Great Dane Rescue

[.Little Texas.]

Springfield Dog Law





By Jodi Unruh



Springfield -

A Springfield couple is going to great lengths to help their great danes. They're traveling miles everyday to get around a city ordinance that almost forced them to shut down their rescue shelter.

Marc Sayer used to work with deaf children. Now he trains dozens of deaf dogs. "I've devoted my life, " he said.

25 great danes live with him and his wife, Carole at their Springfield home. 21 of them are deaf and some of the canines are even blind. They started rescuing the giant pooches from across the country three years ago. They now teach them commands with sign language, and adopt them out to suitable homes.

This isn't a cheap endeavor. It costs them more than $2,000 a month to pay for their dog food, vet bills and now sky rocketing gas bills.

But now they have to move because an animal control officer stopped by last month to enforce the city's three dog limit. Sayer says they've worked hard to keep the noise down, and keep things clean, but someone obviously complained that they had more than three dogs at their home. "We've been here since 1985. Now we're being forced to move. We have no choice," he said.

So the couple has to shuttle the giant pooches everyday to West Fir for the night until they can find a new home.

They know it won't be in the area because the City of Eugene and surrounding areas also limit the number of canines that can be cared for at a home.

For now, the hundred pound plus pooches don't seem to mind their 45-mile trek coincidentally to a place called the "Tired Dog Ranch".

The owner, Amy Jo Maurer agreed to help the Sayers out after adopting a great dane from them a year ago. She refers to them as saints, and reflects on how they're devoting their lives to save these dogs who otherwise would have been euthanized.

In the meantime, the Sayers are looking for a home in the Oakridge area because its one of the few places that allows dozens of dogs to live together.



Anyone think they can help these ppl? I'm sure they'd take donations, and appreciate it too!

[AussiesCollies]

That's ridiculous. If the area is clean and their is little noise and they are helping unwanted animals, then what's wrong with that? I don't see why the city wouldn't help them out because it's for a really great cause. Nice guys do finish last it seems. So sad....