Adoption Information
Have questions? We have the answers.
Adopting a Great Dane is a big decision. You are taking into your home a dog that is intelligent, loyal, fun loving, full of love, and yes, very large. However, owning a Great Dane will bring you so much enjoyment, fun and fulfillment. They have this wonderful way of burrowing right into your heart.
We are committed to matching our Danes with good, responsible and loving new owners. We strive to make the best match we can. Our number one concern is for our Danes. Below you can find detailed information on our adoption process.
Mandatory Requirements for Adoption
- All RMGDRI Great Danes will be spayed/neutered prior to any adoption.
- All adopting individuals will have to completely fill out and sign the Adoption Application which must be verified and approved.
- All adopting individuals, who live in a single family home, must have a fenced yard with a fence in good repair or be able to show that they can properly and safely exercise the dog.
- All adopting individuals, who live in an apartment / condo / townhouse must be able to show how the Dane will exercise.
- All adopting individuals who live in rental property will have to have a signed approval document from their landlord.
- All adopting individuals must have a home check in order to verify application and conditions of the potential “forever home”.
- All adoption individuals must be at least 21 years old.
- We do not adopt to homes with children under 5 years who have not lived with a giant breed*. We do not make exceptions to this policy.
- All dogs and cats in the adopting home must be spayed or neutered unless there is a medical reason that a spay or neuter cannot be done. This will be verified by a vet.
- All dogs and cats in the adopting home must be current on vaccinations.
Adoption Fees
Under 6 months – $500
6 months – up to 3 years – $400
3 – 6 years – $350
7 years or older – $300
* Giant Breeds are Anatolian Shepherd, Borzoi, Caucasian Ovcharka, English Mastiff, Great Dane, Great Pyrenees, Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, Bernese Mountain Dog, Irish Wolfhound, Kangal Dog, Leonberger, Neapolitan Mastiff, Newfoundland, Pyrenean Mastiff, Saint Bernard, Scottish Deerhound, Spanish Mastiff.
Adoption Guidelines
We will not discuss individual dogs with applicants until they have been approved. There is often more than one applicant interested in a particular dog and we maintain a waiting list for each Dane in our care. Once approved, we will add you to the waiting list of the Danes you are interested in.
We do not have a physical location and all of our dogs are fostered in individual homes. Please stop by our meet and greet events if you would like to visit with us. Dogs will be transported to their new homes if they are not currently in the same state as the adopting party. We want to find the best family for the Dane, even if they are “far away”.
Seven Step Adoption Process
Congratulations on making the decision to rescue a Great Dane with RMGDRI! The first step is to fill out the application and pay your application fee. You have several options to submit your completed application.
You can visit our Adoption Application Page to get started right away. The quickest way to get the adoption process started is to complete the online adoption application.
A member of our Application Team will contact you via email once we receive your application. Your references will be checked and if all looks good we will schedule a home visit with one of our volunteers. The entire process typically takes 2-4 weeks total. If you successfully complete our approval process you will receive an approval letter via email. Now the fun starts! It is time to review the available Danes on our website and let us know which ones you are interested in so we can try to make the perfect match for your family!
We require :
1. Application- Please complete your adoption application to begin the adoption process. You can find the application on the adoption application page. While we encourage you to let us know on your application if one of our dogs has captured your interest, we use this simply as a guide for matching and your listing of specific dog in no way implies claim to this particular dog. NOTE: adoption applications expire one year from the date of receipt. If you have already submitted an Adoption Application (even if you are a returning adopter) and it has been longer than one year, you will need to fill out a new adoption application.
2. Pay Application Fee- You can pay the application fee online on the adoption application page.
3. Reference Checks- All references will be checked prior to home visit. We will contact your current vet, if you have one, for a reference.
4. Application Review – Processor reviews the application, calls the vet if you have one, verifies vaccinations and spay/neuter. We email personal references (if email is provided) or call them if necessary. Email is best since time is not wasted playing phone tag and the references can respond when they are available.
5. Home Visit – A volunteer will come to your home to visit with you and discuss care of Great Danes. Also, the volunteer will look for any potential problems and check to be sure that your fencing is secure. Your home visit does not mean you have been approved.
6. Approval – After the above steps have been completed all your information will be reviewed and a decision will be made about adoption. If at this point you are approved to adopt, RMGDRI’s Placement Coordinator will help guide you to the appropriate dog for your family.
7. Contract – For the protection of the Great Danes we place, everyone that adopts a Great Dane from RMGDRI will be required to sign an adoption contract. If you would like additional information on our adoption contract you can email adoptadane@rmgreatdane.org and a copy of our contract will be sent to you electronically.
