Brynn is a young adult brindle mixed-breed dog who was removed from an alleyway on September 14. A woman at the scene reported that her neighbor had witnessed a car pull up in front of the alley and someone throw Brynn out before driving away.
Understandably, Brynn arrived extremely frightened. During her initial pickup, she growled when approached, crawled low to the ground while being walked from the alley, and eventually flattened herself and urinated out of fear. Her first days at the shelter were similarly difficult, with Brynn trembling, tucking her tail, freezing, keeping her eyes wide or darting, avoiding close contact, and sometimes low growling when she felt overwhelmed.
Staff gave Brynn space to decompress in a crate in an office, and with patient, low-pressure handling, she has begun making meaningful progress. She started by eating with staff nearby, gently taking treats, sniffing while outside, and offering small tail wags. She later allowed brief chin and chest pets while remaining cautious.
By September 18, Brynn was showing even more encouraging changes. When staff entered the office, her tail began to wag and she greeted them with soft eyes. Although still hesitant about being leashed, she walked on a loose leash and checked in with her handler. In the yard, she spent time sniffing and exploring and approached her handler several times. On her final approach, she allowed pets under her chin and even leaned into the affection.
Staff described Brynn that day as far less fearful, much more social, loose, and actively seeking attention and touch. She also participated in playgroup, where she was described as playful and confident and clearly appeared to enjoy herself immensely. In an earlier dog meeting, she sniffed the other dog and was described as tolerant and aloof. Staff strongly suggest that Brynn go home with another dog.
Brynn has made significant progress in a very short time, but she remains a sensitive dog who needs thoughtful, patient handling. Minimal restraint has been especially important for helping her feel safe. She would do best in an adult-only home.
Videos
King Kong and Brynn meet
https://youtu.be/WZLMtiTxrXA?is=8ohjjgHKTHbJ_7lv
Meeting another dog: https://youtube.com/shorts/o1v5L7TCr30?si=7KF99e2dXPEOPCks
Playgroup 9/18: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSgCLC9x40KU
Gentle cuddles: https://youtube.com/shorts/TtUKQ5YHeGM?si=cmNE0fJ2HrN_E5rQ
Behavioral Notes
09/18/2026
today Brynn has been far less fearful and much more social, loose and seeking out attention and touching. IN the playgroup, she was playful and confident and clearly enjoyed herself immensely.
Making available for adoption
09/18/2026
When I came into the office Brynn's tail began to wag she had soft eyes and ears to the side. I placed her food in and she at it. Opened the crate door to see if she would come out to be leash up. She was hesitant, Brynn would step out and then go back into the crate. I was able to lightly lasso and then spoke softly for her to come out. She had mid to low tail tags, ears back with wide/soft eyes. Walked on a loose leash, checking in with me. Went into the yard and she spent most of the time sniffing around. She came up to me a few times and on the last time I was able to pet under her chin, leaning into it. Back in the office i was able to o clean and change out the blankets in her crate. She went right in, I placed a collar on her and removed the leash with my hand.
09/17/2026
Meeting another dog: https://youtube.com/shorts/o1v5L7TCr30?si=7KF99e2dXPEOPCks
Sniffed, tolerant, aloof
09/17/2026
Today she gave me some low tail wags when I would coax her from the crate. She walks and slinks around, eyes darting. Explored and sniffed outside, avoidant of getting within an arms length of me still. On our last walk on the day I bent down and pet her chin and chest, she was tense and tolerant and moved away as soon as I stopped.
I left her loose in the office and she made quite the mess, knocking stuff off my
Desk. She has peed in the crate and pooped in the office when left loose. She sniffs outside but seems too guarded to potty out there as of now.
She remained in her crate for vaccines and was tolerant, less is more for restraint is absolutely crucial for her.
09/17/2026
Laying down in the crate when I entered the office. Eyes wide, ears to the side and moved to the further corner. I gave her breakfast and she ate it while I was in the office. It took some time to leash up and go outside. I tried to treat lure her out however she was not eating the hotdogs I had. I did need to lightly lasso and she slowly came out with head low and mid tail. Outside her nose was to the ground the whole time, she did sniff my leg a few times. Went back in the office she tried pulling back out to the hallway. I was able to close the door and she went right into the crate, slipped the leash off with the clip
09/16/2026
Brynn was on the back side of her kennel when i approached. Attempted to lure to the front side with a treat scatter. She did come forward however when i attempted to close the guillotine door she ran back to the other side. Her eyes were wide, ears back and tail tucked, low growling with a closed mouth. I closed the guillotine and went to the back side. I tossed more treats and she came up to the door to eat them, as i opened the door she retreated to the back and into the corner. Brynn was trembling with wide eyes/darting and ears back. I tossed more treats however she did not eat them. I was able to secure her on leash with a lasso and i spoke softly which to that she walked out of kennel with low body, wide eyes, ears back and tail tucked. She was hyper vigilant walking through the kennels. Brought to the vet office to attempt check in. Her body remained the same, defeacting out of fear and frozen. At one point she saw a sod and her body loosened, ears perched forward and tail down not tucked. Outside her body was more upright and she was sniffing around. I attempted some pets and her skin would crawl. Able to bring her back to the office and use some body pressure to go back into crate
09/16/2026
this dog is being started on behavior meds for FAS
09/16/2026
attmped check in, defeacting out of fear, trembling, tucked tail, whale eye, tense body, skin crawling, moving away. Placing in crate in office to hopefully settle in and relax
09/16/2026
On the back part of her kennel during my morning walk through. Wide eyes, ears pasted back and low growling. Slowly came forward when i dropped a treat and she ate it. Tail down not moving. Some short quick barks
09/15/2026
Laying on her bed wide hard eyes, ears pinned back, tense body, low growling. Tossed in a treat which she hesitated for a second then got up and ate it and returned to growling. I tossed in another once closer to the door and she got up and ate it, low tail, ears pinned back, wide eyes, no longer growling. I offered her one which she took gently then returned to her bed as I walked away.
09/14/2026
9/14/26 10:51am growling when approached. Ducked catch pole but allowed it to be placed around her neck. Walked through alleyway never breaking eye contact with me and was crawling the entire way. Tried to pull away a few times. Flattened her body onto the ground when we got back to the truck and began urinating out of fear.
09/14/2026
9/14/26 10:53am woman on scene stated that her neighbor watched a car park in front of alleyway and throw dog out of car and drive off.
Medical Notes
09/17/2026
No chip found when scanned
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
CHICHI
Mixed Breed
🇺🇸
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
male, small, young
Mixed Breed
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
