Danes In Distress

04/19/2026

LUCY

Very few of us Dane fanatics have experienced the sheer pleasure of their canine companion attaining the age of 14. Depending on the website that you're on a Great Dane is considered a geriatric at age 6. Lucy is a very old lady ❤️

When Lucy came to us in 2016 at the age of 4 she was in really rough shape. That is a long forgotten time by Lucy as a decade of good living, good food, veterinary care and a loving Mom has passed since then.

As often happens in rescue, especially breed specific rescue, we often become steadfast friends with adopters and I did with Colleen. It's been my pleasure to spend 9 beautiful days with Lucy while her Mom was on a vacation and I filled my time giving hugs, kisses, snacks, brushing and walks with Lucy and my own dogs. I was lucky enough to have Bella, a Danes in Distress rescue, for 11.5 years. But what does 14 look like??

🐾 Please post pictures of your Danes, young and old, in the comments. If they've come through our rescue please let us know when and their names 🐾

04/11/2026

*** Courtesy Post ***

Please share Garçon’s post and contact the phone numbers in the poster if spotted.

I AM LOST.
I AM SCARED.
Please watch for me and tell my people where I am.
DO NOT APPROACH ME — I will run if you try.

💙 Help me get home safely.

04/03/2026

Our adoptable boy R***R just finished his third psychotherapy session with Dr. Phil McPaw and it's been draining!! The couch is too short, no pillow was offered, no blankie to ward off the chill and tap water...no Perrier!!!

Emotional trauma aside, it appears that R***r is very much down in the dumps and doesnt understand why he's still available. Frankly, we don't get it either as R***r is one of the most adoptable Great Dane/Mastiff mixes that we've had the pleasure of bringing into Danes in Distress.

R***r is 5 years old and:
🐾 good with dogs ✅️
🐾 good with cats ✅️
🐾 good with people ✅️
🐾 good with kids ✅️ (8yo +)
🐾 vaccinated
🐾 neutered

R***r is the best combination of looks, personality and loyalty.

Please visit Www.danesindistress.com and use the drop-down menu to navigate our website

03/26/2026

TICK TALK

More than 40 different types of ticks live in Canada.

Established ticks live and reproduce in the location they are found.

Adventitious ticks are brought in by migratory animals such as birds and deer or other hosts from outside of Canada. Some of these adventitious ticks have become established in Canada in areas where habitats are suitable for reproducing.

Climate change is contributing to an increase in:
• number of ticks and tick-borne diseases
• length of time that ticks can survive and are more active
duration of the season when people may be exposed to ticks
habitats for hosts, such as mice, birds, reptiles and humans
habitats for reservoir hosts
These are animals or bugs that carry germs and pass them on without being affected by them.
In Canada, there are several types of tick that can cause tick-borne diseases

🐾 BLACK LEGGED TICK
Blacklegged ticks (deer ticks) are established in:
British Columbia (south)
Manitoba (south)
New Brunswick (mid- to south)
Nova Scotia
Ontario (west, south, southeast)
Quebec (south)
They can transmit bacteria, viruses and parasites that can cause:
babesiosis
anaplasmosis
Lyme disease
Powassan virus disease
Borrelia miyamotoi disease

🐾 WESTERN BLACK LEGGED TICK are established in the coastal and southern interior of British Columbia. They can transmit bacteria that can cause:
anaplasmosis
Lyme disease
Borrelia miyamotoi disease

🐾 AMERICAN DOG TICK
American dog ticks are established in parts of southcentral and southeastern Canada. They can transmit bacteria that can cause:
tularemia
Rocky Mountain spotted fever

🐾 GROUNDHOG TICK
Groundhog ticks are established in southcentral and southeastern Canada. They can transmit the virus that can cause Powassan virus disease.

🐾 ROCKY MOUNTAIN WOOD TICK
Rocky Mountain wood ticks are established in:
Alberta
British Columbia
Saskatchewan (some western areas)
They can transmit the bacteria that can cause:
tularemia
Rocky Mountain spotted fever

🐾 SQUIRREL TICK
Squirrel ticks are found in the southern regions of:
New Brunswick
Newfoundland and Labrador
Nova Scotia
Ontario
Prince Edward Island
Quebec
They can transmit the virus that can cause Powassan virus disease.

🐾 BROWN DOG TICK
Brown dog ticks haven't been found in natural outdoor environments in Canada. They have been reported in:
dog kennels
indoor environments where there are dogs
They can transmit the bacteria that can cause Rocky Mountain spotted fever. You can find them any time of year because they live in indoor environments.

