Size
(when grown) X-Large 101 lbs (46 kg) or more
Details
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Story
Biggie Smalls ACCT-A-245263 is currently considered urgent and at risk of euthanasia due to medical concerns. Biggie Smalls must have confirmed placement with a RESCUE PARTNER by Friday, April 3rd, 2026 at 10AM. Should Biggie Smalls’s medical or behavioral status change, his urgency and timeline for placement may also change.
Meet Biggie Smalls! At 133 pounds, Biggie Smalls (aka “Chops”) is truly a larger-than-life companion with an even bigger heart. This gentle giant was heartbreakingly found tied to a pole, but you’d never know it from his loving, trusting nature. Biggie is incredibly friendly, social, and thrives on human connection—he’s the kind of dog who will lean into you for affection and happily soak up all the love you have to give. His previous owner shared nothing but glowing reviews, describing him as a loyal best friend who even went to work every day and was “humble” and gentle around children.
Biggie has great manners for such a big guy—he allows all handling, knows some basic commands, and even showed off a sit when a toy squeaked. He enjoys being outside, exploring the world through his nose, and will occasionally indulge in a game of fetch (on his terms, of course!). He has lived with another dog before and may do well with the right match, though he can be a bit more reserved with some male dogs and would benefit from proper introductions.
Because of his size and strength, Biggie is looking for an experienced, confident handler who can physically manage a large, powerful dog. He can pull strongly on leash when something catches his interest, so he’ll require structure, guidance, and continued training. All household members will need to meet him prior to adoption to ensure a good fit.
Biggie is currently rescue-only due to urgent medical concerns. He has developed a large fluid-filled swelling on his chest (suspected seroma), and while initial testing did not show obvious cancer cells, an underlying mass cannot be ruled out. He will likely need prompt veterinary intervention, including possible surgery to place a drain and biopsy or remove any abnormal tissue. He has also recently been treated for an upper respiratory infection.
Despite everything, Biggie remains the same sweet, affectionate soul—ready to give his whole heart to someone willing to give him a chance. He is urgently seeking rescue placement or a committed adopter working with a rescue who can provide the medical care he needs.
If you’re looking for a loyal, loving, ride-or-die companion and have the experience and resources to help him, Biggie Smalls is waiting for you.
Videos:
A little about Biggie Smalls: https://youtube.com/shorts/YS_HfgDCymU?si=lOi2mK5N_r1WRWzb
Biggie Smalls & Giuseppe: https://youtu.be/TeXoV_A8Nw0
Biggie Smalls & Blakey: https://youtu.be/6eWOOsMBkJI
Behavior Notes:
Walksheet notes:
3/15 - strong on leash, medium energy
3/16 - medium energy, on leash meet with Guiseppe and Blancey. Strong guy, but gentle
3/21 - low/medium energy, great dog, knows commands, sweet and good dog
3/21 - at times can fixate thru fence but easy to distract. Knows come (maybe), sit down. Can be mouthy when playing but still super docile. Plays with balls and rope toys.
3/22 - tends to pull. Very sweet, knows commands
3/23 - For over 100 lbs, very low energy. Could be hard to handle if small. Played with tennis ball and ran alongside fence with dog in another yard
3/21 - low energy, playful, happy tail, great dog, happy and playful, can pull hard at first, redirects with treats, can get a little mouthy if excited for treats
3/28 - consistent with 3/21. We worked on redirection change during leash walks
3/23 - low energy, seemed like he wanted to play with Alfie in the yard
3/30 - medium/high energy
Per staff 3/19/26: Meet Biggie Smalls!
At 133 pounds, Biggie Smalls—affectionately known as Chops by his previous owner—is a big boy with an even bigger heart. This gentle giant was found tied to a pole, but despite that, he’s remained incredibly loving, friendly, and eager to connect with people. His previous owner shared nothing but praise, describing him as a loyal companion who even went to work with him every day—talk about a best friend! 💛
Biggie is a sweet and social dog who thrives around people. He’s been around children and was described as “humble” with them, showing off his gentle and easygoing nature. He loves attention, allows all handling, and will happily lean into you for affection. He also knows some basic commands and enjoys engaging with his people—he even sat on cue when a toy squeaked!
For such a big guy, Biggie has a playful side too! He enjoys time outside, sniffing, exploring, and even a little game of fetch (on his terms, of course!). He can be strong on leash, especially when something catches his interest, so he’ll need a confident handler who can comfortably manage his size and strength. Because of this, all household members will need to meet him prior to adoption, and adopters should be prepared to handle a large, powerful dog.
