ADOPTING A NEW FAMILY MEMBER

We believe adopting a Doberman Pinscher can be one of the most rewarding life-experiences you’ll ever have! Dobes not only require physical exercise, but also the need to be challenged mentally. A Doberman that faces boredom or isolation can become quite the mischief maker. When you adopt a LOMDR dog, you will be required to attend a basic obedience class to assure you and your new pet are on a path to success.   Each Doberman is an individual.  We will let you know if the Doberman you are considering requires a fenced yard, special diet, if they can handle children, what type of home environment they will thrive in, etc. 

Our Rescue Dobermans come from animal control organizations, humane societies, and owner give-up situations.

Please note: All Lean On Me dogs are fostered in the homes of our volunteers located throughout the State of Illinois. We do not have a facility, so please do not try to visit our P.O. Box!

We have established an “adoptable geography” for the safety and convenience of our Dobermans and our foster homes. Please note that we will only consider applicants who reside in Illinois or within a few hour drive of Chicago. Thanks for understanding that homes outside of these boundaries are not normally considered eligible for adopting a Doberman from LOMDR. Our foster homes have complete discretion when matching a Dobe enrolled in our program with its forever home.

Once we receive a Doberman into our program, they are spayed or neutered if need be (with the exception of puppies younger than 6 months of age), fully vaccinated (Rabies-based on age, Distemper, Bordetella), Heartworm tested – based on age (and given monthly heartworm preventative), Fecal tested and Micro-chipped (a computer microchip placed in the dog's lower neck for help with identification should the animal ever become lost). Our Dobermans live in foster homes throughout Illinois where we attempt to evaluate their temperaments, learn their behavior style, and work on house manners and obedience. Most of our dogs receive socialization through living with other dogs and are familiarized with crate training. In some situations, our Dobermans may have also had the opportunity to be evaluated with children and cats.

We WILL NOT adopt our Dobermans into a home where they will be an outside dog or used as a guard dog. Dobermans bond strongly with their humans and all of our dogs deserve to be accepted as a house dog and be a loving and valued member of the family. We strive to place each Doberman into the best possible home taking into consideration family members, cats or other pets, yard space and fencing. Dobermans will be adopted to homes with children under the age of 10 on a case by case basis. In the event that a Doberman does not work out in the home it is placed, legally, it must be returned to LOMDR. The owner is responsible for transporting the dog back to our rescue.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Please note that our organization is run solely by volunteers who give many hours of their time to LOMDR. Our satisfaction comes from knowing we have helped an orphaned Doberman find its forever home. If you are in a hurry to adopt a Doberman, LOMDR is not an organization you will have a successful experience with. It is in everyone’s best interest to be thorough and thoughtful throughout every step of our application process.

STEP 1 Complete the application and return to LOMDR. You may choose to submit your application by way of regular mail, email, or fax. Mailing address, e-mail and fax are listed on the top portion of the application. Please note that during the application process you may be working with several different volunteers.

STEP2 Once your application is received, a volunteer will contact you. Please be patient, as all members are volunteers, it may take up to a week to be contacted. The volunteer will discuss what you are looking for or about the specific dog you are inquiring about to determine a good fit.

STEP 3 Veterinarian checks and reference checks will be conducted. It is absolutely mandatory that your past and current animals are up to date on vaccinations and are also spayed/neutered. Current pets must also be maintained on heartworm preventative. LOMDR strives to help control the pet population and will not adopt to homes with animals not spayed/neutered unless there is a medical reason or you are showing your dog in the ring.

STEP 4 While we are in the process of completing your application review, a volunteer will contact you to schedule an interview and home visit. The purpose of this visit is to ensure a safe environment for the dog and to verify the information you have listed on your application. The interview helps ensure the adopting family understands the responsibilities of owning and caring for a Doberman. LOMDR may also take this time to allow you to have a visit with the dog (if available) to see how the family interacts. The adoption process WILL NOT be completed until an interview and home visit is complete.

STEP 5 We reserve the right to refuse an applicant if, in our judgment, the home situation is not compatible with the needs of a Doberman or if the breed is not suitable for the applicant. To complete a valid adoption, an adoption contract must be signed and an adoption donation collected. The adoption donation serves to reimburse Lean On Me Doberman Rescue for the medical costs invested in your new pet.

Because LOMDR is a non-for-profit group, this donation simply is deposited into a pool of funds to help the next Doberman Pinscher in need of our assistance.

OUR ADOPTION DONATION AMOUNTS:

Puppies (8 months and under) $350.00: Adults $300.00

LOMDR ADOPTION APPLICATION (WORD)

LOMDR ADOPTION APPLICATION (PDF)