Rescue Stories

Below are the stories of some of our most desperate rescued Great Danes, who were in need of our help. Unfortunately, not all have happy endings. Please read about some of our challenges, below.

You may wish to add your own story about your adopted Great Dane. If so, please submit to lissi@daneline.co.uk. We will look forward to hearing from you.

If you know of a Great Dane in need, please click here to see how to contact us.

Read about some of our rehomed Great Danes...

  • Stanley Stanley
  • The Famous Five Famous Five
  • Gabby Gabby
  • Carla Carla
  • Inca Inca
  • Poker Poker
  • Lennox Lennox
  • Destiny Destiny
  • Grace Grace
  • Puppies Puppies
  • Rigsby Rigsby
  • Sunday Sunday
  • Trench Trench

Other interesting Great Dane stories

We thought these were interesting stories about Great Danes. To find out more, just click on the relevant topic.

  • Just Nuisance, the Great Dane enlisted in the Royal Navy

    Just Nuisance statue in SimonstownJust Nuisance was the only dog ever to be officially enlisted in the Royal Navy. He was a Great Dane who between 1939 and 1944 served at HMS Afrikander, a Royal Navy shore establishment in Simon's Town, South Africa. He died in 1944 at the age of seven years and was buried with full military honours.

    The Just Nuisance statue is by artist Jean Doyle. The statue was erected in 1985 in Simonstown, Cape Province, South Africa in a position overlooking the harbour.

    Here is the link to Just Nuisance's story on Wikipedia.

  • Great Dane defuses WWII bomb during the Blitz

    Juliana, a Great Dane, leapt into action after the device fell through the roof of her owner's houseBombs rained down and flames roared through the streets as the Luftwaffe launched wave after wave of attacks. It was 1941, and the house where Juliana the Great Dane lived with her owner was one of the unlucky ones.

    An incendiary bomb ripped through the roof, and would have destroyed everything – if it hadn’t been, it seems, for Juliana’s well-timed need to spend a penny.

    She is thought to have relieved herself over the bomb, defusing it and saving the house. Her actions in the middle of the Blitz earned her a Blue Cross Medal.

    But that was only the first time Juliana demonstrated her firefighting skills during the Second World War.

    Three years later, she received a second Blue Cross Medal – awarded for animal bravery – when she alerted customers to a fire tearing through her owner’s shoe shop.

    Her story was only revealed when auctioneers conducted a house clearance at a property in Bristol and discovered the second medal, along with a portrait of Juliana.

    A plaque attached to the portrait reads: ‘Juliana – awarded a medal for extinguishing an incendiary bomb April 1941. Awarded another for alerting the occupants of her master’s burning shop November 1944.’

    The medal and portrait sold at auction for £1,100, more than 18 times the pre-sale estimate.

    Read more at the original Daily Mail article.

  • Great Danes War Serivce?

    Great Danes war serviceGiven the size of the Great Dane, many people seem to think the Great Danes war service is a rich history in of itself, but this is simply not true. There were large blood hounds used by both sides in the American civil war (there is some evidence these animals were probably a cross between a cuban mastiff and the Great Dane), but the truth is, despite their intimidating size, Great Danes don't make good soldiers.

    The army and the marines tried Great Danes during World War II, but none of them passed basic training! On one notable occassion, an army drill sergeant was moved to tears of frustration as he tried to train a Dane to jump over an obstacle. Instead of jumping as he was supposed to, the Dane kept running up to the obstacle, putting the entire thing in its mouth and proudly bringing it back to the trainer!

    But there have been some famous Danes associated with the military. One was even enrolled in the British Royal Navy! During World War II, the British naval garrison in Cape Town South Africa submitted all the necessary paperwork to enroll their mascot Great Dane into the Royal Navy.

    Listed as Christian name 'Bone' and surname 'Crusher', this Dane made himself comfortable in several different naval establishments in the area. He wasn't just good for local moral - he was also used extensively in the production of postcards that were used to raise funds for the war effort. He died in 1944 and recieved a quasi military funeral!

    And as a final note about the history of the Great Dane, there have been several famous Danes or Danes associated with famous people. The founder of modern day Germany, Otto von Bismarck always had Danes beside him. General Cornwallis brought his "English dogs" on campaign with him during the American war of Independance (he lost!). Buffalo Bill Cody always had his black Dane "Turk" with him and Manfred von Richtofen, the famous Red Baron, is said to have taken his Dane "Moritz" up for a couple of flights! And of course, Franklin Delano Roosevelt was a Dane lover and always had several nearby.

    The entertainment industry has also made Great Danes famous. Brad Anderson's famous cartoon is centered around a Great Dane named Marmaduke - who hasn't seen that? Every babyboomer and beyond grew up watching Scooby-Doo solve mysteries during Saturday morning cartoon hour! And in animated movies, Oliver and Company (1988) is centered around a Dane, as is the classic All Dogs Go to Heaven (1989). It seems that Great Danes history is colourful, interesting and is still being made!

    Here is a link to this story at About Great Danes.