About Detroit Dog Rescue

Detroit's First
No-Kill Shelter.

Founded in February 2011, Detroit Dog Rescue has been leading the city's no-kill mission for over 15 years, rescuing, rehabilitating, and rehoming Detroit's most vulnerable dogs. 

2011

Founded in Detroit

#1

First No-Kill shelter in the city of Detroit

80-120

Dogs in our care at any given time

Platinum

Guidestar Award of Transparency

501(c)(3)

Licensed by Michigan Dept. of Agriculture

Our Mission

Saving Detroit's Dogs, One at a Time.

Detroit Dog Rescue focuses on raising awareness of the homeless and stray dog problem in Detroit, along with advocating for humane rescue alternatives such as no-kill sheltering, rehabilitation, foster care and adoptions, pet identification, and healthy pet population control through spay and neutering.

DDR also specializes in community outreach, working closely with local, city, and statewide organizations to educate and involve people in this cause. We respond to calls to assist the Detroit, Highland Park, and Hamtramck Police and Fire Departments, as well as city administrations and hundreds of residents who request assistance.

"We've carried dogs out of burning buildings with Detroit firefighters and treated the wounds of abused dogs with Detroit police."

Our rescue is known for taking animals in trouble that most regard as unadoptable — investing the time, training, and medical care needed to rehabilitate and rehome these dogs.

How Detroit Dog Rescue Began

Feb 2011

Detroit Dog Rescue Founded

DDR was founded after the City of Detroit refused access to a network television series that would have documented the lives of stray dogs trying to survive in an abandoned urban environment. Rather than walk away, Kristina Millman-Rinaldi founded Detroit Dog Rescue to make a difference — one dog at a time.

May 2014

Detroit's First No-Kill Shelter Opens

On May 1, 2014, Detroit Dog Rescue opened the first no-kill rescue shelter in the City of Detroit. The shelter focused on taking animals most regarded as unadoptable and investing the time and training needed to rehabilitate and rehome them.
Jun 2015

City of Detroit Partnership

DDR secured licensing to operate the first no-kill animal center in Detroit's history. Mayor Mike Duggan met with Executive Director Kristina Millman-Rinaldi to assemble Detroit's first animal welfare reform committee, creating lasting changes in how the city handles animal welfare.
Oct 2015

First Transfer Agreement with Detroit Animal Control

History was made when the first transfer agreement between rescues and Detroit Animal Care and Control (DACC) came to fruition. Detroit Dog Rescue transferred the first dogs out of Detroit Animal Control — a moment that changed animal welfare in the city permanently.
2016

First Rescue to Partner with DACC on Dog Licenses

DDR became the first rescue in the City of Detroit to partner with DACC to provide City of Detroit Dog Licenses at vaccination clinics, promoting responsible pet ownership across the city.
2018

Best Nonprofit — Hour Magazine (3rd Year in a Row)

Detroit Dog Rescue was voted Best Nonprofit by Hour Magazine for the third consecutive year — a testament to the organization's sustained impact on Detroit's animal welfare landscape.
Jun 2023

New Shelter Opens on Detroit's West Side

Westcott Veterinary Hospital donated their 11,000 square foot facility on Grand River Avenue near Telegraph to Detroit Dog Rescue. After years of fundraising through the COVID-19 pandemic, DDR raised $1.6 million for renovations and opened the new shelter in June 2023 — more than quadrupling capacity and bringing Detroit's no-kill mission a permanent home on the West Side.

Kristina Millman

Executive Director, Detroit Dog Rescue

Kristina Millman has been changing the face of animal welfare in Detroit for well over a decade. Detroit Dog Rescue is Detroit's first and only no-kill shelter, which finds homes for neglected dogs and animals who are victims of violent crimes.

As Detroit Dog Rescue's Executive Director, Kristina worked closely with Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan's administration to create Detroit's first animal welfare committee. This partnership resulted in new leadership and policies for the city's municipal animal shelter. Detroit now works harder to find alternatives to euthanasia due to overpopulation, while focusing on public safety.

Kristina has been a part of several documentaries, news stories, and reality shows highlighting Detroit's stray dog epidemic, and she has raised millions of dollars to fund initiatives that support animals, especially ones who are victims of violent crimes.

  • Detroit's Hometown Hero — 2024
  • Mackinac Humanitarian Award
  • Beaumont Hospital's President Award for Community Giving
  • WDVD's "Woman of the Year" for creating solutions in underserved communities

Our board of Directors

Janet Peppler

President

Owner of The Peppler Agency, an independent insurance agency in Harper Woods, Michigan. Her business expertise and compassion for dogs make her an ideal President for DDR. The agency's mascot, "Miley," can be found at work daily.

Mark Breimeister

Secretary

Michigan State University graduate. President of AAA Produce Exchange, Inc. (Waterford, MI) and partner in Saven Corporation (Savannah, GA). Board member since 2013. His dog Lucky was formerly used in a backyard breeding operation.

Jere L'Heureux

Treasurer

Worked at the original site of the new DDR facility — an Animal Hospital his father owned for 40 years — from 6th grade through college at Michigan State. Owner and President of Contract Options, Inc. Thrilled to see the facility repurposed.

Kenny Walters

Board Member

Board member of Detroit Dog Rescue.

 Detroit Dog Rescue shelter

In June 2023, Detroit Dog Rescue opened its new 11,000 square foot facility on Grand River Avenue near Telegraph on Detroit's West Side. Westcott Veterinary Hospital donated the building, and the Detroit community rallied to raise $1.6 million for renovations, more than quadrupling DDR's capacity and bringing Detroit's no-kill mission to a brand new level.

Support Our Mission
45