CUMBERLAND - When Allegany County animal control found a young female red Doberman stray this past summer, they called Doberman Assistance Rescue and
Education, a nonprofit, privately funded, all-volunteer rescue organization that serves the District of Columbia, Maryland, Northern Virginia and West
Virginia.
A DAR&E volunteer picked up the Dobe, who then received updated shots and was spayed. But it was Cumberland native Kathleen Banks, DAR&E's foster home coordinator,
who placed the 2-year-old with a foster family. Two weeks later, Rita was adopted into her "forever home."
Banks has been involved with DAR&E for more than three years, serving on the board of directors, doing home visits, helping organize events, and transporting dogs
from shelters and former homes to foster families. She and her husband, Corvin, graduated from Valley High in Lonaconing in 1978 and Fort Hill High School in 1973,
respectively, and now live in Mount Airy.
"Dobermans are smart, devoted, obedient companions who, as with many other breeds, are sometimes misunderstood and wind up homeless," Banks said. "That's why we work
so closely with public and private shelters, pounds and humane societies to match the right dog with the right people in the best home."
To celebrate their now-fulfilled lives, more than 40 adopted Dobermans and 70 of their human parents turned out for DAR&E's annual picnic at Belquest Kennels in
Mount Airy. Among the Dobes with silly grins and wiggle butts were the Banks' 4-year-old Kayla and 5-year-old Riley, both adopted from DAR&E.
"We had lost our 2 1/2-year-old blue female to lymphoma cancer in 2000, and my vet recommended I contact DAR&E," Banks said. "I had no intention of adopting
someone else's problem, but I took the number and put it in a drawer. Somehow I was drawn to it and finally I called."
After going through the extensive application and home visit, Banks was introduced to a 7-month-old red Doberman, and she was immediately head over heels.
"Kayla had been dumped at a shelter in Baltimore ... The person told the shelter they had rescued the dog from being kicked around, but after taking her in,
they kept her locked in a bathroom 20 hours a day only taking her outside to go potty," Banks said.
Banks began fostering Dobermans in 2003, and when her 9 1/2-year-old male Dobe, Chance, died from a heart tumor, Banks took in Riley, a 4-year-old sick black Dobe
25 pounds underweight who lived outside and whose owner was going to jail.
Riley's 18-month-old female running mate also was rescued and adopted through DAR&E.
At the picnic, Riley served as the demonstration dog for six Dobermans who took and passed the American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen test. The 10-step
certification program stresses responsible pet ownership and is designed to reward dogs who have good manners.
DAR&E is dependent upon foster parents to care for homeless Dobermans until they are adopted.
"For every Doberman DAR&E rescues and adopts out, there are two or three more waiting to get into a foster home," Banks said. "It's challenging to be a foster
family but the rewards will fill your heart with joy."
DAR&E has rehomed 79 Dobermans this year, and more than 800 dogs have been adopted since the organization began in 1998.
For more information, log on to www.dobe.net or call (703) 352-5936.
