet may find necessary based on your dog's risk factors. CATS Pet cats shall be vaccinated for feline panleukopenia (FPV), feline herpes virus 1 (FHV1) and feline calicivirus (FCV) according to the following guidelines: Kittens (if under 16 weeks) shall receive 1 dose of the above shots at 6 weeks, 9 weeks, 12 weeks and 16 weeks and a booster 1 year later. If over 16 weeks, kittens shall receive 1 dose and a booster 1 year later. After the cats first year, we leave it to the discretion of your vet. We recommend cats get the necessary vaccinations annually at least for the first years of their life. Pet cats shall be vaccinated for rabies unless directed otherwise by your veterinarian. Most municipalities and counties require cats to be vaccinated for rabies under the law. There are other diseases such as Feline Leukemia and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus that can be controlled with vaccines. It is advisable to discuss your cat's risk factors with your veterinarian to determine if your cat should receive these vaccines. If possible, we would like to see feral and barn cats vaccinated and spay/neutered also. Illinois Doberman Rescue recommends that you have your pets examined by your veterinarian annually, even if the pet does not need shots or a heartworm test. These examinations are important in detecting conditions such as cancer, heart disease, dental disease, internal parasites and many others while they are still treatable. ALL DOGS AND CATS SHALL BE SPAY/NEUTERED unless they are being shown in conformation or other trials where it is required to have the animal intact or there is an underlying medical condition. We do not adopt dogs out as gifts for many reasons. You could possibly offer the surprise of adopting, but it is best everyone is together to choose the new family companion. You may choose to submit your application by way of regular mail. You may choose to fax or email your application. Mailing address and email/fax information is listed on the top of the application. Note: During this process you may be working with a number of different members of our group. ILLINOIS DOBERMAN RESCUE APPLICATION Please click on one of the application formats below: IDR+ Doberman Application 
IDR+ Non-Doberman Application
IDR+ Cat Application
Send to: IDR+
P.O. Box 435 Barrington, IL 60011 Fax: 847-745-0471 STEP 2 INITIAL FOSTER PARENT CONTACT While we are reviewing your application, you may call to inquire about any of the dogs on our "Available Dobermans". It is probably easier to wait though as the dog you inquire about might be adopted by the time you complete the application. It is important that you inform the foster parent that you have submitted a copy of the application. ** PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THERE IS USUALLY A WAITING LIST OF PRE-APPROVED APPLICANTS. THESE APPLICANTS ARE CONTACTED FIRST WHEN NEW DOGS ENTER OUR PROGRAM. ** STEP 3. HOME VISIT After processing your application, the foster parent or another volunteer with Illinois Doberman Rescue will visit you home to perform a home visit. The purpose of this visit is to verify any information you have listed on your application (i.e., fenced-in yard, crate, etc.) and to ensure that we are matching you with the correct Rescue Doberman for your home environment. We request all members to be present at the home visit. PLEASE NOTE: The adoption process CANNOT be completed until a home visit has been performed. STEP 4. MEETNG THE AVAILABLE DOBERMANS Once your application has been approved, you will be invited to meet the Doberman(s) of your choice. If possible, we encourage you to look at all of the available dogs in our program that fit your profile. These dogs are in foster homes all over Illinois so you will travel to different homes or kennels depending on who you are interested in. You will need to call or email the foster parent to get more information about the specific dog. You will be expected to travel to these homes to meet and visit with your potential adopted Doberman. All members of the family should attend this initial meeting since we consider this to be a family decision. We advise you not to bring your dog along. It is best to do a slow introduction at home. STEP 5. ADOPTION CONTRACT AND ADOPTION FEE Finally, to complete a valid adoption, an adoption contract must be signed and an adoption fee of:
(Since we are a not-for-profit group, this fee simply is deposited into our pool of funds to help the next Doberman in need of our assistance.) Our contract requires that you complete obedience classes within 6 months of your adoption. There are obvious exceptions to this requirement and the foster will let you know if they do not feel you need to attend. The Dobe is a working breed that needs mental and physical stimulation. They need a strong owner that sets limitations and creates a respectful relationship with their dog. To insure that obedience classes are completed on some of our more challenging dogs, an obedience deposit of $150 will be collected at the time of adoption and returned upon completion of the class of your choice. The foster parent of the dog will let you know if an obedience class is required for their dog. |