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Community Impact · 100% Pro Bono Donation Studio · Web & Brand Labs · Custom EmDash Admin & Integrations

An all-in-one adoption platform & rescue operations portal for Dog is My Shepherd.

Dog is My Shepherd Rescue & Rehab is a 100% foster-based 501(c)(3) organization in Northlake, IL dedicated to pulling animals in crisis off euthanasia lists and rehabilitating them for forever homes. We donated a ground-up public website and engineered a custom EmDash administrative platform that centralizes third-party rescue syndication, adoption applications, medical and microchip records, and fundraising in one place.

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Partner
Dog is My Shepherd Rescue & Rehab (501c3)
Location
Northlake, IL & Greater Chicagoland
Disciplines
Candor Studio + Candor Labs
Architecture
EmDash + Custom Rescue Operations Portal

  • 5 → 1

    Unified operations hub

    Replaced a legacy Wix site, email chains, spreadsheets, PDF folders, and manual portal logins with one EmDash admin panel.

  • Auto-Sync

    3rd-party rescue feeds

    Volunteers update a dog's profile once; availability, photos, and attributes sync outward to external rescue directories.

  • 360°

    Medical & microchip vault

    Every vaccination log, heartworm rehab note, spay/neuter cert, and microchip ID stays attached to the animal from intake to adoption.

  • 100%

    Charitable donation

    Donated end-to-end by Candor Digital Group so every dollar raised goes directly toward veterinary care, food, and foster supplies.

The Operational Challenge

When volunteers spend hours on data entry, rescue slows down.

Because Dog is My Shepherd is 100% foster-based with no traditional kennel facility, their digital infrastructure is their shelter. Before partnering with Candor, volunteers were juggling disconnected tools just to get one dog adopted.

Before · Disconnected & Manual

Five separate places for every single animal

  • Double and triple data entry: Volunteers had to manually create and update pet listings across an older Wix website, Petfinder, and partner rescue boards separately.
  • Inbox bottlenecks: Adoption and foster applications arrived as unstructured emails, making it hard for multiple volunteers to track reference checks, home visits, and approvals.
  • Scattered critical documents: Vet intake exams, parvo/heartworm rehabilitation logs, vaccination dates, and microchip numbers lived across separate PDFs and foster texts.
  • Fragmented payments: Collecting adoption fees and matching them to signed contracts or medical sponsorships required manual reconciliation.

After · Custom EmDash Platform

One source of truth from intake to forever home

  • Single-entry syndication: Create or update an animal's profile once in the EmDash admin panel to publish across dogismyshepherd.org and 3rd-party rescue networks automatically.
  • Structured volunteer pipeline: Online adoption and foster applications link directly to the animal's record, with clear review stages for vet checks, home visits, and meet-and-greets.
  • Centralized health & microchip dossier: Medical records, rehab notes, and microchip registry numbers live inside each animal's vault—ready to hand off in one click at adoption.
  • Built-in adoption fees & donations: Adopters pay fees online as part of their approval flow, while supporters can make one-time or recurring 501(c)(3) donations directly on the site.

Inside the Build

Built on EmDash. Tailored for rescue volunteers.

Off-the-shelf shelter software is often clunky, expensive, and built for municipal kennels—not agile foster networks. By building on EmDash, we crafted a fast, modern public website paired with a custom admin experience that matches how Dog is My Shepherd volunteers actually work.

  1. 01 Syndication

    3rd-Party Rescue Website Sync

    Prospective adopters browse across multiple pet directories. We engineered automated data feeds so volunteers never have to copy-paste bios or re-upload photos across platforms.

    • Automatic attribute mapping (breed, age, size, good-with-kids/dogs/cats)
    • Instant status updates when a dog moves from "Available" to "Adoption Pending"
    • Eliminates stale listings and duplicate inquiries for already-adopted pets
  2. 02 Workflows

    End-to-End Adoption Application Management

    Applications submitted on dogismyshepherd.org flow straight into a collaborative volunteer review queue tied to the specific dog or cat applied for.

    • Stage-by-stage tracking: Application → Vet/Landlord Check → Home Visit → Meet & Greet
    • Internal volunteer notes and applicant communication history in one thread
    • One-click conversion from approved applicant to finalized adopter
  3. 03 Records Vault

    Centralized Health Records & Microchip Registry

    Many Dog is My Shepherd rescues arrive from high-kill shelters needing parvo recovery, heartworm treatment, or surgery. The platform keeps every medical detail organized.

    • Structured vaccination schedules, spay/neuter certificates, and rehab logs
    • Dedicated microchip ID tracking and registry transfer status per animal
    • Instant digital adoption packet generation for new pet parents
  4. 04 Commerce & Giving

    Integrated Adoption Fees & Donation Collection

    Fundraising and adoption fees keep the rescue running. We embedded frictionless payment flows directly into both the public website and the adoption completion workflow.

    • Online adoption fee collection tied automatically to the animal's adoption record
    • One-time and recurring monthly donations (including the Heartworm Compassion Program)
    • Automated 501(c)(3) tax-deductible receipt emails for donors
  5. 05 Operations

    Foster Network & Volunteer Coordination

    With animals living in foster homes across Chicagoland and Wisconsin, the admin panel gives coordinators clear visibility into placement capacity and supply needs.

    • Foster home profiles with household details, yard/fencing notes, and medical capability
    • Role-based permissions so volunteers see the exact tools they need without overwhelm
    • Supply and medical appointment coordination out of the Northlake, IL hub
EmDash Admin dogismyshepherd.org/admin — Interactive Module Preview
Live Sync

Active Applications · 14 in review

Volunteer Review Queue

Auto-routed
B

Barnaby · 2yr German Shepherd Mix

Applicant: M. Henderson · Reference & vet check passed

Meet & Greet Scheduled
W

Winnie · 8mo Hound Mix

Applicant: D. Kowalski · Home check assigned to Sarah T.

Home Check
R

Roscoe · 4yr Shepherd

Contract signed · Adoption fee paid ($375)

Ready for Handoff

What this means for your business

Outgrowing spreadsheets and duct-taped tools? Let's build what fits.

Whether you're running a regional service company, a multi-location operation, or a high-volume nonprofit, your website shouldn't be disconnected from how your team actually works. We design the public brand and engineer the back-office workflows as one seamless system.

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