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Banks admits she was hesitant to adopt a rescued dog, because their histories can be questionable; however, she said she decided to give it a try.

Although the screenings, reference checks and evaluations could have turned her off to the process, Banks discovered she wanted to become a part of it.

“I was so impressed with the program, I joined,“ Banks said.

She also adopted Kayla, a red Doberman puppy in November 2000. By the following March, Banks was an official volunteer with the program.

Since its founding in 1998, the program has placed more than 1,100 Dobermans in homes. Some of the dogs, Banks said, are turned in by owners who can no longer care for them for one reason or another; others are found abandoned, and most come from animal shelters.

The program accepts and relocates Dobermans from as far north as Baltimore to Tidewater, Va., in the south. Each dog stays with a volunteer who cares for it for at least two weeks, during which time the animal is brought up-to-date on vaccines, spayed or neutered, and evaluated to determine what type of home would be most appropriate for adoption.

Banks said some of the dogs need surgery and expensive medical care, and though there are adoption fees, the organization must raise money to help with the costs.

Banks has been instrumental in helping the organization improve over the years, especially in the area of fundraising, said Athy Conigliaro, the program’s president.

“She’s so creative and she’s so organized,“ Conigliaro said. “She’s taken those skills and applied those to fundraisers for us.“

Banks expanded the occasional picnics that the program gave for their adopters into bi-annual social barbecue events, Conigliaro said. “She’s really made it a festival of sorts to celebrate our previous adopters and volunteers.“

Banks has also incorporated vendors and informational presentations into the events, Conigliaro said, which helps with raising money and also gives those in attendance exposure to additional resources that can aid them in raising their dogs.

Banks said one of the biggest components of the program is the educational aspect, which involves addressing misconceptions about the breed.

Dobermans, Banks said, were originally bred to protect tax collectors, and many people associate the dogs with being mean and aggressive. Which isn’t to say that they can’t be intimidating, she said.

“They’re very smart,“ said Banks, adding it is important to keep Dobermans’ minds occupied. “If you don’t get them training, they can be a nightmare.“

The program requires owners and dogs to take training classes as part of the adoption contract.

Bank and her husband Corvin also own Riley, a black male Doberman that was extremely fearful when he was brought into the program; after years of training, Riley is a “Canine Good Citizen,“ meaning he is used to test other dogs to see how they react around other animals.

“He was my foster that never left,“ Banks said about Riley. She said she made the decision to adopt Riley, because she could tell it was going to take a lot of time to get him to be less afraid; she was unsure if they could find someone willing to give him what he needed.

Banks spends about five hours each day working for the program, whether it’s reading e-mails from the site, serving on the organization’s board of directors or as a dog intake coordinator for the program.

Banks works with Doberman owners who contact the program because they want to give up their dog. Some owners approach the program because they are no longer able to care for the dogs. Other owners want to keep their Doberman, but may not know how to deal with a particular behavior and think surrendering the dog is the only option.

Sometimes Banks is able to help owners keep their companions by finding alternate solutions, such as training programs that target their particular concern.

She balances these tasks with her managerial responsibilities at the Mount Airy Burger King.

“She does it all,“ Conigliaro said. “She’s very energetic, and I think that’s where she’s been a godsend to us.“