We featured Knight (A562022) earlier in February, when he was kenneled with his accidental twin Honcho. Because of that reel, Honcho was adopted, but sadly, Knight is still here. And since the adoption, Knight hasn’t really connected with another dog the way he did with his accidental twin Honcho. He’s paired with another dog, and he still takes part in play groups. But as you can see, his heart is just not in it. Knight is a sweet eight year old stray that’s been adopted before, and returned for being overprotective. He’s been at our shelter for some time, without much interest from the public. People look in his kennel, and all they see is a big dark scary dog with cropped ears and a mean mug. They don’t realize Knight is a teddy bear. Sweet, gentle, goofy and always ready for a snuggle. He hasn’t shown any overprotective behaviors here at the shelter; if anything, he’s a bit of s softy. So now, Knight just sort of mopes around during play groups, preferring to lie in the sun and rest. He is still playful with staff and volunteers, but we can all see the difference in him. We don’t want him to give up hope, because we know there’s someone out there for this big sweet boy. Let’s get him seen. Let’s get him home.
We featured this sweet girl back in November of last year, and believe it or not, she has been in her foster home ever since. Cupcake was one of many confiscates from a suspected dogfighting case. She was being used for breeding, and was found living in horrible conditions. When we first met Cupcake, she was underweight, timid, and shaking like a leaf. But she has spent the past four months in a loving home, getting some much needed training and socialization. This is the report card we recently received from her foster mom: “As far as I know all Cupcake knew was her wooden chicken coop and getting bred. That meant she wasn’t used to living in a home or being treated as beloved pet. For a while she’d tuck her tail at too much affection, or would submissively roll over if I was moving too fast or if my husband got loud (he’s a tall energetic guy!). Once she felt safe those nervous behaviors went away. Cupcake also adjusted well to living in a home. Her crate is her comfy space and potty training went well. We do still leave her in her crate when we’re gone so she doesn’t have the opportunity to chew or get into anything. Initially the outside world was very exciting and it was difficult for her to stay focused. Now she’s able to take food, do commands, and walk nicely in new environments. One of my favorite things about Cupcake is how much she loves people! When we’re on walks and pass someone she softly wags her tail and looks at me like “can I please say hi?!” She’s very sweet when meeting new people and has a way of making them feel extra special! I do always warn them she’ll jump up and try to crawl in their skin though haha. Cupcake hasn’t been around children so I recommend a bit older kids just due to her mouthiness that can come out when she’s bored, but she has gotten MUCH better. A physically/mentally fulfilled cupcake = a polite girl! She enjoys short training sessions, zooming around the yard, and long walks to do so.” It's c
Picture this: you’re fifty pounds of mush and sweetness, you love other dogs and adore attention from people, but people keep passing right by your kennel. You get so excited when you do get attention that you start to gnaw and chew frantically at anything you can find. Water bowls, toys, leashes, and sometimes, even the hands of staff and volunteers. You’re not tying to hurt them, you just don’t want them to stop touching you and loving you. But you don’t know how to express that. And you can tell it scares some people. That’s our Meatloaf (A563857). Meatloaf is an impossibly sweet and affectionate dog. He’s compact but strong, and he’s got a really bad habit of gnawing and nipping for attention. It doesn’t hurt, and it’s pretty obvious Meatloaf could bite a lot harder if he wanted to. But Meatloaf is persistent, and to some people, that can look a little scary. So we wanted to be clear about his behavior. Because once he receives love and attention, Meatloaf relaxes and melts into a puddle of mush. Meatloaf will need an understanding home, with an experienced handler who will not be terrified at the first sign of mouthiness. He will need toys and play time, long walks but more importantly, Meatloaf will need attention, love, affection. He’s the kind of dog that will follow his person around the house, seeking even the smallest bit of acknowledgment. Meatloaf just wants someone to love him. And when a dog loves you, they love every version of you, unconditionally. The cranky version, the tired, the busy, the sick, the sad version. Dogs love us completely, with their whole hearts, and to them, we are always enough. It’s time we returned that love. Let’s get him seen. Let’s get him home.