🐾 LONE STAR TICK
Adult female lone star ticks have a white dot on their backs.
They have been found in southern regions of:
Alberta
Manitoba
Nova Scotia
Ontario
Québec
Saskatchewan
They can transmit bacteria and viruses that can cause:
tularemia
ehrlichiosis
Bourbon virus disease
Heartland virus disease
Some people who are bitten by lone star ticks can develop:
southern tick-associated rash illness
alpha-gal syndrome, an allergic reaction to red meat from mammals

02/22/2026

Welcome to the NEW and IMPROVED...
BERRY

Finally, after 3 months at a board and train with Emily Bunney, BSc, Berry was placed in a foster home 2 weeks ago and continues to enjoy all the hard work she put in learning how to "dog". What a superstar Berry is!

When we first introduced Berry we knew very little about her...not even her original name. Berry was found tied to the door at a grooming salon, noticeably thin. She didn't understand a single word of English and most of us struggle with language barriers...including dogs. You could tell her what you want but she couldn't understand what you want...confusion. Dog body language is universal but you have to know how to read it and Emily, Berry's trainer, is fluent in it.

🐾 Berry was always friendly with people...so excited in fact that she'd "hug" without being asking for it 😬. She's still excited and needs to be reminded that not everyone is braced for her greetings. Continued reminding should change this

🐾 Dogs that have been under-fed and malnourished value food above all else. Without it we perish so when we have it we hang onto it. When Berry is eating she's quite happy to let you add food to her bowl. If she finds a Burger King bag it's hers 😋

🐾 If your favourite sport is asphalt skiing walk her on a flat collar. If you want a relaxing, enjoyable "look at my Great Dane" walk, she's a dream on a Gentle leader

🐾 Berry is crated overnight and when she's alone in the house. She settles quickly. Will she always need to be crated? Maybe. Maybe not

🐾 Berry was a terrible alert barker at a window. Not so much anymore as toys are way more rewarding than sketchy leaves. The delivery guy bearing gifts will be told that she's on the premises. Hopefully he's wearing brown pants 😬💩

🐾 Dogs...she likes them, but not all of them. She needs meet and greets to determine if she likes your dog

🐾 no cats for Berry. When she was cat tested her interest level was laser focused

🐾 our policy for kids is 8+ but that's too small for a Dane as excitable as Berry is

🐾 Berry's estimated age is 4 to 5. She is not yet spayed but it is the works

This is a longer-than-normal read. Berry has come so far that we want to share all of her successes. She's a wonderfully happy girl and as loyal as they come

Adopting a Great Dane in Ontario | Procedure and Policies https://share.google/33chIfbPZ6MMcIQZn

02/13/2026

Hi, I’m Kira! 👋

I’m a petite, approximately 18 month old Great Dane mix, who’s on a quiet journey to find my forever family, and maybe a Valentine to call my very own. 💕

I’m sharp, observant, and really love to learn! I do best with positive reinforcement, patience, with (my personal favourite) treats. Not much is known about my life before I was rescued by Danes in Distress, so I feel safest in calm, peaceful environments where I can take things at my own pace.

It might take me an hour (or sometimes a bit more) to gather the courage to approach someone new. But if you give me kindness and understanding, I promise I’ll get there…and when I do, I’ll melt right into your arms.

Once I feel safe, my personality really starts to shine. I learn very quickly, have amazing recall, and I form deep bonds with my people. I have a playful side too, but I’m just as happy curling up next to you for a cozy movie night.

I’m looking for a home where I can be your one and only dog, as I’m really not comfortable around other dogs right now. I would do best in a home with children aged 8 and up, and my compatibility with cats is currently unknown.

More than anything, I’m just hoping to find a place where I finally belong. A home that will give me the time, patience, and love I need to feel safe and stay forever. I may take a little bit to open my heart, but once I do, it will be yours completely. ❤️

Love,
Kira 🐾

02/01/2026

Sweetest Berry of them all...

Berry is on the lookout for a family to adopt! Could it be you?

Berry is estimated to be 4.5 yo and a happy dog who enjoys the company of humans and other dogs. She likes to play with stuffed animals, lean against you for affection, and zoom around the yard.

She would do best in a home with adults only or older children, a relaxed lifestyle, and a quieter neighbourhood/environment. She is an alert dog, and will bark at approaching or passing people and dogs.

Berry walks nicely without pulling on a halti, and is redirected with treats and space when she sees other dogs.

Speaking of treats, Berry loves food more than anything in the world. All edible items must be kept away in your home or Berry will find them! For this reason, she may need to be confined when left alone, depending on your home environment.

Berry gets along with most other dogs, and would prefer to meet any potential dog siblings before adoption.

When meeting new people Berry gets very excited. If you put her on a leash, she settles down quickly and is happy to receive affection from new people.

