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**UPDATE** Crystal is currently in need of some medical care. Due to prior trauma to her leg, she will have to undergo surgery. The surgeons will be amputating one of her toes and removing part of her hock. They will also have to put a plate in her hock. We are asking for donations to help us pay for this major surgery. If you would like to help, please email us or visit our website to donate through our PayPal. We greatly appreciate any help you can give. Crystal is absolutely adorable! She's a gorgeous merlequin with ice blue eyes. It is important to note, however, that Crystal is deaf. Crystal loves to chase the flashlight beam and to play with toys. She's got a wonderful sense of humor and she'll keep you laughing for hours. She needs someone who is willing to work with her and her behavior "quirks." If you have the time and patience to work with her, you will not be disappointed! She craves human attention and loves being around people. Crystal would be best with a family experienced either in Great Danes or with deaf dogs. She is somewhat shy around strangers, so her new family will have to come and meet her a couple times before taking her home. Crystal needs a home without small children.

Jan. 25, 2007: Dora is one of the 6 Chesterfield Danes pulled from a neglectful home. She is the daughter of Romeo (adopted from CSCAGDR) and Gracie (at Great Dane Rescue of South Carolina). After 2 months of attempts by animal control, she arrived in rescue truly frightened, disoriented, and confused. She was emaciated, had skin problems, and numerous cuts, scratches, and injuries. Dora is now at her ideal body weight and is still growing. Her coat is shiny and soft and her skin issues are mostly resolved. Dora is learning to trust people and has learned how to play with toys. She gets along well with all dogs, likes cats, and is OK with kids after a slow introduction. Dora will need activities that reinforce her newfound trust. Continued socialization will be a must for her, as well as obedience class. Dora is such a loving dog, she takes after her father (Romeo) in that respect. She is such a truly sweet dog who needs her own quiet home with another dog or two. Dora will need a slow transition to her new home which will require repeat visits by her adopters. Local homes will be given priority for her adoption.

UPDATE October 9,2007: Dora is the class clown! She is so funny, and loves to play little games with you. She is quite the tease! Dora is a sweetie, who is becoming more and more outgoing. She has adjusted well both inside and outside. She plays with toys, and will come right up to you outside to play, and to pull some prank or other. At her first adoptathon, Dora had to be carried from the car to inside the store. But at her second, she just walked in as proudly as can be! :) She is a good girl who will provide lots of love and laughter to any home!

Jan. 25, 2007: Layla is one of six Chesterfield Danes removed from a neglectful situation. She is the daughter of Romeo (adopted from CSCAGDR) and Gracie (at Great Dane Rescue of South Carolina.) Like her sister Dora, animal control struggled for two months to capture Layla before she arrived in rescue. Although Layla spent 9 weeks in a vet's office before she got here, she was a sight that made tears come to your eyes on her arrival. She was very emaciated (73 lbs.), her skin was in TERRIBLE shape, she had horrible diarrhea, and was the most terrified dog we've ever seen. She came out of the car and immediately went underneath to hide. Although she was so frightened, she never once made an attempt to bite when we crawled under the car to collar and leash her. She had never had a collar before, and when Animal Control caught her they used a catch pole which increased her fear level of things around her neck. Layla could not be approached, or touched in any way when she arrived. She followed her dad (Romeo) and if he came when called she would come as long as she did not have to pass people on her way. For days she would not leave her dog room, even to go outside. She now enjoys petting, plays with all the dogs here outside, and has even had an outing to PetSmart! She still has some issues going through doors or gates if unknown people are there, but she has come so far. What a brave girl she is! Layla is at an appropriate weight now, and is still a growing pup. Her skin issues are mainly resolved, and her diarrhea is getting under control. Layla's adopters will need to continue providing safety, love and trust, as well as socialization and an obedience class. In return, they will get a dog who will give them love, loyalty and devotion for all her days. Layla will require a slow transition to her new home which will require repeat visits by her adopters. Local homes will be given priority for her adoption.

UPDATE October 9, 2007: Layla has come so far! She is an absolutely striking black Dane. She is now a veteran of adoptathons, and likes being petted by the people who come to them. She is quite a cuddler, loving to snuggle in bed. She is a true Dane couch potato, and that is where you will find her most of the time - when she isn't sunning herself outside! Layla has such a sweet, gentle nature, she just steals your heart. Inside, Layla is very much a part of everything, but outside she is still somewhat tentative and will hesitate and run off if you call her, or try to chase her. We are playing a game of hide-and-seek, and catch your toy and I'll try to catch you, which is helping her to learn to trust more outside. Today, she came to me outside when I called and allowed me to pet her directly on her head! She is so brave and I am so proud of her. Layla is ready to transition to a new forever home, and whoever adds her to their family will be lucky, indeed!

JULY 2007: Thanks to Toby's sponsors (who are also his new parents), Toby received his heartworm treatment and is now in the 5 week recovery stage. After 5 weeks, he will be able to undergo his eye surgery and neuter. We still have other dogs at our rescue needing medical care. Please consider a donation.

