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Having difficulty adopting a rescue - help please

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  • Having difficulty adopting a rescue - help please

    Sorry - long post, but advice would be very appreciated.

    I've lurked on these forums for 12+ years and found tons of valuable advice. I grew up with a Dane and they are really the only dog for me. As an adult, my first pup was a mistaken purchase from a backyard breeder - I didn't understand how well-disguised a backyard breeder could be and didn't recognize it until after I brought him home. I was lucky and he had no health problems until he (Keeper) unexpectedly passed at 9 years old. A few months after his passing (in 2015) an acquaintance of my father mentioned he had bought a Dane for his wife and they didn't really have the time to take care of her. She was spending most of her time in a crate way too small for her to stand in. I immediately said I would take her. At 5 months old she came to live with me and then boyfriend (now husband) I had just moved in with. He's a total Dane convert now and we'd like to give our girl, Storm, who is now 2 1/2 years old a brother or sister. She is spoiled with toys, great food, lots of walks, beds all over the house, up to date on vaccines, spayed and gastropexied.

    The problem - we just built a new home on several wooded acres in a rural area on a dead end street. Our property backs up to state owned land that we can get to with a 10-15 min walk that has lots of trails and a river. We're very remote so we didn't fence in a yard at this point. A custom feature we designed into our home was a heated/cooled dog room off of our mudroom. There are two dog runs that have plexidor dog doors installed. The outside area is a fairly large raised deck that leads down into 12 foot long dog runs, soon to be expanded to 24 feet because our girl likes to go to the bathroom as far out as possible. The walls of the runs are 6 foot high, made with livestock fencing meant to contain horses. There is additional livestock fence buried underground in case we ever get a digger. The exterior doors are padlocked shut. Our girl has free run of the house when we leave - but she can also access the runs to sunbathe and go potty as she needs. She still gets regular outs in our yard, but prefers to go to the bathroom in the dog runs. The rescues I contacted will not adopt to us because they say an additional fence is needed around the dog runs, potentially 6 feet high. As rural as we are, this does not make sense for us. A smaller 4 foot fence in the back is definitely in the future, but never a 6 foot fence.

    We aren't really aiming for a puppy, but are now looking at having to go the breeder route unless anyone has any advice? I understand that they want to protect the dogs in their care, but it is crazy to me that being as willing to offer a loving home as we are, with a well taken care of dog already in hand, great finances to care for an additional pup, lots of land for walking, that we are being prevented from adopting. Any contacts are welcome to reputable breeders who may have older dogs they need to place or suggestions on best path forward. We are now located in North Carolina but would be willing to take a long road trip to get the right companion added to our family. We have family in the DC area and New York making trips up that way very feasible. No preference on color/sex/age as long as the Dane still has some energy and tolerance for play with our current girl.

    Again, sorry for the long post. Just really bummed that it has turned out this way.

  • #2
    No real help but suggest you get a male. This is the best combination for them to get along. Two males or two females very often fight. You sound like a great home. Hope you find a Dane.

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    • #3
      I would make sure to expand your search to other states, and would try the rescue site: rescueme.org
      It seems rescue organizations often have very strict rules, probably because they have experienced many rescue failures (owner returns) and want to minimize the possibility of this happening. On the rescue.org site, however, many of the dogs posted are being rehomed by their owners who may have less restrictions. (I've often seen dogs posted due to divorce, military relocations, deaths, etc).

      Good luck to you!
      -Lisa (Zoomer's mom)

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      • #4
        Well, this is how I did it, YMMV. I tried the breed rescue societies in my state, three different ones. The requirements for adopting were so over the top that it was disheartening. One had an 11 page questionnaire if you can believe it. I went to the local animal shelter who really tries valiantly to adopt out, rather than kill. They regularly ship their charges out of state to shelters with a small population so that they can be adopted. I registered with them and explained what I was seeking. I received a phone call less than one week later advising that they had a 15 week old pup that had been collected off the street. One look as they say, and I was hopelessly smitten. The total adoption fee was $65 which included neutering and a microchip. I did sign a binding contract requiring that I return him to the shelter if I ever became unable or unwilling to care for Harley. We've been best pals ever since. This way, I have a Dane and he has a forever home. Win/win.
        Last edited by Texas Don; 07-06-2017, 07:37 AM. Reason: clarity

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        • #5
          Thank you all for your comments and suggestions. I'll definitely start keeping watch on rescueme.org and expand to more states. I expect I'll receive a similar response from others if this is the policy of our local organization. I'm just so sad and disappointed that it is this difficult to provide a home to a rescue Dane. I really think we are great candidates with lots of love to give so to be dismissed so quickly without even meeting us made me really bummed.

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          • #6
            Are you on Facebook? There is a group that I recommend called "Great Dane Breeder/Owner Rehoming" that you can check on from time to time. Only breeders who are affiliated with the Great Dane Club of America are allowed to join and post but anyone can look at postings. The dogs that come up are typically well bred adults who have been returned to reputable breeders. New dogs aren't posted often but it's something to watch.
            sigpic

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            • #7
              I messaged you.Â*

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