Latest news with #NorthwestFloridaGreatDaneRescue
Miami Herald
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
Stray dog lived off scraps from grocery store workers. Now sweet pup needs home
A stray dog once lived off food scraps — and now, the 'silly' pup needs a home. 'Adonis (aka Doni) is the definition of a gentle soul with a goofy streak,' a Florida animal rescue wrote June 7 in a Facebook post. 'Picked up as a stray in a rural area of Northwest Florida, this handsome boy had been fending for himself and relying on kind Piggly Wiggly grocery store employees for scraps.' Eventually, Doni went to a shelter but was never claimed. He was in rough shape when he was transferred to Northwest Florida Great Dane Rescue in April, the animal organization wrote on social media and in an email to McClatchy News. 'When Doni came to us, he was severely underweight, covered in fleas and ticks, and sadly, heartworm positive,' rescuers wrote. 'He's now safe, receiving treatment, and thriving in his foster home — and we're ready to find the loving forever family he was always meant for.' Doni is described as a roughly 1- or 2-year-old pup who 'doesn't quite understand his size,' bumping into people as he seeks affection. He's known for being 'sweet and sometimes clumsy,' so he may do best in a home with older kids who are accustomed to living with dogs. 'Doni is discovering the magic of the couch, and he's definitely a 'Velcro Dane' — he wants to be right where the love is,' rescuers wrote. 'He's a messy eater and drinks like a horse, so be ready for splashes and crumbs. A slow feeder bowl is non-negotiable — this guy inhales his food!' As of June 10, Doni was up for adoption, Katie King, vice president of the rescue, wrote in the email. While the pup waits for a new owner, he's living with a foster family in Panama City, in the Florida Panhandle. 'Doni is looking for a forever home with patience, love, and preferably another dog to keep him company and help him burn off his energy,' the animal organization wrote. 'He's a diamond in the rough who will shine bright with the right family.' Details about the rescue's adoption process can be found at
Miami Herald
07-05-2025
- General
- Miami Herald
130-pound Great Dane ‘thinks she's a kangaroo.' The rescued dog needs a new home
Florida 130-pound Great Dane 'thinks she's a kangaroo.' The rescued dog needs a new home An animal rescue said Xena is waiting for a new owner after she was saved from a hoarding situation. Northwest Florida Great Dane Rescue A 130-pound Great Dane 'thinks she's a kangaroo' — and she needs a new home. 'She LOVES to run, jump and chase, which is why we call her part kangaroo,' Katie King, vice president of a Florida animal rescue, told McClatchy News in a May 6 email. 'She is so playful... she really would benefit from having another playful companion that can put up with her endless energy.' Xena the dog is up for adoption after experiencing a rough patch. She was one of several animals saved from a hoarding and animal cruelty case in February, according to WTXL and the Northwest Florida Great Dane Rescue. King said the rescue took in four of the dogs, who arrived 'starving and full of intestinal parasites. Xena also had ehrlichia, a tick borne disease, and had to be treated for that.' For about a month, Xena recovered at a veterinarian's office in Panama City, a roughly 100-mile drive southwest from Tallahassee. Now, the 4-year-old pup is learning commands as she waits for a fresh start. She has become known as an energetic dog with a snuggly side. 'She has so much love to give and will follow you around like your shadow, loves to sit on your lap while watching TV as well as cuddle up in bed with you if allowed,' rescuers wrote in a Facebook post. Xena's ideal home would have a large, active male dog and no small children. 'She is now living in foster care in Panama City with her foster dad named Richard and his male Great Dane named Ranger,' King wrote. 'She and Ranger are two peas in a pod, they are both super active and playful and have turned Richard's backyard into a racetrack/wrestling arena.' As of May 7, the rescue's website still listed Xena among the dogs available for adoption. Details about the animal organization's adoption process can be found at SJ Simone Jasper The News & Observer Go to X Email this person 919-836-5768 Simone Jasper is a reporter covering breaking stories for The News & Observer and real-time news in the Carolinas.
Miami Herald
21-03-2025
- Health
- Miami Herald
Puppies rescued from ‘overwhelmed' breeder. Now, the ‘little fighters' get fresh start
Puppies were rescued from an 'overwhelmed' breeder — and now, they have a fresh start. After an exhaustive effort to keep them alive, all four of the surviving pups have been adopted into new homes, the Northwest Florida Great Dane Rescue wrote March 12 on Facebook. 'These little fighters never gave up and neither did we,' rescuers wrote. 'Today we are pleased to announce that Tyson, Sugar Ray, Mayweather and Taylor are all happy, healthy and thriving in their forever homes!' The pups, who initially were named after famous boxers, weren't the only ones to get a second chance. The animal organization also shared a heartwarming update about Dolly, a mama dog rescued with the group. 'She just found her happy ending too,' Katie King, vice president of the rescue, told McClatchy News via email. 'She was recently adopted and is now living like a queen in Miami.' The good news comes after an 'urgent' rescue in November. At the time, a breeder in central Florida was 'desperate for help' and reached out to the animal organization, according to the rescue. 'She had 15 Great Dane puppies — two litters born less than two weeks apart in her backyard — along with one of the mothers, Dolly,' King wrote. 'She admitted she couldn't care for them, couldn't sell them, and couldn't afford to feed them all anymore.' The rescue agreed to take in all the dogs before tragedy struck. Some of the pups died as parasites and the parvo virus spread. Volunteers spent weeks working in shifts to care for the surviving pups, who were in quarantine. 'It was very touch and go for weeks with these little ones and sadly we lost several of the pups initially due to parvo,' the rescue wrote. 'It was a tough blow to our entire team.' A glimmer of hope came when some of the pups pulled through after all of the volunteers' hard work. 'It was a grueling, all-consuming effort,' King wrote. 'So when you ask what these four surviving puppies mean to us, the answer is simple: everything. Their lives are a testament to the Herculean fight it took to keep them alive.'
Miami Herald
29-01-2025
- General
- Miami Herald
‘Timid' Great Dane was nearly put down in Florida. Now, the ‘loving' dog needs a home
A 'timid' Great Dane was saved from being put down, and now she waits for a fresh start in a new home. 'Bessie needs a stable and calm environment with patient and loving people who will help her to continue to grow joyfully and increase her confidence,' the Northwest Florida Great Dane Rescue wrote Jan. 26 in a Facebook post. 'She also needs a confident and playful pup in the home to help her to feel safe and to continue helping her learn how to 'dog.'' Bessie is up for adoption after she was found as a stray in July. She was scared and 'infested with parasites' when she arrived at a Florida shelter, rescuers wrote on social media and in an email to McClatchy News. 'When we were contacted about her, she was on the euth list due to her extreme emaciation and lack of interest in eating,' the Northwest Florida Great Dane Rescue wrote. The animal organization said its volunteers pulled Bessie from the shelter and got her medical help. She has been gaining weight and is now considered healthy. Bessie landed in Alabama, where her foster dad said he's been working with her for months. 'She is an extremely loving and playful girl,' Tom Andrews told McClatchy News via email. 'She will accept new situations with a lot of slow, progressive inculcation. She has become comfortable enough to not only play with me and the other pups here when we instigate it, but also has recently begun seeking out play and attention.' Bessie is described as a 4-year-old dog who 'absolutely adores being loved on' but is still getting accustomed to the joy of treats. She tries to run when she's scared, so her next home will need a fenced-in yard. As of Jan. 29, Bessie was still listed among the dogs available for adoption on the website for the rescue, which is based in Pensacola. Details about its adoption process can be found at
