Size
(when grown) Large 61-100 lbs (28-45 kg)
Details
Good with dogs,
Spayed or Neutered,
Story
Louie ACCT-A-264831 is currently considered urgent and at risk of euthanasia due to length of stay and lack of space for incoming dogs. Louie must have confirmed placement with an ADOPTER or RESCUE PARTNER by FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13TH at 10AM. Should Louie’s medical or behavioral status change, his urgency and timeline for placement may also change.
Due to being significantly overcapacity with animals 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 an animal.
Meet Louie! This sweet, sensitive Mastiff mix is looking for a patient and loving home to give him the time and kindness he needs to feel safe. Louie was found as a stray on October 13th, and actually arrived with a fully registered microchip, but unfortunately his owner never came back for him. Louie initially struggled with shelter life, understandably overwhelmed by his strange new surroundings; but with time and patience, brave Louie has overcome much of his fearfulness and become a shy yet social boy who loves the company of his human friends!
Louie is very food-motivated, knows how to sit and offer his paw, and has shown that once he starts to feel comfortable, he’ll come over for affection, lean against you, and even rest his head in your lap. He can be nervous about being leashed and handled, so a gentle approach, tasty treats, and letting him move at his own pace are key to helping him shine. He’s also made strides with other dogs, greeting them appropriately and mingling with them during doggy playgroups.
Unfortunately, Louie has yet to find the one for him, and is still at the shelter awaiting his fur-ever family. Due to his length of stay and lack of shelter space, Louie must urgently find placement with an adopter or rescue partner no later than 10am on November 13th.
VIDEOS
Louie knows sit and paw: https://youtube.com/shorts/MdoRXMxd99s?is=2S_vL8d54twE4-W3
Louie in Playgroup 10/26: https://youtu.be/2gcYjF0FnDY
Louie in Playgroup 10/26 part 2: https://youtu.be/2zyIU_cxzw4
Sit and Paw: https://youtube.com/shorts/ooMJ2wq493E?si=pkQP7Kuo14PiWBOl
Louie Meeting a Friend: https://youtube.com/shorts/gNAdIxbpCao?si=bQaQkdZRnkYzV99e
BEHAVIORAL INFORMATION
11/7 per volunteer: “I took Louie out for a walk. He was neutered on the 6th, and he hadn't been out since the 4th, so he needed to get some exercise. Someone put a big comforter on the backside of his kennel, and that's where he was sleeping when I approached his kennel. He got up slowly and slowly walked to the front of his kennel. He's still a little shy, so I lassoed him, and he stepped down gingerly. He walked very cautiously through the aisles. I tried to take him in the yard, but he flinched at the gate and backed up suddenly, so I decided just to walk him. He's easy to walk, almost loose leash walk. He's a very skinny boy, and it doesn't look like he gained much weight since he arrived. Our walk wasn't too long, he was easy to return to his kennel, and I gave him some extra food.”
11/3 per handler: “Low energy. Slight issues coming out of kennel. Mildly shy. Allowed chin scratches.”
11/1 per volunteer: "I wanted to get Louie outside, since he hasn't been out in several days. I had to offer him lots of treats (he liked the bacon strips) then lower the divider and lasso him. He steps out slowly. He is spooked by the loud noises in the kennels. As we walked past the dogs and they bark at him he shrinks back, and the outside noises make him uncomfortable, also. He walks great on the leash; it's really a loose leash walk, he stays right beside me. He flinches with any sudden movement towards him, I went to move my leash stopper and he flinched. He has a cold, so we headed to the cold club yard. There he wanders sometimes smelling, but then, he'll just stop and sit or stand like he's observing. He didn't approach me for pets, nor play with any toys I tossed. He showed me he will sit beautifully for a treat and offer me his paw. He's very skinny, so treats are important to him. Another loose leash walk back into the shelter, but he was very skittish when I had to clip the leash. However, he went directly into his kennel."
Per staff 10/31: “Leashing Louie up to take for vet checks. Presented in kennel on cot, loose body ears to side tail nub wags. Spoke with baby voice and gave pieces of hot dog thru kennel door to introduce myself. Opened kennel door and presented leash and Louie’s body tensed and gave whale eyes. He did not like my hands over his head at all. Kept feeding pieces of hotdog through the loop but was unsuccessful in placing loop over head as Louie kept backing away from the leash, whale eyes and tail nub tucked. Placed loop onto floor, and put a hot dog in the middle. Was then able to pick up loop while he ate the hotdog piece and loop was successfully over his head and he did not panic. While at vet checks tolerated all handling very sweet boy.”
