Freight, a lovable Great Dane mix, came to the Cuyahoga County Animal Shelter (CCAS) in October 2024 after being found as a stray in the Cleveland Metroparks. At just 5-years-old, Freight was in rough condition—underweight, missing patches of fur and testing positive for heartworm disease. Luckily for him, Friends of the Cuyahoga County Animal Shelter (FCCAS) stepped in with the Modi Heartworm Fund, ensuring Freight received the treatment he needed.
While CCAS got to work on Freight’s health, they also turned to the community to find him a foster home where he could recover during his heartworm treatment. It didn’t take long for Freight’s foster parents to discover his big personality—and a few challenges that came with it. This giant dog had a talent for counter-surfing, loved his toys a bit too much to share, and was strong enough to pull anyone around on the leash. Though he was sweet, his size and energy proved overwhelming for his foster family, and Freight returned to the shelter.
By March 2024, CCAS staff noticed Freight showing signs of stress from his time in the shelter. Combining what they had learned from his foster experience, they partnered with Miracle K9 Training to develop a custom behavior modification plan. FCCAS generously funded his training, and Freight quickly proved to be a star student! With consistent practice, he mastered his new skills and began showing off his transformation.
In June 2024, the universe had bigger plans for Freight. His adoption story was featured in the local newspaper, and a family grieving the loss of their beloved dog, Pebbles, stumbled upon it. Here’s a link to his story online . They weren’t looking for a new pet, Freight’s story stuck with them. Despite their reservations about his size (he was now a healthy 100 pounds compared to their former 10-pound pup), they decided to meet him.
CCAS staff member Kayla, one of Freight’s trainers, introduced the family to him and walked them through his history, progress, and training plan. The plan even included a final training session for his future adopters—something that gave the family confidence in taking on such a large dog. They agreed to foster Freight on a trial basis for two weeks, keeping in close contact with his trainers. They quickly realized that staying consistent with training was key, and after a successful trial period, on July 7th, Freight officially became part of their family!
But Freight’s journey didn’t end there. The whole family attended his final training session, describing it as “priceless” and invaluable for understanding his behaviors. They walked away feeling reassured and confident about how to lead their new furry family member with consistency, stability, and structure.
Freight is now living his best life! He adores face massages, playing fetch and tug with his dad, and napping next to his mom while she works from home. He loves going on walks, car rides to the farmer’s market, and even enjoys boat rides down the river. But his greatest joy? His human sister! The bond between them is unbreakable, and she’s his favorite snuggle buddy. When she leaves for school, Freight misses her so much that he sneaks into her room to curl up on her blankets until she returns.
Freight’s transformation from a stray in need to a beloved family member wouldn’t have been possible without the support from FCCAS and the CCAS team. His journey is a true testament to the power of love, dedication and second chances.
Want to see Freight in action? Watch him demonstrating some of his training skills with this dedicated shelter trainers, Kayla and Diane, in his adoption promotion video.