If there’s one thing we know in the animal services field, it’s that at some point, all of us need help. We cannot do this alone, and it’s so important to reach out when the numbers start to overwhelm us. Our friends at Highlands County Animal Services reached out to us, and we were in a position to help them, so we did. We took almost all of the cats they had at their shelter, 22 of them, to see if we could help get them all into homes. And we’re happy to report that as of today, 14 of them have already been adopted.We value these partnerships, because all of us need help sometimes. And our animals will always benefit from them. Working together like this, we could get them all seen, and get them all home.
Everyone has probably seen the videos online: a dog barking, growling and acting aggressively behind a barrier, like a fence, gate, or a kennel door. Once the barrier is removed, suddenly there is a very different dog there; calm, sweet, friendly. In a shelter and kennel environment, this behavior can be startling. People who walk by a dog with barrier reactivity will often get scared, jump back, and hurry past without a second glance. These type of dogs struggle here, because people are afraid to take them out and interact with them. This behavior is not hard to manage, but it does require some training, patience and time. Sadly these three things are not what some adopters are signing up for. Some people just want a dog that they can set and forget: housebroken, cat friendly, and social media picture ready. This is King’s (A562081) story.King is a three year old owner surrender, who has known only one home his entire life. He’s sweet with people, and has easily and readily shared his kennel with another dog. He is healthy, young, intelligent and strong. His only negative mark? King suffers from kennel reactivity. Upon first walking up to his kennel, he will growl and bark, and will not seem like a friendly and adoptable dog. But the moment that kennel door swings open, King is a new dog, wiggly, sweet, and extremely affectionate. It’s as if a switch was flipped; once the barrier was removed, so was the fear aggression. In a shelter environment, this kind of behavior can be catastrophic. No one wants to take out the “aggressive” dog. No one wants to stand by the kennel that has the growling and snarling dog. No one will want to give King a chance. And sadly, they are passing on a truly sweet and amazing dog. We’re hoping that by showing this, people will take away one thing: barrier reactivity does not make a dog a “bad dog.” It just means they’re going to need a little more care and love to help them break past that barrier. King is a good dog wh
**HELGA HUFFLEPUP** We posted this sweet young girl yesterday, and though her reel did well, she still really hasn’t gotten the attention that we hoped she would get. So we contacted our friends at Pet Suites, and asked if they could take her in. And they said of course! They had such great success with getting Madame Fetchington adopted, so we were very happy when they readily agreed to take on Helga. We know spending time there will make a huge difference for her. From the moment she arrived, Helga Hufflepup just clicked with their staff. And they immediately fell in love with her. This amazing facility specializes not only in boarding, doggy daycare and grooming, but also in training. We know Helga Hufflepup is in good hands. Thank you PetSuites, for helping us to get her seen, and get her home.#adoptlove #adoptdontshop #petsuites #adoptashelterdog #doglovers
Meet Pesto (A559347), a sweet, affectionate and energetic two year old dog who is ready for a fresh start. Pesto is small for his age, but we can tell you that he packs a lot of energy into his little frame. Pesto at full energy is like a blast of dynamite. Once out in our yards, he explodes with speed and excitement. But once the zoomies are gone, Pesto changes. He becomes the type of dog who loves to bond with people, showing nothing but loyalty and love when he's with his humans. But like many young dogs, he does have his quirks. Pesto hasn’t always been the best with other animals; he’s not a fan of most dogs and definitely not a fan of cats. This can make finding the right home a little more challenging, but that doesn’t mean he’s a bad dog. Yet sadly, Pesto has been adopted and returned multiple times. But we’re hoping this will be his last journey through the shelter. He’s been in our care since December of last year, and we believe it's time for him to find his family. Pesto has watched a great number of other dogs get adopted before him, and it’s heartbreaking to see him curled up in his kennel, day after day, hoping that someone will notice him. We know that not everyone is looking for a high-energy dog like Pesto, but for the right person or family, he is going to be a loyal and affectionate companion.Strong, playful, and affectionate ; Pesto will need someone who can keep up with his energy, show him patience and love him for who he is. Let's get Pesto seen. Let's get him home. #adoptlove #adoptPesto #ShelterDog #AdoptDontShop #FosterFailure #LookingForLove #Adopt #ForeverHome
