Toronto Animal Services - adoption fees are 1/3 of what many rescue places want, and the application process was simply come in with every member of your family including other pets to fill out a brief questionnaire and to see how they mix with the dog to be adopted. I was in and out with my last one in about an hour, maybe hour and a half including do a walk with my then dog and the adopted dog to see how they behaved together.
I was lucky though. I wanted a doberman again because we've had them for years and find them to be a good fit energy and cleanliness wise in our home
Lately though it seems like many of the stray and lost dobermans that end up with Toronto Animal Services get scooped up by Ontario Doberman Rescue even before they get offered for adoption to the general public. Of course when that happens, adoption prices triple and you get that (imo) overly-onerous adoption process. It's more than a bit disappointing.
This must be very frustrating. However, if Animal Services has a good place to put Dobermans, Pugs etc that is a non-kill, breed specific shelter for said dog then I can see why they do it. That opens up more spaces for other dogs which might otherwise have to be euthanized earlier. The sad reality is that in most centres there are more animals in need of rescue or adoption than there are spaces. In a perfect world there would be no need for any adoptions, shelters, rescues etc. Spay and Neuter your animals people! Also, very sad that people decide to get a dog or cat with less research than they would put towards getting a new TV or something. These are living creatures which require a crapload of work for a decade or more; let alone the vet bills, cost of quality food, supplements etc.