Size
(when grown) Med. 26-60 lbs (12-27 kg)
Details
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Story
** $419 in pledges to any rescue that may pull! **
** New video 12/8! **
** Interested foster/adopter through rescue! **
Dugan ACCT-A-237195 is currently considered urgent and at risk of euthanasia due to length of stay and lack of space for incoming dogs. Dugan must have confirmed placement with a RESCUE PARTNER by Wednesday, December 10th, 2025 at 10AM. Should Dugan’s medical or behavioral status change, his urgency and timeline for placement may also change.
Meet Dugan, a sweet and sensitive boy who is looking for a calm, patient home where he can truly shine! Dugan loves exploring on leash, checking in with his person, and showing gentle affection when he feels safe. He has a soft, loving personality and is ready to give his heart to someone willing to go at his pace.
Dugan has specific sensitivities around handling, especially near his face and body, and can become uncomfortable or defensive if touched too quickly. While he can be playful and affectionate when he feels safe, he is not suited for homes with children. Because of these behaviors, he is recommended for an adult-only home and is rescue-only due to safety considerations with handling.
Despite these challenges, Dugan is a loving companion with a lot of heart. He has shown progress with calm, predictable handling and responds well to positive reinforcement. With a structured, patient environment, Dugan will thrive and show his true gentle nature to someone willing to give him the trust and time he needs.
Video:
NEW!
Meet Timestamped Dugan:
https://youtube.com/shorts/XAZNngTpzLY?si=HNVygxQEw_5IAOKc
Dugan and Ghost Buster leashed meet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDtuMKrT9CM
Darling and Dugan leashed meet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCx7IrRpVR0
August & Dugan Meet: https://youtube.com/shorts/NuYsoI-Atf4?feature=share
Darling and Dugan: https://youtube.com/shorts/wY9TLXKkh5s?si=lSzDbEN5K9ZXqg1y
Behavior Notes:
Walksheet Notes:
11/15 - low energy, does not like face handling at this time, not treat motivated, walks only, unsure with body pets
11/15 - medium/low energy, very sweet, easy to walk, good boy
11/15 - good dog meet with Darling
11/17 and 11/18 - medium energy
11/22 - medium energy, peed and pooped
11/25 - good boy, a little scared
11/26 - so sweet, no issues, medium energy
11/28 - go slow - sweet
12/1 - shy, high energy, pulls strongly on leash, difficult to walk thru the kennels and to get back in. vert touchy, tried to threaten to bite when trying to get leash on/off
12/1 - really easy tonight, likely potty trained
12/4 - pulled a lot
*NEW!*
Per staff on 12/6/25:
wagging tail and the lunged towards the volunteer. was low growling when getting enrichment. she stepped back and dugan had an open mouth and soft eyes
Per staff 12/3/25: Took Dugan out to get updated weight. He was growling, hard barking, tense stare, tail wagging, paws up on kennel door. Threw some hot dogs in, he loosened up a bit but went back to barking after eating; asked him to sit & opened kennel. He jumped up on door when trying to leash & was licking my hands, was able to leash & he came out no issues. Walks well, minimal pulling, easy to get to step on scale. Brought into exam room to see if vet needed him to examine (did not). Peed on floor few times. He sat when asked, gave hot dog piece- asked for paw/shake, & his body tensed slightly, tail stopped wagging, low growl. Moved hand & tossed him hot dog, & hid body language loosened again- only sign of distress noted outside kennel. Walked back to ISO no issues, crouched down & offered hot dogs, allowed me to clip leash while eating & gave more kisses to my hands. Returned to kennel, threw few more hot dog pieces & unleashed with no issues.
Per staff 12/3/25: was called to help PCR test Dugan. he was ver loose and wiggly with me but hard barking and growling at the nurse when she tried getting close. we were able to muzzle him (double muzzle) while i pinned him against the wall to test him. prior he had thrashed through the muzzle and tried snapping at the nurse. food was tried and failed due to him knowing the q tip was coming. after successfully PCR'ing him i easily put hi back and gave him some pets
Per Volunteer 11/26/25:
Meet Dugan, the sweetest boy who completely stole my heart today. 🥹💛 When I walked by his kennel, he kept gently slipping his paws underneath the door like he was saying, “Hey… please notice me.” And of course, I did.
