Adopt

My name is *TONGA!

Posted over 10 months ago | Updated 1 week ago

Adoption process
1

Visit the Facility and Find a Pet

2

Meet the Pet

3

Sign Adoption Contract

4

Take the Pet Home

My basic info

Breed
Akita
Color
Brindle
Age
1 year 11 months old, Adult
Size
Large 61-100 lbs (28-45 kg) (when grown)
Weight
Sex
Male
Pet ID
A128910

My details

Checkmark in teal circle Purebred
Checkmark in teal circle Spayed / Neutered

My story

Here's what the humans have to say about me:

This young guy is super fun and a total looker. He’s an athlete for sure….. he just may not know the rules of the game….. but he’s super up to learn! He is really friendly and eager to play, but also just loves getting attention (treats are good too) and knowing what was going on. He seems to be an Akita mix and definitely has that Akita attentiveness. He’s a nice mid size (much smaller than a standard Akita) and has a medium level of fluff. He will need regular brushing to maintain that fluff, and regular exercise to manage his play level. In return, he will be your absolute bestie forever! You will never have a better bestie than him! You also will have a dog photo for any occasion at the ready on your camera roll cuz you’re gonna take so many pictures of this heartbreaker. Tonga will need some basic training and a nice consistent walk/ exercise/play routine.

From Tonga`s Day Hike Foster on 9/15/25

Tonga was great today. Like Stacie said, he’s a little wild at first but calms down. He seemed to enjoy the car ride. He loved all the scents on the hike and loved leaving his own scent in return! We saw a deer and he didn’t freak out. We walked past several other dogs and he was slightly reactive to the first but then was much calmer as we passed the others later in the hike. He was easy on leash. These are the best of the pictures that I got.

from hike in Oct 2025

Holy smokes, what a fantastic dog! Tonga is a great little buddy. Get him out of the shelter and he shines. He sniffs and pulls and pees on everything (`I`m peeing in nature, y`all!`), but once he realizes that this is a walk that will last more than 20 minutes, he hits a dignified stride. Tonga is incredibly smart, and I suspect he knows more words than the average 5 year old. He pulled a lot, especially early on, but he is an obedient dog and eventually mellowed out. He is a playgroup all star, and this showed throughout the 2-hour plus walk. He was not reactive to other dogs, was chill with people, and didn`t lunge at cyclists (like a certain lady I know). I decided to trust him to enter Romancing the Bean for a coffee, and I held onto the traffic loop to be safe (`You are peeing in this cafe over my dead body!`). No issues at all. He seems to understand that good boys do not urinate inside and he is most definitely a good boy.

11/26/25 075800- Kelly took Tonga out on a walk. -SR
Shelter

Contact info

Pet ID
A128910
Contact
visit our shelter
Address
1150 Victory Place, Burbank, CA 91502

Their adoption process

1.

Visit the Facility and Find a Pet

Adoption screenings are conducted Tuesday - Saturday from 12:00 pm to 4:30 pm. Adoption screenings are first come, first-served.

2.

Meet the Pet

Meet the pet(s) you are interested in adopting at our Shelter. Our staff will review your application to make sure it is a good match.

3.

Sign Adoption Contract

If you decide to adopt, sign our adoption contract and an adoption fee. Adoptions include spay/neuter, vaccines and microchip.

4.

Take the Pet Home

Additional adoption info

Adoption screenings are conducted Tuesday - Saturday from 12:00 pm to 4:30 pm. Adoption screenings are offered on a first come, first-served basis.
Raffles are held for popular pets. Winners are invited to a meet and greet (adoption not guaranteed).
Dogs and cats adopted are provided with a medical exam, flea treatment, vaccinations, microchip and spay or neuter if unaltered before intake. Dogs, cats and rabbits must be spayed or neutered before going home with their new family.
The Burbank PASS program may provide eligible participants 50% off adoption fees.
Dog adoption fees range between $130 - 190.
Cat adoption fees range between $90 - 150.
Other species adoption fees vary by animal.
* Fees are approximate and may vary depending on the number of vaccines a pet has received.
Adoption fees are waived for all United States Military Veterans.

Adoption application

Go meet their pets

Adoption screenings are conducted Tuesday - Saturday from 12:00 pm to 4:30 pm. Adoption screenings are offered on a first come, first-served basis.

More about this shelter

The Burbank Animal Shelter has been providing quality Animal Control services since the 1950’s. Our mission is to return lost animals to their owners, to find loving homes for stray animals and to control overpopulation through consistent spay/neuter efforts. We strive to eliminate animal suffering by educating the public and enforcing the humane treatment of animals.

Other pets at this shelter