Biggie has lived successfully with another dog before, though he may be a bit more reserved with some male dogs and would benefit from proper introductions. What he’s really looking for is a home that understands big dogs and is ready to give him the structure, guidance, and love he deserves.
If you’re ready for a loyal, loving, larger-than-life companion, Biggie Smalls is ready to be your ride-or-die. Come meet this sweet giant and see just how special he is!
Per staff 3/19/26: Whole family must meet biggie prior to adoption. Adopter must show that they can physical handle a dog of his size.
Per staff 3/19/26: I called the previous owner yesterday for more information on how biggie was in the home. He had nothing but good things to say. Biggie would go to work with him everyday, has been around some children and called biggie humble around kids. His best friend was a micro bully, however the previous owner did note that he can be more standoffish with male dogs.
Per staff 3/18/26 - Very sweet outside, pulls strongly especially when he wants to go somewhere. Played fetch for a little bit then lost interest.
Per staff 3/16/26:
Kennel Presentation: Standing in the back side of his kennel when I first approached. Came to the front with soft eyes, ears to the side and mid tail wagging up and down.
Leash Skills: Easy to leash and came right out of the kennel. (Double leashed due to his size) He pulls when he wants to go sniff/mark on something.
Sociability: Allowed all handling and remained loose, soft eyes, ears to the side with mid tail wagging. He sat down when I squeaked a toy.
Play: n/a
Dog Interaction: Met Giuseppe and Blakey. Forward body, hackles raised between shoulder blades and at base of tail. High stiff tail some low vocalizations. Was able to sniff and walk away.
Return to Kennel: Brought him to surgery to be neutered
Color Level: Blue - Must walk with two handlers
Per staff 3/15/26: Picked up one stray/abandoned Cane Corso tied to pole
Dog is very friendly and playful, soft eyes, mid tail wag,had knowledge of basic commands, jumped right into truck,will jump on you when playing.
Medical Notes:
3/30/26: Unicorn adopter can be considered if they are willing and able to take to offsite vet for drainage of seroma +/- biopsy/removal of abnormal tissue
3/30/26: A large (12–15 cm) fluid-filled swelling was found on the right side of the chest that was not present at intake. Part of the swelling feels firmer, raising concern for a possible underlying mass.
About 20 cc of blood-tinged fluid was drained. Initial cytology did not show obvious cancer cells or infection, but further evaluation is still needed.
This is suspected to be a large seroma, though an underlying tumor (benign or malignant) cannot be ruled out. Trauma or pressure is considered less likely.
Plan: Dog is now rescue-only with urgent placement needed within 72 hours. Will likely require surgery to place a drain and to explore/remove and biopsy any underlying abnormal tissue.
3/22/26: Complicated URI and Concern for infectious pneumonia
3/19/26: This dog has been observed to have shelter acquired upper respiratory infection (URI), or a "doggy cold". They have been started on medication, and will be monitored for resolution of the respiratory infection.
3/15/26: 3-year-old intact male (both testicles present), large dog weighing 133.9 lbs with a slightly overweight body condition (6/9). He is a friendly “gentle giant,” though he did not tolerate the Bordetella vaccine at intake.
On exam: eyes were red but clear, ears had wax buildup, and nose was clear. Skin showed flakiness with pressure sores on the hocks. Teeth had mild staining with a chipped upper left canine. Gums were moist but red. No significant musculoskeletal concerns noted.
Overall, friendly disposition with some mild medical concerns (skin, ears, dental) to monitor.
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Due to being significantly overcapacity with dogs and cats and higher than usual intake, extensions are unlikely to be granted. If you are interested in an animal please contact ACCT Philly immediately.
Due to limited space, timestamps may also be proceeded with early so it is imperative to let us know if you are considering adopting or tagging a dog or cat.
ACCT Philly is located at 111 West Hunting Park Ave in Philadelphia. We are open for adoptions 7 days a week. Please visit www.acctphilly.org/adopt for details.
If you are a rescue interested in pulling this animal, please email our lifesaving team, or visit here if you are not currently a rescue partner: https://acctphilly.org/acct-philly-love-local-partnership-program/
Confirmed placement is considered confirmation of an actual rescue pull. Possible placement, interested parties, and other "TBD" statuses are not considered confirmed and do not indicate an animal is no longer urgent.
All animals at ACCT Philly are from Philadelphia, as the only open intake animal shelter in Philadelphia, we are not able to accept animals from outside of Philadelphia. ACCT Philly’s Pennsylvania kennel license number is 08313.
