Sometimes, two hearts speak to each other even though they are miles apart. So it was with Ana Rothenburg and Zeus. They shared a special connection – Ana is also adopted. When Ana saw Zeus on the SPCA website, it was love at first sight. “I knew from the moment I saw him that he was meant to be in my life.” And so she made the 4 ½ hour trip from Halifax to Cape Breton to meet him!
Adoption has always been important to Ana’s family. “My sister and I were raised with the belief that there are so many animals and children who need love, comfort and safety and that we have the ability to give that to them,” explained Ana. And that’s exactly what Zeus needed.
A handsome three-year-old Great Dane mix, Zeus was brought to the Cape Breton Shelter as a stray in April 2024. After healing from surgery to address several medical issues, Zeus was put up for adoption in May. But he waited patiently until July 10th to find his perfect match in Ana.
Ana shared that when she met Zeus, there was an instant bond. “I knew that he was special. I also knew that with love and kindness, Zeus would shine and that we would be able to challenge the misconceptions that often surround large breeds. Once I saw and heard about the love that the shelter staff had for Zeus, I had no doubt in my mind that he would be the sweetest boy.” 
It took Zeus some time to settle into his new home – he struggled with separation anxiety for the first few months. Ana recalled “I tried many things to help him feel comfortable and safe when I was out of the house, but nothing seemed to work. Due to his traumatic past, Zeus was nervous about being left alone. I think he was afraid that I wouldn’t come home.”
Sometimes, fate intervenes to help us with life’s challenges. As it turned out, Ana’s mom broke her leg in December, so Ana moved back to her parents’ home for a few months to help out. Of course, Zeus accompanied her, and while there, he formed a strong connection with her parents and with their family dog, Max. In fact, Max and Zeus became somewhat of a dynamic duo, especially where treats are concerned, working together to double their charm. And best of all, with Ana’s parents being home most of the time and with another dog in the home, Zeus’ separation anxiety was greatly reduced!
Despite Zeus’ large size – 115 lbs – he is truly a ‘gentle giant’ and is thriving in his new home. Ana said “While he likes to play rough when toys are involved, he has top-notch leash manners. He is also a huge snuggle-bug and loves taking naps in the sun. Ana’s workplace has a dog-friendly policy, and when she brought him into work one day, he was the talk of the town. He absolutely loved all the attention.
Zeus definitely has a list of favourite things to do, said Ana. Number one on his list is toys. “His favourite toy currently is a stuffed mallard that quacks at him. He hides it around the house in case anyone tries to take it. Zeus also loves cars. That was the first thing I noticed about him. He loves to watch them drive by when we’re out for a walk. And going for car rides is the bomb! Whenever he sees my car, he is instantly beside it, waiting to get in. He even has his own seatbelt for safety!”
Over the past year, Zeusie, as he is lovingly called, has brought much love, warmth, laughter and joy to the family’s lives. Ana said “He is always my first concern, and I truly feel as though I am his mom. He has such a unique personality, and we can’t wait to see what shenanigans will happen next.”
The family is grateful to the SPCA for the amazing care and love Zeus received there. “Without them, he would never know what it’s like to be surrounded by people who love him,” exclaimed Ana. Zeus’ presence is a daily reminder of the love, resilience and joy that come from giving second chances.
July 10th was the one-year anniversary of Zeus’ ‘Gotcha Day’ and it’s heartwarming to hear how his family marked the occasion. Ana shared “My sister and I are both adopted, and our family has an adoption celebration every fall in which we go apple picking in the valley. I was lucky enough to have Zeusie this fall, and as our most recent adopted family member, he came apple picking with us. On his actual anniversary day, I took him to his favourite spot – a lookout in Halifax- and we just spent some time there watching the water, walking and being thankful we found each other.”
Ana wants to pay her love for Zeus forward to other homeless animals. She will be moving permanently to her parents’ home this September. Ana said “Max is quite old and his health is declining, so he likely won’t be with us next year. When it comes time to say goodbye, my parents and I have agreed to begin fostering dogs similar to Zeus. I feel confident that we will have the experience to help them.”
We are thrilled that Ana’s and Zeus’ hearts spoke to one another. I think we can speak for everyone when we say this happily-ever-after makes our hearts happy.
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Prepare for cuteness…here are some favourite anecdotes from Zeus’ fur-mom Ana: 
- When I took Zeus to a lake for the first time, I let him go to swim, but instead of swimming, he spent the whole time trying to drink the water and didn’t quite get it that it was for swimming, not drinking!
- Around the holidays, I bought Zeus and Max Christmas outfits. Max was a snowman, and Zeus was Santa. Zues spent the whole day wearing his Santa costume and ended up loving it so much he would bring me his little Santa hat to put on!
- My family and I learned very quickly that Zeus was smarter than he let on when it came to food. We had left some BBQ on a plate in the middle of our kitchen table (we thought it was safe from him), but when I went to get some for myself, 2 burgers and 3 hotdogs had magically disappeared!