Puppies – Great Danes can act like puppies for up to 2-3 years. We have found that puppies from the same litter tend to bond to one another, to their detriment, when adopted together. Therefore, we do not adopt out two puppies from the same litter to the same adopter. The general guideline is that puppies may be left alone, for no longer in hours than the number of months of their ages. Please do not apply for a young puppy if you intend to be gone all day.
Where is RMGDRI located?
We do not have a facility. All of our Danes are cared for in private foster homes. We currently serve Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Arizona, South Dakota, Oklahoma, Iowa and Missouri.
How much does it cost to adopt?
We are a non-profit organization. Donations and adoption fees are integral to our operations. Most families donate $400-$600 on average. With the major medical cases, the more you can afford to give, the better. We are all strictly volunteers and are not paid for the work we do. All money goes directly to the dogs in rescue and covers food, supplies and medical expenses. We make sure all Danes are spayed/neutered, heartworm tested, current on vaccinations, and we treat any pre-existing medical conditions they may come in with. We spend around $1200 on each dog that comes into our care and your adoption fee and donations helps offset these costs.
Adoption Fees
Under 6 months – $500
6 months – up to 3 years – $400
3 – 6 years – $350
7 years or older – $300
I am interested in a Dane on your website
We get Danes into rescue on a regular basis and they are placed as quickly as they come in, so it is best not to focus on any specific Danes until you have been approved. The entire process typically takes no more than 2-4 weeks total. Once you are approved and ready to adopt, we will give you all the information we have on the Dane you are interested in.
Do you adopt to families with young children?
We do not adopt to homes with children 5 years and younger who have not lived with a giant breed. We do not make exceptions to this policy. We get a number of Danes turned into us because they are not doing well in homes with young children. We occasionally make exceptions for Dane experienced families, but our policy was established to make sure that we find forever homes for the rescue Danes in our care as well as to look out for the well being of young children. Giant Breeds are Anatolian Shepherd, Borzoi, Caucasian Ovcharka, English Mastiff, Great Dane, Great Pyrenees, Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, Irish Wolfhound, Kangal Dog, Leonberger, Neapolitan Mastiff, Newfoundland, Pyrenean Mastiff, Saint Bernard, Scottish Deerhound, Spanish Mastiff.
How do I meet the Dane I am am interested in?
You must go through the adoption process first. When you are approved and once we agree on a particular Dane, we’ll set up a time for the placement. We’ll do introductions and as long as everyone is getting along and you feel confident in the decision to adopt, we will go ahead with the paperwork
Do I need to have a fenced yard in order to adopt?
If you do have a fence it must be in good repair. We understand that some neighborhoods do not allow fencing. If you do not have a fence, you will need to demonstrate how you will safely exercise and potty your Dane.
What if I rent my property?
We require written approval from your landlord or apartment complex stating that you are allowed to have a dog the size of a Great Dane on your property. Some places have weight and breed restrictions so it is important that it specifies any restrictions. Please be sure to turn this in with your application, we cannot begin the application process without it.
I do not live in Colorado, do you adopt out of state?
We currently serve Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Arizona, South Dakota, Oklahoma, Iowa and Missouri. If the Dane is being fostered out of state, we ask that adopting families be willing to drive part of the way to pick up your new addition.
Why do some Danes in Rescue require Dane Experienced Homes Only?
These Danes are still in their “puppy stage” or have behaviors that require a person that has experience handling such behaviors. The reason for our policy regarding Dane puppies is they can be a lot for someone inexperienced with the breed to handle! You wouldn’t believe the number of pups we get turned into rescue for this very reason. They are capable of mass destruction due to their size and strength and they chew up couches, tables, and chairs, instead of shoes and books like most puppies. They can also be quite challenging behaviorally if you don’t have experience in dealing with this kind of issue. They get “Giant” in just a few of months! We have found that it works best for families new to the breed to consider a Dane in the 2-5 year old range who has outgrown the destructive puppy phase. At 3 years of age is when most Danes mature and start to mellow and it makes for a much more positive and less challenging experience.
* Giant Breeds are Anatolian Shepherd, Borzoi, Caucasian Ovcharka, English Mastiff, Great Dane, Great Pyrenees, Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, Bernese Mountain Dog, Irish Wolfhound, Kangal Dog, Leonberger, Neapolitan Mastiff, Newfoundland, Pyrenean Mastiff, Saint Bernard, Scottish Deerhound, Spanish Mastiff.