Neglected Great Danes Rescued By Minneapolis Shelter

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Several Great Danes pulled from a Minneapolis home are getting a second chance. The dogs are on their way to a rescue organization after spending their lives in awful conditions.

Some of the animals never even saw daylight until Minneapolis Animal Care and Control (MACC) rescued them two weeks ago. Now, five of the dogs will go to the rescue group Great Dane Rescue; two have already been adopted.

Physically, there weren't many obvious signs of neglect on the Great Danes brought into Minneapolis Animal Care & Control.

"The dogs pretty much all had bite wounds on them," said Terri Derr, a veterinarian with MACC.

It's the emotional wounds that are all too apparent.

The dogs were taken from their home after a tip came in to MACC. The dogs lived in their own filth with very little human contact.

"They never had to play, they don't fetch, they don't walk on leashes. It was almost as if they were treated as objects rather than living creatures," said Jeanette Wiedemeier Bower of MACC.

The lifetime of neglect was already starting to unravel for the dogs after two weeks of MACC care.

"They would shake when you touched them," said Jena, an Animal Control officer. "Now some of them play, lick my hand and wag their tail."

But dogs not used to human hands still cowered Monday – the day that marked their new beginning.

Great Dane Rescue will take five of them for rehabilitation with the hope of finding them homes.

Ann Heinrich, of Great Dane Rescue, said the group is socializing the dogs.

"They have to learn no one is going to hurt them," she said.

They may have had a tough introduction to life, but their futures have endless possibilities.

"They're going to find homes where people love them," Heinrich said.

The homeowner will likely face criminal charges for animal neglect. The city believes the homeowner had these dogs with the intention of breeding and selling them.

Anyone interested in adopting any of the Great Danes is asked to call the Great Dane Rescue of Minnesota and Wisconsin at (715) 222-4848. If you'd like to help with the care of the dogs go to http://gdromn.org/