Great Dane Assistance League, Inc located in Colorado was founded on one overriding desire, to help Great Danes. Whether it be from being put down in a shelter, to helping a Dane owner with a training issue with their Dane, to finding forever homes for the Danes they rescue. GDALI is there for Great Danes and a resource for Great Dane owners.

Founded in 2002, GDALI is comprised of volunteers in Colorado, Kansas, North Dakota and Utah. GDALI is completely funded through donations and adoption fees. GDALI is in good standing with the Colorado Secretary of States office and is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. All Danes rescued are kept in foster homes, medically checked and provided any treatment they need.

Over the past year, GDALI has helped several other Great Dane Rescues across the county with Danes they have that need more than a little extra medical care. Most of the time these Danes have serious medical conditions that the Rescue involved just doesn’t have the funds for. GDALI has its “Danes In Need” section of their website. Here GDALI will list and tell the story behind Great Danes that have been rescued but require extensive medical treatment. GDALI hopes to raise funds for the affected rescue to help pay the medical costs. GDALI has also donated what funds it could to these needy Danes.

GDALI is there when a Dane needs rescuing. We will bring in a Dane / Dane-mix that needs a new home. We will never turn a Dane down as long as we know we can properly care for it. When a Great Dane reaches GDALI’s arms, they are on their way to a better, happier, healthier and spoiled life. We treat each rescued Dane like they are one of the family. Each Dane is evaluated medically and emotionally and receives whatever they need. Our foster homes bring love back into the Danes life. They housetrain it if necessary, begin obedience training if needed and work on leash training. Most of all, our foster home provide a stable and loving atmosphere for our rescued Danes. In almost all cases, the rescued Dane will have at least one Dane buddy to play with. When our Danes leave their foster homes, tears are shed but our foster parents know they have taken this scared, often abused dog and turned it back into a Great Dane.

When an individual or family wishes to adopt a Great Dane with GDALI, they must first complete their Adoption Application. Each application is reviewed closely. Supplied, non-family, references are contacted. Current or previous Vet references are contacted. Finally a home check is completed. After all these steps are done and an individual or family is approved for adoption, GDALI makes every attempt to make the best match of a Dane with the individual or family. When an adoption takes place, the new proud parents of their Great Dane also enter into the GDALI family. GDALI is there to answer questions or help with any issue that may come up. Every year at the GDALI annual picnic each adopter is invited to come and bring their Dane with them. If is funny to watch as the Great Dane spots their foster parents. They remember and it is very touching to watch the Dane re-unite with their foster, tails wagging and lots of kisses. All the time making sure where Mom and Dad are.

GDALI is also involved in their community. GDALI volunteers are currently training and getting certified their own personal Danes to be Therapy Dogs. One of the charters of GDALI is to go into hospitals and Senior citizen homes with their Danes. It is a wonderful sight to see a child that is hospitalized get a visit from a Great Dane. The smiles that come across their faces when a Dane walks into their hospital room. To see the gentle care a Dane has around and elderly person. It is like they know they have to be careful. But they receive the warmest pats on the head and hugs.

GDALI will also assist in finding a special Great Dane. A call came in from Wyoming. The voice on the phone said that her doctor suggested she get a Great Dane to help with her MS. Right away all necessary information was taken down and an Adoption Application sent out. After all the approvals were met, GDALI began looking for a Great Dane that could be trained as an assist dog. The Dane would have to be a certain height, be excellent with children and very important, Not LEAN. Knowing Danes, GDALI knew this was going to be difficult to find a rescued Dane that did not lean. After contacting several other rescues across the country, the outlook was not promising. Then the phone rang. “We’re being transferred and we can not take our Great Dane with us”. As with many similar phone calls before, GDALI volunteers go into action and secure release of the Dane to GDALI. Then it was noticed that this Dane did not lean. Knowing this, GDALI evaluated the Dane with respect to her being an assist Dane. To our joy, she met all the qualifications. Within two weeks our sweet girl was adopted and helping her new Mom walk and stand. GDALI has since learned that on three occasions she has helped her new Mom up from falls, helps her out of the shower and is there when her Mom needs her. What is amazing is this is all without any formal training.

Each and every person in GDALI loves Great Danes. GDALI believes that each and every Great Dane deserves a life of love, happiness and health and will do whatever is needed. From helping transport rescued Great Danes from one rescue to another, to driving all night to get a Dane out of a shelter, to providing the best medical treatment possible, to meeting with the public to answer questions, GDALI is there for the “Apollo of Dogs” those “Gentle Giants” Great Danes.