Tomorrow is the day! OCAS will host our Dog Wellness Day at the shelter from 8am to 12pm. This event will be held to give pet owners a chance to get their dog vaccinated and microchipped at no cost. Services will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. We know veterinary costs are a significant point of concern for pet parents. Our goal is to help pet owners access these essential services, and events like this one help us achieve that goal, ensuring more of our community’s pets are properly vaccinated and identified. Services will be available via drive-thru in the shelter’s carport area, starting promptly at 8am. Dogs will be eligible to receive: Microchip identification, including free registration of owner’s information in the national database. Rabies vaccine, which is required by the State of Florida.A combination vaccine providing protection from Distemper, Adenovirus, Parainfluenza, and Parvovirus (DAPP). Bordetella vaccine. Things to consider: Services are available on a first come, first served basis through the dog carport, while supplies last. There is a limit of two dogs per household for these services. All dogs must be leashed. OCAS may elect to muzzle certain dogs, out of an abundance of caution. Pets unable to be safely handled will be refused service. Once again, these services will be provided for free. All you have to do is show up with your pet. For additional questions, please email us at [email protected]
**UPDATE: YUKON WAS ADOPTED!**
Yukon is still waiting for his forever home!
Despite a wonderful birthday celebration this past Saturday, Yukon (A390159), our sweet and strong 9-year-old boy, was not adopted. Our hearts are broken.
But we're not giving up on him! He’s still looking for someone who will give him the love and care he deserves. Yukon has been at our shelter for over 100 days, and he’s been a real trooper. He loves to play, get affection, and he’s a loyal companion, though he does prefer to be the only pet in the home.
He’s available for only $14, and with his Adopter Starter Kit, which is everything he needs to start his new life! The kit includes a large crate, bed, raised feeding station, leash, collar, food, treats and toys.
Yukon may be a senior, but he’s got plenty of energy left to share with the right person! If you’re looking for a loyal, loving companion who’s all yours, Yukon could be the one.
Thank you to the volunteers who helped make Yukon's birthday party extra special! While it didn't achieve the outcome we had hoped, we know he felt loved and celebrated.
Meet Hancho (A558663) and Knight (A562022), our accidental twins. They did not come in together, and their stories couldn’t be more different. Hancho is a four year old confiscate from a cruelty case, and has been at the shelter since October. Knight is a sweet eight year old stray that’s been adopted and returned for being overprotective. And they’ve both been at the shelter for some time, without much interest from the public. It was only by chance that these two were paired together, and that we noticed how much alike they are. Not only are they twins in looks, but they also have the same temperament. Both are goofy, sweet, good with other dogs, and absolutely fantastic with people. At a glance, they are interchangeable: two low rider gray bullies with big hearts and happy smiles. But staff and volunteers have grown very fond of them, and now can easily tell them apart. Make no mistake, these two are not a bonded pair. They get along great, and seem to have fun with each other in the kennels and in the yards. But they are different. Hancho is outgoing, goofy and energetic; Knight is calm, a bit more aloof but just as gentle and sweet. They will do fine in a home on their own, or they would be fantastic together. We just love that they’re kennel twins, and we’re hoping their similarities will get them some much needed attention. Let’s get them seen. Let’s get them home.
Meet Saddy (A561903). She was aptly named, because when she was first impounded about a month ago, she seemed so sad and down. Saddy was a stray, but it’s obvious at some point in her life, she was loved. And then one day, she found herself at our shelter. Without a family. Without a home. Saddy has come a long way in a short time. She’s still a bit shy, and a little bit sad. We estimate her age to be about eight years old, making her a senior. But a he’s active, healthy, and has one of the softest and cleanest coats we’ve seen. Shes’s good with other dogs, but we think because of her size and age, she’s watched a lot of her kennel mates be adopted before her. We hope her person finds her soon. Saddy has a huge heart, and has easily pawed her way into staff favorite status. Let’s get her seen. Let’s get her home.
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