WVU alum travels across country to raise money, Great Dane awareness

Weighing in at 107 pounds, standing 32 inches tall, aged 6 1/2 years – Harley the Blue Merle Great Dane, is getting a little "George Clooney" in the face, said Driving for Danes Founder Lauren O'Connor.

O'Connor, a 2008 West Virginia University graduate originally from Houston, adopted her dog four years ago, rescuing it from what she said were signs of abuse and neglect.

From March 1 to June 15, she and Harley traveled the country to educate people on Great Danes, promote their rescue and raise money for their cause. Her mission was to raise $100,000 for Great Dane and animal rescues.

Along the way, they hit approximately 60 planned cities but visited others along the way, and she worked with the Mid-Atlantic Great Dane Rescue League. The group helped organize local visits.

"WVU alumni helped a lot. They organized meet and greets for Harley at local pet stores, dog walks, that sort of thing," she said. "We held an event at Gibbie's, and people just started donating."

O'Connor began her journey in familiar places. In West Virginia and Texas, she brought Harley to dog bars and jokingly claimed the best money-makers involved alcohol.

When visiting Houston, the pair had 40 to 50 Harley
Davidson motorcycle escorts, met an American Idol singer and DJs.

"I didn't name him Harley," O'Connor said. "I actually wanted to change it, but I suppose it worked out better that he was Harley. We gained a lot of support from motorcyclists."

O'Connor also addressed Congress about issues facing Great Danes.

"Great Danes are huge right now," she said. "Scooby-Doo has been around, Lady Gaga has Great Danes in her music videos, and of course Marmaduke."

The pair slept in their Driving for Danes decaled SUV in Walmart parking lots, which O'Connor thought was safest because there is security.

"I'd be like brushing my teeth in the Walmart parking lot and people would come up to the truck and see this big dog in there and ask me about it," she said.

On the trip, O'Connor was able to help organize some Great Dane rescues.

In Austin, Texas, during a drug bust, it was discovered a man had three adult Great Danes he was attempting to turn into fighting dogs. When trying to rescue the dogs, police discovered the adults were protecting six puppies.

O'Connor helped transport the dogs to North Carolina, a place where she had recently just visited, and asked someone if they had room to foster the dogs.

"All but two of the Danes have been adopted," she said.

O'Connor said while Harley did well on the trip, he became territorial about people near the car, since it was his home.

At six years old, Harley is nearing the average age of Great Danes, about seven or eight years.

"When he dies it will be like the shot heard around the world," she said. "People I've met e-mail me or even text me every day to see how he is."

O'Connor jokingly says Harley is getting "George Clooney" in the face, noting his spreading gray hair.

Great Danes were originally a cattle-herding breed from Germany and are one of the biggest dogs.

Danes are docile family dogs and come in a variety of colors. They have a few breed problems like hip dysplasia and bloating, or when the stomach flips itself inside the dog.

While working for a Hewlett Packard branch in Manhattan, O'Connor discovered her passion was not in the corporate world, but with animals.

"What it comes down to, is just to figure out what you love and do it," she said. "So I called my dad and told him I was quitting my job."

Driving for Danes has connected with organizations nationally and globally. The duo's next plan is to work with Dublin Dog, a green dog collar company.