Good with people...✅️
Good with (teenagers)...✅️
Good with cats...🚫
Vaccines...✅️
Spayed...🔜

01/21/2026

Once again....

If you're looking for handsome guy with a ginormous blocky head you've found him! If you're looking for an alert dog when someone comes to the house...he's not that 🤫🤫

R***r...

He's a Great Dane/Cane Corso mix and 150lbs of healthy body weight with 120lbs of that being pure love. R***r recently lost his 🍒 and is healed up and ready to go!

At 5 years old his people have had him since he was a wee baby... he is very much loved and well taken care of. R***r comes to us for family medical reasons and nothing he's done. He's a happy guy, a real leaner (brace yourself) and good with kids. Our policy for children is 8+ but he'll require older, respectful young people because his bed is HIS bed and his food is HIS food and he wants to be left alone when sleeping and eating...I can totally relate to that 😉. R***r isn't great on leash but it's never been necessary...he currently has a huge yard that he loves to run and sunbathe in.

Good with strangers? ....✅️
Good with dogs?....✅️
Good with kids?....✅️
Good with cats?....✅️
Located near Brantford

To learn about our adoption process please visit www.danesindistress.com and use the drop-down menu to navigate the website

01/11/2026

Sweetest Berry of them all...

Berry is on the lookout for a family to adopt! Could it be you?

Berry is a happy dog who enjoys the company of humans and other dogs. She likes to play with stuffed animals, lean against you for affection, and zoom around the yard.

She would do best in a home with adults only or older children, a relaxed lifestyle, and a quieter neighbourhood/environment. She is an alert dog, and will bark at approaching or passing people and dogs.

Berry walks nicely without pulling on a halti, and is redirected with treats and space when she sees other dogs.

Speaking of treats, Berry loves food more than anything in the world. All edible items must be kept away in your home or Berry will find them! For this reason, she may need to be confined when left alone, depending on your home environment.

Berry gets along with most other dogs, and would prefer to meet any potential dog siblings before adoption.

When meeting new people Berry gets very excited. If you put her on a leash, she settles down quickly and is happy to receive affection from new people.


Good with people...✅️
Good with (teenagers)...✅️
Good with cats...🚫
Vaccines...✅️
Spayed...🔜

01/01/2026

Update Jan 9, 2026
It is with great, great sorrow that this update is so heartbreakingly shared...Freya suffered a 2nd event and she gained her wings yesterday on January 6th.

Tuesday morning Freya had difficulty breathing again. Joanne rushed her to the specialist again and it was discovered that Freya was leaking area inside her chest cavity. She was immediately put under anesthesia again but once placed on her side she really began to struggle with her breathing, so the vet pulled her back out of anesthesia. It appears that Freya's right lung (the one that had 50% of it removed) may have developed more bullae...air bubbles.

With only 50% of that right lung functioning after her 1st pneumothorax surgery, and no guarantee that a 3rd event wouldn't happen, Joanne made the decision, the one we NEVER want to make, to say goodbye to her companion Freya.

This fundraiser wasn't started before Freya's surgery to save her life ~ Joanne had already decided that this was the path she was going to take. We started this fundraiser to help Joanne pay for that life saving surgery and even though Freya is gone, that vet bill isn't.

We are still hoping to reduce that bill as much as we can...we're still a bit short on our first $5,000 mark. To those whom have already donated, thank you, thank you, thank you for your donations. We are so grateful for your kindness.

Please keep sharing.
🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾

Joanne Wilcox is the President and Regional Coordinator of Danes in Distress, serving as President since 2018 and a dedicated volunteer since 2013. She is on the front lines every day—rescuing Danes, coordinating fosters and adopters, managing surrenders, and supporting volunteers across Ontario. Her leadership, dedication, and love for Great Danes inspire us all.
Joanne’s beloved Dane, Freya, recently underwent emergency surgery for pneumothorax, losing 10% of one lung and 50% of the other. Freya is stable, but veterinary costs are estimated at $13,500–$17,000, plus an initial emergency visit.
A GoFundMe has been created to support Joanne during this difficult time. Any donation or share is deeply appreciated.
Thank you for standing with Joanne and Freya

Update Jan 1, 2026
So happy to report that Joanne will be able to visit Freya today! Freya still has tubes in her chest to release any air that might develope in her lungs but she's been good for 24 hours. Keep up the good work Freya!

Thank you so much to everyone for donating towards Freya’s vet bill. You are appreciated

We are a collective group of rescue volunteers supporting Joanne Wilcox & Freya in a time of urge… Rhonda Macaulay needs your support for Freya the Great Dane