From previous notes, I saw that he doesn’t like hands near his face — so I made sure to respect that boundary. And let me tell you, he was an absolute doll the entire time we spent together. He walked beautifully on the leash, took treats so gently, and even came over to quietly ask me for pets. It felt like he was trying so hard to trust, to be brave, to show who he really is underneath whatever he’s been through.
I can only imagine this poor boy’s past, but I know one thing for sure: with a calm, patient, loving environment, Dugan will thrive. He’s ready for someone to show him that the world can be kind.
Per staff 11/23/25: still does not like any sort of touch around his face or body, start flopping and hard barking when me and nurse tried to collect his PCR
Per staff 11/22/25:Easy to remove from kennel, pulls mildly. Peed and pooped multiple times. Ran a few laps around the parking lot. Easy to return to kennel
Per staff 11/17/25: Multiple concerns stated from both ACA's and Vet techs as well, dog will be loose and wiggly, appears very friendly but does not like handling. Especially near his face / head, has been noted to snap / bare teeth. Have to go slow, use caution when leashing and unleashing. Easy to walk and has done well with meeting other dogs while on leash during walks.
Per volunteer 11/15/25:
Meet Dugan. A sensitive boy who needs an experienced rescue to help him feel safe.
Dugan is soft and social, greeting handlers with gentle tail wags and walking nicely on leash. Outside, he explores calmly and will check in with his person, though he isn’t very food-motivated.
Dugan becomes uncomfortable with certain handling, especially around his face and body. He’s shown moments of gentleness with slow, positive reinforcement, but he’s still learning how to navigate touch and trust.
Dugan will thrive with a rescue that understands behaviorally sensitive dogs and can give him structure, decompression, and careful, predictable handling. Due to his sensitivities, he is not suited for a home with children.
Per staff 11/15/25: it took a few tries to get his vaccines done which ended up in him having to be double muzzled with regular muzzle and red leash due to him continuously getting out of the muzzle. While he was in the room with me we worked on him being more gentle which seemed to work if you only had treats in hand and using positive reinforcement but he still doesn't seem to understand he cant bite unless he has a treat in front of him.
Per staff 11/15/25: Per vet nurse was cautious during his intake exam. When examine face and mouth he snapped at her fingers, teeth connected with glove no broken skin.
Did not microchip due to behavior. Went slow and used caution in order to get vaccines done.
Per staff 11/15/25:
Kennel Presentation: Dugan was at the front with a very fluid body and tail. He had soft eyes and a wagging tail. He was easy to secure and came right out
Leash Skills: pulls minimally
Sociability: Dugan went to the bathroom as soon as he went outside. He walked around with me for awhile before i attempted some handling. I sat on the bench and called him over to me. He showed no interest in the hot dog i offered and walked away from me. I called him back again and offered my hand for him to sniff. He continued to wag but a bit slower, i reached my hand under to be a bit less intimidating. I got a couple chin scratches in before Dugan bared teeth at me. I gave him some space before attempting some body handling. at first he whipped around, seeming supposed that i touched him. I let him sniff my hand and touched him gently again to see if now he would be more tolerant. He watched my hadn't go towards his back and was tolerant but unsure, being stiff so i stopped.
Play: no interest
Dog Interaction: n/a
Return to Kennel: walked right back into the kennel without an issue
Per staff 11/13/25: Dugan was much more relaxed when arriving to the shelter, very loose body language with happy tail wags, leashed with no issues, sat at my feet and allowed pets.
Per staff 11/13/25: when a staff member was attempting to leash him he avoided the leash multiple times, the staff member’s hand reached over his head when attempting to leash and he lunged toward him but did not make any contact, appeared startled by the leash/ seemed to be more of a correction than aggression. Once he was short leashed he walked fine, the finder ended up lifting him in the truck with no issue.
Medical Notes:
12/3/25: Persistent URI
URI 11/19/25: 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.
Intake 11/15/25:
Collar placed? no due to not liking hands anywhere near face or neck
Age- 4
Urogenital- male
Altered- intact
Eyes- clear no ocular discharge
Ears- clean
Nose- clear & moist
Coat/Skin- clean for what we were able to see
Teeth- unable to see
Gums- unable to see
Musculoskeletal- good no lameness
Behavior- QAR very reactive to hands and fast movement. had to perform visual exam due to alligator flopping, hard barking, & bit my index and middle finger but did not break skin or the gloves I believe it was a warning bite to not try again.
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.v
