Pepper - Mixed Breed Dog for Adoption in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Meet Pepper (ACCT-A-256179)! This sweet girl is a gentle, sensitive soul looking for a patient home where she can truly shine. Pepper first came to the shelter after being found in a park, where she was noticed for being incredibly calm and friendly with everyone she met. She even allowed kind strangers to help her stay safe until help arrived.

In the shelter, Pepper has shown us what a lovely companion she can be. She has a "loose and wiggly" personality once she feels comfortable, often greeting other dogs with play bows and happy tail wags. While the busy shelter environment can be a bit overwhelming for her-sometimes making her feel hesitant or nervous in the hallways-she is very motivated by treats!

If you are looking for a dog who is as sweet as she is sensitive, Pepper is waiting to meet you. She would love a home where she can take things at her own pace and receive all the love and treats she deserves.

Videos:
Playgroup 7/22
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcUoE01g4fw8

Pepper and Jax Meet
https://youtube.com/shorts/5ZvhKmOV2es?feature=share

Behavioral Notes

07/22/2026 per staff:
Semi Steerable 1/5 with water and 2/5 with can. Good greetings, mingled around at first. Started to open up with a loose wiggly body, ears back, mid to low tail wags and play bowd at Rylo.

07/22/2026 per staff:
Easy to leash. Walked with mild pulling. Good dog meet with Jax. Peed while we were outside. I clipped her leash as we entered the building. She walked into TTA fine, but the door to the eval room and open and she kept trying to go into it. She was only pulling or backing up with mild pressure, but I could see her tongue starting to go blue multiple times, then returning to pink when I stopped trying to get her to walk. She was a little snatchy with treats. She was willing to take a few steps forward when I dropped a treat but would back up again whenever I reached into my treat pouch for more. Once we got back into the TTA room, another staff member closed the door. I tossed treats into her kennel, and after initially placing only her front paws inside before backing out, she ultimately stepped fully into the kennel. She walked towards the middle eating the treats so I had to wait a moment to remove the leash.

07/20/2026 per staff:
Very gentle, sensitive and sweet girl. Remained loose with low wagging tail and soft eyes. Was friendly and calm with other people in the park and allowed them to put her inside the court. She was a bit hesitant to walk with me but came willingly when I coaxed her. Allowed me to lift her into truck with a loose body. Allowed me to pull ticks from her ears with no reaction. Very nervous of shelter environment. Froze up and was not willing to enter kennels. Had to carry her.

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

The mixed breed dogs, often referred to as mutts, are a diverse and unique group with a blend of different characteristics from various purebred dog breeds. These dogs come from a mixture of lineages, resulting in a wide range of sizes, coat types, and temperaments. While each mixed breed dog is distinct in its own right, they are known for their resilience, adaptability, and often have fewer health issues compared to purebred dogs due to their genetic diversity. Mixed breed dogs make wonderful companions for families looking for a loyal and one-of-a-kind pet.

Animal Care & Control Team of Philadelphia is the region's largest high-volume, open-admission animal shelter.  Open every single day of...