“Gru looked defeated and had no light in his eyes,” said Michael M., Gru’s adopter. “Despite that, he was gentle, but didn’t really want to interact. He appeared to have given up on life and was quiet and laid back. We couldn't shake the feeling that Gru needed us as much as we needed him.”

Michael and his wife, Connie, weren’t planning to adopt a dog, but when they stumbled onto the Citrus County Animal Services page and saw a picture of a Great Dane, they thought, “Why not?”

“When we saw Gru at the shelter, he looked like he was wondering what would come next and if it would be good or not,” Mike told us. “We knew right then that he belonged with us, and that we could offer him the love and stability he needed. Little did we know, Gru would turn out to be the missing piece in our family puzzle.”

Rescued from a Life of Neglect

In March of this year, we assisted in the rescue of approximately 120 dogs and puppies – primarily Great Danes – from a property in Union County, Florida. The dogs, including Gru, were seized from the property of a breeder after they were observed living in extremely unsanitary conditions. Sadly, many of the dogs were underweight and had untreated medical conditions.

Dogs on scene in Union County, Florida.

We relocated the dogs to an emergency temporary shelter where they received forensic exams to support the criminal investigation, as well as much-needed medical care and behavioral treatment and enrichment.

Just 42 days later, 68 of these dogs, including Gru, made their way to eight different ASPCA placement partners across the country for adoption. Graciously, Citrus County Animal Services said they could take as many Great Danes as we could fit on our transport vehicle. Gru, alongside nine other dogs, then made the drive from our temporary shelter to Citrus County, Florida.

After their transport, it wasn’t long before all of these Great Danes were headed to new homes. Gru spent the longest time of all nine dogs at the shelter – a whole 48 hours – before Mike, Connie and their son, Mitchell, came to take him home.

Building a Special Bond

From the moment Gru stepped into Mike and Connie’s home, he fit right in.

“We have several other dogs, with the smallest being just 4 pounds,” explained Mike. “Our Goldador and Standard Poodle, both large dogs, were leery of him at first. Now, they’re best friends and run the property like they’ve always been together. Gru has truly become a central part of our family dynamic.”

This family dynamic includes two Yorkies, a Corgi, Standard Poodle, Goldador (Golden Labrador) and three small blind dogs. They also have equines, ducks and a Macaw.

“Gru gets along with all of them,” said Mike. “He runs to the horse fence in the morning to talk to “his” donkey. Our Macaw likes to pinch the dogs and then mimic their yipe. On Gru’s first day, the Macaw pinched his paw and Gru just walked away. Since he didn’t “yipe”, the Macaw now leaves him alone. He’s very gentle and has a special bond with each of our animals.”

Mike and Connie have adopted many animals over the years, including Great Danes, but found Gru’s size to be “something else.”

“Even knowing how big Great Danes can get, Gru is absolutely huge in comparison,” explained Mike. “His presence is both imposing and comforting. We laugh when people walk their dogs next to our fence. One deep bark from Gru and they quickly walk to the other side – although he’s just a big baby at heart. We love to take him to the home improvement stores and smile when people say, “Woah! That’s a BIG dog!’”

Though quiet and reserved when they first met, Gru is now full of energy and enthusiasm.

“It’s like he’s always been a part of our family,” said Mike. “We take him every two weeks to a local pet grooming salon for a bath. When we arrive, you can hear the owners from the back of the store yell, ‘GRU!’ He then gets tons of kisses. With each visit to the salon, we get his weight. Now, when we go in, Gru heads straight to the scale and sits down and then heads right to the bathing station. He’s amazing and has adapted to our routines seamlessly.”

Not only has Gru adapted to the family’s routines, but he’s also created some of his own. Every time he comes back into the house, he stops whoever is around and makes them pet him.

“It’s his way of saying, ‘I’m home and I belong here,’” Mike told us. “He will then rub his face all over your clothes and make sure you are covered in Gru slime. With each step, he swings his hips to step in front of you.”

Mike and Connie didn’t just make an impact on Gru’s life, he’s making a Gru-sized impact on theirs, too! He has brought immense joy to the family and the couple couldn’t be happier. They do everything they can to make Gru feel like part of the family, even buying a new Jeep so that he has plenty of space when they travel, and a new sofa to sleep on in their bedroom.

“He’s not just a pet; he’s a beloved member of our family,” Mike explained. “Gru is where he needs to be – right here with us, surrounded by love and companionship. He’s not just a dog; he’s a special part of our family, and we can’t imagine life without him.”

By adopting Gru, Mike and Connie became part of what we call The Rescue Effect. When an animal is adopted or fostered, this creates an impact that ripples throughout shelters nationwide – saving that animal’s life makes room for others.

You can join The Rescue Effect by adopting or fostering a furry friend in need. Visit The Rescue Effect page to learn more about how you can make a lifesaving impact today.