Walking for the ‘gentle giants’
Great Dane lovers are taking part in the regular walks to educate the public on the misunderstood breed.
THE uMhlanga beach was covered in giant paw prints as locals gathered for the Durban Great Dane Walk on Sunday morning.
The initiative, aimed at creating awareness about the ‘gentle giants’, was organised by La Lucia resident, Terri Cranke.
“I belong to the Great Dane’s South Africa group and posted a message on the Facebook page inviting people to join us on a walk, as my husband and I regularly walk our dogs along the beach. Many people loved the idea,” she explained.
The first official walk saw 12 of the German breed hounds taking part. Since then the initiative has grown from strength to strength. Similar walks for the breed have also been established in Cape Town and Port Elizabeth.
“People are often intimidated by their size and seem to assume that they are aggressive dogs, but in reality they are one of the friendliest and most loyal breeds out there. They are very social and have a constant desire to be a part of the family,” said Cranke.
The majority of the dogs that took part in Sunday’s walk, said Cranke, were rescues. Her own pup, Zeus, is one of these lucky hounds.
“We drove 13 hours to rescue him in Sasolburg. When we finally got to see him, our hearts sank. He weighed little more than 2.1 kilograms and suffered from parvo disease. But we managed to nurse him back to health, and now he weighs a healthy 45 kilograms,” she said.
According to Cranke, the Great Dane is one of many breeds that suffer due to backyard breeding. “A Great Dane can sell for up to six grand, so they are often the victims of improper breeding – left with disease and disabilities,” she said.
- For more information on future walks and the breed, the public is urged to join the WhatsApp Group by contacting Terri Cranke on 082 331 9138.
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