Lost Great Danes elude capture in CO countryside. See how wheelbarrows helped
Animal rescuers were sent on a wild Great Dane chase after a trio of the dogs were spotted wandering freely through the Colorado countryside, officials said.
Residents in the area reported the unusual sight of the “three Great Danes wandering the open countryside like they were on a spontaneous road trip with no destination, no map, and definitely no snacks,” according to the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region.
The agency shared the “epic” tale in an April 15 post on Facebook.
“These gentle giants were clearly lost, hungry, scared, and very confused,” rescuers said in the post. “And if you’ve ever seen a Great Dane in distress, you know they’re basically mini horses with anxiety.”
Animal control officers spent days trying to track the dogs and earn their trust enough to get close to them, but “it was a big challenge,” the agency said.
“Catching one Great Dane in an open field is tough. Catching three is like playing a high-stakes game of hide-and-seek with three panicked ponies,” rescuers said. “This was going to take patience, teamwork, and maybe a little creative thinking.”
Rescuers finally caught two of the dogs deep in the field.
“Victory, right? Well…not quite,” rescuers said. “The moment the officers tried to lead them back to the truck, both dogs made a bold decision: They laid down and absolutely refused to move. These pups had clearly reached their limit, and they weren’t going anywhere. Unfortunately, they were still a long way from the officers’ trucks. And, fun fact: when a Great Dane decides not to move, there’s very little anyone can do about it.”
A resident who had been helping the officers with the rescue “had the brilliant idea” to grab a wheelbarrow from his home to place the dogs in, rescuers said.
“And so began one of the sweetest, slowest, and bumpiest rescue operations we’ve ever seen: Two officers. Two confused, oversized dogs. One wheelbarrow. And a community of kind-hearted neighbors,” rescuers said. “We couldn’t imagine a more perfect ending to a rescue.”
Photos show the silly rescue.
Officers then set a humane trap to catch the third Great Dane the next day and took him to the Humane Colorado buddy center to reunite with his friends.
“Since then, two of the Great Danes have been adopted into loving homes (we assume they’re already telling tales of their wheelbarrow chariot days),” rescuers said.
Someone shared in the comments that their daughter had found the third Great Dane, Vinny, at the humane society and they had adopted him.
“He is a lover,” they said, with the daughter adding, “He’s living a great spoiled life now.”
“...So the next time you see an Animal Law Enforcement officer, say thank you!” rescuers said. “And if you ever see one of them out in the field with a giant dog who refuses to budge? Be a good neighbor. Offer them your wheelbarrow.”
Castle Pines is about a 25-mile drive southeast from Denver.
