No Restrictions

Many Thanks to Martha Barber for her generous Donation towards Optimus' vet bills.  

As donations arrive, the meter above will reflect how close we are to our goal.

Optimus was Adopted by the Ferguson Family

Adoption Update: 8.16.08

Ok, so we got "Opti" as he sometimes gets called, in Feb when the kids were in school. Now, we have been back in school for 2 days, I have only one home, and he watches them get on the bus and then has whined off and on all day at the window for them. Isn't that funny? I figured he would throw a party that he gets a little break from the constant pick, pick picking of the kids, but I guess he actually misses it. I sort of hate it that we got a dog because I see my littlest two getting so attached to him. I am afraid it's gonna break their heart someday..........but there are many days to enjoy before then. So, if you get another one just like him (which I highly doubt) in about 8 years, call us first! :) Other than that, he is good. The kids are all into trying to teach him to jump for a treat. They will stand as high as they can and hold something and he is finally beginning to jump for it and doesn't seem scared. He is feeling quite a part of the family though, as Casen on many nites will literally lay down over one leg and then pull the other leg over top of him (as if OP were wrapping his arms around him) and fall asleep. He thinks OP sleeps with him all nite, but actually he waits until Casen has dosed off (and probably until his leg is asleep) and then gets up and sleeps with whichever other one of the kids he feels needs him that nite. Now, tell the truth ;) ha! Have you ever had a dane as good as mine come through there before?

Cindi Ferguson

Adoption Update: 12.02.08

Our family had the wonderful experience of adopting a Great Dane from Heartland Great Dane Rescue. I had dogs as a child, but never had gotten one for my own family. Since I have 6 kids, from, at the time 15-2, I never wanted to mess with having a puppy and training it while taking care of my own kids. My mom started taking care of foster dogs and I thought for the first time that maybe I could adopt a full grown, potty trained dog. Even if it wasn't perfectly trained, it would be through that nibbly stage, chewing everything in sight. I started researching breeds and originally thought I would get a medium size dog. There just wasn't one that jumped out at me. My 4 year old son kept insisting he wanted a BIG dog and one day while we were on Pet Finder I remembered this Great Dane that I was around as a child. Even though he was not my dog, I was really impacted by something about that dog. So, we just went to take a peek at the list of Danes. As soon as we looked my son said "That is the dog I want". We saw Roosevelt first, and he was so cute! We ended up on Heartland's page and found Optimus Prime. He was very beautiful and the pictures of him with his foster boys were very enticing to me. My son said "he's a dog and a superhero!" with a huge smile. Because I do have so many kids, I felt like I needed a dog that was very tolerant of noise, chaos and just being loved so "hard". Jan felt like OP would be a great match for us. We went to meet him and we were amazed at his size! He was beautiful, but skinny. We brought him home and fell so hard for him he forever ruined our perception of other dogs. There is just not a dog as good as a Dane. And he was the cream of the crop. My daughter put feather boas on him and necklaces and played dress up with him. He occasionally wore sunglasses. He laid under big, fluffy, pink blankets with her. He would let my boys cuddle up against him and sleep with one leg under them and one leg over them. Eventually, he would get up, but they thought he slept all night with them. They would stand beside him while he ate and try to pet him and he never, ever tried to snap or growl at them. He was "wallered" to death on a daily basis. He loved my dad. Every time he came over, OP would try to climb right on his lap and sit. He did so much to make us smile. I truly don't think we will ever find a dog so perfectly fitting for our family. I had written a letter to Jan and Jodianne a couple of months before he died telling them how I was afraid that he would break our hearts someday. I had no idea that it would be so soon after writing that letter. One morning, I was awakened by my oldest daughter screaming "Momma, something is wrong with Optimus!". I found him in terrible shape on the floor, trying to stay with us. He had an intussusception. There was nothing they could do for him. We had to let him go on to "heaven". My baby daughter asked the other day "When is Optimus going to be back from heaven?". My other kids say several times a week they miss Optimus. He will be loved by us forever and we will never forget him even though he was only with us a short time, 7 months. One of my daughter's said it was worth it, even if it was such a little time.

Cindi Ferguson