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Betti and Roger Curran of Topsham says the large breed is playful and craves contact with humans.

By ISAAC KESTENBAUM March 5, 2008

 

 

Betti and Roger Curran of Topsham have been rescuing Great Danes and other dogs for nearly 30 years. In December, they officially became a rescue organization, Coastal Maine Great Dane Rescue, complete with a board of directors.

A Web site is in the works, and the Currans have submitted paperwork to be considered a charitable nonprofit.

Over the years, Betti Curran estimates that she has rescued and found homes for about 30 cats and dogs, among them around a dozen Great Danes. She decided to become an official organization, she said, because "we get a lot of calls from people either looking to place a Dane or looking to adopt one; I just decided to make it official."

"I just love the breed," Betti Curran said of the decision to focus on Great Danes. "And there aren't all that many Danes in the area and we just hope we can make that different."

Also known as the "Apollo of all dogs," the Great Dane actually originated in Germany, not Denmark as the name implies.

"They're gentle, playful and extremely loyal," Curran said.

Although they can weigh between 120 to 190 pounds, Curran says the size shouldn't deter potential adopters.

"They're a big dog, but they have a low activity level," she said. "They have a fairly slow metabolism so they don't eat hundreds of pounds of food a day like some people think."

The dogs can live in apartments, Curran said, as long as they have a daily walk.

But while they don't require a great deal of exercise, Danes do need company.

"They're very people-oriented," Curran said. "They absolutely need human companionship. They do not do well if they're isolated from humans."

The Currans have three Danes of their own, each rescued from a different situation.

"One is an old dog that lived with an elderly gentleman who had to go to assisted living," she said. Another was rescued from a puppy mill, and the third was relinquished by a family who didn't have the time or patience to deal with the dog's anxiety issues.

They also have one Dane, Caddie, up for adoption. At over 7 years old, Caddie is on the older side. (A Great Dane's life span is only 10 years.)

"She's a senior but she still acts like a puppy," said Curran, who has a fondness for older dogs. "Because (seniors) have such a short life span, a lot of people don't want to adopt them, because of the heartbreak of losing them."

But senior dogs are "so appreciative," Curran said. "They love the attention, they don't need a great deal of exercise. I would take four senior dogs to one puppy any day."

News Assistant Isaac Kestenbaum can be contacted at 791-6308 or at:

ikestenbaum@pressherald.com