10/29 per handler: “Low energy. Lasso to leash. Knows sit and pay. Very nervous.”
10/26 per handler: “Low energy. Mild issues getting out of kennel. Moderately shy.”
Playgroup notes 10/26: “Entered the yard with low tail, ears back, wide eyes. Sniffed around then loosened up and mingled with the other dogs, good greets.
Playgroup notes 10/26: “Brought out for playgroup, came to the front of kennel with soft eyes and ears back. When I opened the door he retreated back, came forward for treats and was able to gently drop leash from above to leash him. Came right out and walked loose leash to the yard. When I sat down in the yard came over to me and leaned against me allowing all handling with a low tail and ears back. When attempting to put a collar on him he whale eyed and moved away. Called for a second person, with treats and moving slowly able to get a collar on. For transferring back to a slip lead after playgroup with treats and moving slowly able to get back on and walked back to kennel loose leash.”
Per staff 10/26: “Louie was being a bit silly tonight and hanging out on his back on his bed with his legs in the air! I happened to catch him in the act, and when he saw me he jumped up and came to the kennel door with soft eyes and ears back.”
Per staff 10/25: “Louie continues to be fearful being leashed, I assisted with leashing and handed Louis off to a volunteer once out of kennel. When I approached with the leash, his brow was furrowed with ears to the side. He retreated to the back of the kennel and was ignoring the cheese I was tossing in. I showed him the leash and opened the door a little bit and he came towards the door, tried to dodge the leash two times and then ultimately put his head in the leash and exited the kennel. When I handed him off, Louie’s body language remained hunched with ears back, appearing timid and worried.”
Per staff 10/19: “Kennel Presentation: Came to the front of his kennel with wide eyes, ears back, tail low, took a treat through the bars. Leash Skills: Backed up when I presented the leash and moved to the back side. Came to the front when I removed the leash and I closed the divider. Would back up with a front paw raised when the leash was near him. Able to leash with treats on the ground and lassoing. Once leashed came out and walked slowly, tail tucked, ears back. Sociability: Walked slowly around the yard, head low, tail low, ears back. Attempted handling at first and gave side eye, skin crawled and moved away quickly. Spent some time and offered treats which he took. Sat on the bench and he leaned onto me gently, allowed all handling with tail low, ears back, rested his head on my lap. Play: No interest in toys. Dog Interaction: n/a. Return to Kennel: When picking up his leash to return, gave a closed mouth head whip, ears pinned back, tail tucked and moved away quickly. Walked back slowly with the same body language. Did a treat scatter to clip my leash and he hopped right into kennel. Leash was removed with clip. Color Level: Exp blue.”
Per staff 10/17: “Making good behavior progress.”
Per staff 10/17: “BAR, friendly but timid. Tried to curl up into staff member’s chest after [medical] check-in, likes chin scratches.”
Per staff 10/16: “In kennel presenting with whale eye, tense body lip, licks, avoiding eye contact. Eating treats came to the front, and showing him the leash. He retreated to his bed. Put down the guillotine door use treats on the ground to get his head down to be able to lasso. Once leashed walked out slowly with tail pasted down. Peed and pooped immediately once outside. My initial attempt to touch him was while he was sniffing a tree and his skin crawled. He tucked his butt and flinched. we sat on a bench offered him treats came over, leaned into my leg while I pet his back gently. Also did sit and paw for another handler. Met a handler - tail raised to middle looser body language, curious and sniffing her, appeared to loosen up a lot more around her.”
10/14 per staff: “TTA- whale eyeing, jumps when touched, tense body, and lip licking. Did a mostly visual exam, very food motivated. Would come back up to the handler with the high value and look for attention when in the exam room. Starting Traz.”
Per staff 10/15: “Visual [vet] exam only, as dog was displaying evidence of high FAS.”
10/14 per staff: “Took a while to get dog on leash, ate food from my hands, very skittish when attempting to leash.”
MEDICAL INFORMATION
Louie received a vet exam on 10/15, which noted a scleral hemorrhage and superficial excoriation on the nasal planum. Both issues were noted to be likely to resolve without intervention.
On 10/20, Louie was diagnosed with an upper respiratory infection and began a course of antibiotics. On 10/31, a subsequent vet exam noted that Louie had vomited in his kennel overnight; at the time of examination he was eating and taking treats readily. He was given an anti-nausea injection and was monitored, with no additional instances of vomiting noted.
On 11/8 Louie was noted to have lost about 5 pounds since his intake into the shelter; he has been scheduled for extra daily feedings to assist with weight gain.
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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 a 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.