Toby's story is one that will break your heart. :( And yet, it will move you to see how resilient and amazing these dogs, and Toby in particular, can be. Toby has led a life of terrible neglect for far too many years. Two years ago, we received reports of a "stray" Great Dane wandering over a range of miles in our town. This Dane was emaciated, and being fed regularly by a number of residents, but he was wily and could not be caught. We chased his sightings for almost 2 months before finally capturing him and taking him into rescue. As he was not microchipped and had a collar without tags, we notified the local animal control and put fliers up. We also took him to the vet. He was emaciated, full of worms, and had an old eye injury that had been left to fester so that his eye needed removal and a prosthetic. He was, by some miracle, heartworm negative. We scheduled his surgery for the following week, and brought him "home" to rescue. What a sweetheart he was in rescue! Two days before his scheduled surgery, his "owner" came to claim him. At that point, we had no legal obligation to release him, but the owner and his little girl cried and Toby obviously loved them, so on the promise that the surgery appointment would be kept, we released Toby to his family.

Shortly thereafter we began seeing him around loose again, and needless to say, he had not had his eye surgery. This is a painful eye injury. For two years, we chased Toby, often finding him running loose on the highway at 11:30 at night. I couldn't catch him, so I would get him to follow my car home, where I would wake his owner and get him to take Toby inside. At one point, Toby was returned by Animal Control to his owner, with 48 hours to provide a rabies vaccination. This was never done. Shortly after this, we again were called by neighbors who had captured Toby under their house. We went and got him, and brought him into rescue. We went to find his owner, but he had moved and his phones were disconnected. About 10 days later, Toby's owner showed up at our home, attempting to enter the house, and scaring my daughter who was home alone. The police were called and stayed with my daughter until I could get home. We let Toby out to potty while the police were there, and as they were leaving, we put dogs up to bring Toby in the house. During that minute to minute and a half, someone (likely Toby's owner) tip toed onto the property and opened the gate and took Toby. Animal Control would not get involved, even though, at that point, Toby legally belonged to rescue.

A mere two days later, we were called again by neighbors, informing us that Toby was again, under their house. We went and got him, and now we couldn't get him to leave if we tried. After more than two months in rescue, Toby has gained about 25+ lbs. and now weighs in at a still thin 118 lbs. He had to be dewormed again, and, unfortunately, this time he is high heartworm positive at 7 years of age. :( He will need heartworm treatment, eye surgery and a neuter. We are awaiting further assessment to see if he is able to withstand any surgery at this time.

You would never guess that Toby is 7 or that he is high heartworm positive, because he runs and plays like a two year old! It took him a while to begin to play, but now he runs around with his ball or stuffie in his mouth, and is quite an adept soccer player! Toby is great in the house, loves to sleep in your bed at night, and is just such a good boy, who has been living in constant pain from his eye for years - four that I know of, and that was an old injury when we first had it examined! Toby's only desire is to be loved and be able to give his love. The poor dear does not like being left alone, and has a touch of separation anxiety, that is totally understandable. Now that he knows love and regular food and care, he can go out, unfenced and unleashed and will not make any attempt to run off. In fact, if you turn to go back to the house, he panics that you will be leaving him alone, and trots right along with you! This sweet, dear boy is so deserving of someone to love, and someone to spoil him, and to have his medical needs taken care of. It just breaks my heart that he is so sweet after all this neglect and that he might live out the rest of his life without having what he deserves. Please, can you find it in your heart to love Toby?

UPDATE: Angel, who is not a Dane, arrived and stayed in our rescue for approximately 24 hours. During that time he displayed some scary, prey-driven aggressive behaviors. He attacked without provocation or warning and with intent to kill two of the cats in our rescue. He snapped at two puppies, and wanted to eat the chickens. We, and the behaviorist with whom we consulted, do not feel that Angel can be safely rehomed. It is terribly sad to believe this, but sometimes a dog is just too damaged to be helped or to be safe. We believe that no cat will be safe anywhere around him, and that anything smaller than him is also not safe. We fear that a crawling baby or toddler who makes the wrong move or the wrong sound may provoke Angel's prey drive and cause him to attack. Angel has been returned to Saving Gaffney Pets, who sent him to us. They tell us it is their intention to rehome him. We want to warn any rescue or home to have Angel assessed by a licensed, credentialed behaviorist before considering taking him into your home/agency. We do not come to this belief, nor make this statement lightly, or without understanding the ramifications of it. We just sincerely believe that Angel's prey drive and whatever his prior experience may have been combined to make him very dangerous.

Angel will be coming to rescue shortly. He is emaciated and in horrible shape, but is very sweet despite all he has been through. He is doing very, very well. Eating well and running around and playing. He loves people and is doing well with other dogs. He is so happy when he goes outside running around in the grass knowing that when he goes back inside, there will be a nice food bowl with real clean food in it for him to eat. The kennel manager says that he has a smile on his face when he is outside in the sunshine. She has been giving him vitamins and everything she can to fatten him up. He is doing very very well considering the fact that he could not walk when he came into the shelter.