on july 17 2025 our lives changed forever. we were stacked like inventory. neglected. starving. terrified. used only to make puppies. we fought each other for food. we baked in the sun. we shivered in the cold. and we wept in the rain. we saw our friends left for dead. we called, but nobody came. we never had the chance to know anything but misery; the promise of a good life was never ours. until one day...
-On July 17th, twenty-five (25) Dobermans were removed from a Bluff City, TN home by The Animal Shelter of Sullivan County . The organization explained in a Facebook post: “These dogs were found living in extremely poor conditions and are now safe in our care — but their journey to healing is just beginning.” According to the nonprofit, all of the dogs are suffering from “serious medical neglect", as well as, "malnourishment, untreated wounds, and overall poor health.”
They were found with severe emaciation, skin and upper respiratory infections, and possible vision issues. One dog’s tail "was dangling and severely infected" (amputation was necessary) "as it looks like someone tried to dock the tail at the home". Another had his ears cropped ‘likely without anesthesia.’ Police said multiple dead dogs were found on the property, four of which are being taken to the UT Veterinary Medical Center for necropsies.
Volunteer Doberman Rescue has stepped in to offer some of these dogs a second chance. We were able to place eight of the surviving sixteen dogs into foster homes across three states; this is our Sullivan County Project.
UPDATE 11/21/2025: THE SULLIVAN COUNTY PROJECT IS COMPLETE!! ALL DOGS ARE OUT OF RESCUE AND DOING GREAT. THANK YOU TO ALL INVOLVED, AND THANK YOU FOR VISITING ALONG THE WAY!
MARLEE
Terrified and covered in filth when she was found, Marlee is now decompressing and learning a new life in Memphis. She is unsure of how to interact with friendly dogs, timid around people, and overall struggling to figure it all out.
VSDR is committed to our foster program, and we're supporting Marlee and her foster family the best we can. However, there is no way we complete this Project without the generous support of our rescue friends. Please consider helping Marlee through this transition by clicking the link below to send her something from her Amazon Wishlist. If you prefer to donate to the Project directly, you can also use the Donate button.
CHARLOTTE
Charlotte's eyes told us all we needed to know. Scarred, scared, and missing hair, she was taken out of misery and taken to her foster family to begin again. Against all odds, and to everyone's surprise, Charlotte is as friendly as she can be! Just a couple of days without the weight of her neglect, and she's showing her true colors. She is getting along well with all of her foster family; humans as well as dogs!
We do what we can with what we have, but there is no way we can complete this Project without the generous support of our rescue friends. Please consider helping Charlotte through this transition by clicking the link below to send her something from her Amazon Wishlist. If you prefer to donate to the Project directly, you can also use the Donate button.
MAZIE
Albinism can make a difficult life even worse, and Mazie proves it. Not only was she used solely for breeding, she also has the melanoma spots, the sensitivity to bright lights, the thinning hair, and the extra pink nose. But she also has a joy inside of her that makes your heart sing when she let's you see it. She's great with other dogs, timid but friendly so far, and is coming around on the snuggle time. Mazie doesn't do stairs yet, but if that turns out to be her biggest issue she'll be just fine.
We provide food, medicine, and whatever else our fosters need, but with a Project like this there is no way we can keep up without the generous support of our rescue friends. Please consider helping Mazie through this transition by clicking the link below to send her something from her Amazon Wishlist. If you prefer to donate to the Project directly, you can also use the Donate button.
TYSON
Don't let the pretty face fool you, Tyson has had a difficult time just like everyone else. The scarring on his poor ears suggests a backyard crop, and anesthesia isn't something you find at Petsmart. He arrived in Winchester, TN with some upper respiratory issues, but they seem to be clearing up nicely. Tyson is friendly, but will need a lot of time on the end of a leash as well as some socialization.
VSDR tries hard to be able to fill any foster Doberman's needs, but with a Project like this there is no way we can keep up without the generous support of our rescue friends. Please consider helping Tyson through this transition by clicking the link below to send him something from his Amazon Wishlist. If you prefer to donate to the Project directly, you can also use the Donate button.
ELLIE
Ellie escaped severly underweight at just 27lbs, nails likely never trimmed, reeking of her own filth. This poor girl was terrified of everything, almost as if she'd never left her cage. She's currently learning how to be a dog by watching her foster brothers and sisters, and with some guidance of her foster mom in Winchester, TN. She no longer has to be carried in and out to use the facilities, as she was not only scared of all the outdoors but also all the indoors. With lots of practice, patience, and pets she should turn out just fine.
Food, treats, medicine, toys, bathing supplies; it all adds up fast. With a Project like this there is no way we would be able to do what we do without the generous support of our rescue friends. Please consider helping Ellie through this transition by clicking the link below to send her something from her Amazon Wishlist. If you prefer to donate to the Project directly, you can also use the Donate button.
ASHTON
Ashton spent her first morning in foster hiding from the world in her new back yard. She couldn't enjoy the fresh air, the soft grass, or the warm sun because she had been without any of it for too long. She didn't know what to do with her newfound freedom, so she hid from it. She's coming around though, allowing her foster mom to get close enough to deliver a treat or a nose boop.
Ashton will be on the long side as far as foster stays are measured, and she'll need a lot of support. With a Project like this there is no way we would be able to do what needs to be done without the generous support of our rescue friends. Please consider helping Ashton through this transition by clicking the link below to send her something from her Amazon Wishlist. If you prefer to donate to the Project directly, you can also use the Donate button.
NIMBUS
Maybe the most rewarding rescue of the Project is little Nim. Stained by his own urine, undernourished and undersized, little Nim only had to endure the hell for a short time. He never knew the terror, the loneliness, or the neglect that his parents and others did. Even though the former owner attempted to dock his tail with a castration band that lead to an immediate surgery once he was transported, Nim has a chance at a very different life from what could have been.
While little Nim will only be offered to currently approved adopters, he still needs some help until he heads out. With a Project like this there is no way we would be able to do any of this without the generous support of our rescue friends. Please consider helping Nim through this transition by clicking the link below to send him something from his Amazon Wishlist. If you prefer to donate to the Project directly, you can also use the Donate button.