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It’s hard to believe that 2 years have passed since we got a call from an Emergency Vet on Feb. 5, 2011, asking us to take in a neglected 1½ year-old Dane which was in such bad shape that they just wanted to give him the comfort of dying in a home environment. The owners had been charged with neglect and cruelty and forced to surrender the Dane to the vet. The owners subsequently pleaded guilty to the charges in Court.

The Dane was totally emaciated, so weak he couldn’t stand and had numerous open sores on his body from lying on a floor with nothing between him and the floor but his skin. Some of these were so large the vet clinic had to stitch dressings over them to protect the open wounds.

We could see a beautiful Mantle Dane even with his open wounds and ribs/haunch bones showing and agreed to take him into rescue, give him some TLC before the end came, and asked the vet to care for him until he could at least walk for the journey to his final destination. The emergency vet staff lovingly provided the necessary vet care for his wounds and numerous feedings with gastro food to get him walking within a week.

In the meantime, through our network of volunteers and with the help of staff at a vet clinic, good Samaritans who were willing to provide the necessary care had been found.

On Feb. 13, 2011, one of our volunteers, Rob Davis, drove from Magnetawan to London, ON (a 4 hour drive) to pick up this boy and returned the same day to deliver him safely to what we thought would be his final home.

BUT …. even though his body was damaged, the Dane’s spirit wasn’t broken!

He responded well to the TLC and kindness he hadn’t experienced for most of his life, and gradually came to accept that not all humans were like his previous owners.

After spending weeks wearing a fleece coat to keep him warm and comfortable, lots of TLC, visits for vet care & monitoring and 3 other dogs who accepted him immediately into their pack, he was gaining energy, his open sores were healing and he had a new interest in life.

He rapidly gained weight and we knew he was going to make it for another chance – in a loving home this time, thanks to his love of life and the many individuals who helped him on his way to health and a full emotional recovery.

The Dane, and hero, in this true story is MORGAN.

Many of you will probably know this boy through the Internet exposure he got when his progress was being published on a weekly basis and he gained a huge following of supporters. He was the subject of a blog page by the staff at the vet clinic, Verzijlenberg Veterinary Services, who treated him throughout recovery. Morgan also led to the birth of our FaceBook page when another of our volunteers, Tina Weicker, stepped up to the plate to keep his fans informed.

Two years later, Morgan has gained almost 90 lbs and remains with his good Samaritans, Sue and Harvey Soules and the rest of their pack, as a family member on their farm in Sundridge.

Morgan is thoroughly enjoying country life with horses, goats and lots of daily exercise. One look in his eyes tells you that he is a big, happy boy and we’re all so very thankful that our rescue group was there to help him get his second chance.

Morgan recently acquired another playmate, a deaf Dane called Bella, which Sue and Harvey adopted from us last year. They are absolutely inseparable and Bella is learning all the tricks from Morgan.

This is a Happy Tail and one big, happy family ….