Meet Vida (ACCT-A-248775), a gentle soul who is looking for a patient and loving home where she can truly blossom. While the shelter environment is a bit overwhelming for her right now, Vida has shown us that she is a sweet, sensitive dog who just needs a little extra time to feel safe.
Vida is a shy girl who finds comfort in the company of other dogs. In fact, she truly shines when she has a canine friend by her side! When meeting new doggy pals, her tail comes up, she becomes more active, and her confidence grows. Because of this, she would love a home with a confident resident dog to help show her the ropes.
Once she trusts you, Vida is a total sweetheart. She has discovered that chest rubs and chin scratches are actually quite wonderful, and she will even lean her weight against your leg to show her appreciation. She is a fan of treats (especially cheese!) and will gently take them from your hand. She's also a champion sleeper-once she settles into a quiet spot, you might even hear her snoring soundly!
Because Vida is still learning that the world isn't such a scary place, she would do best in a quieter. A home with a fenced-in yard would be preferred so she can enjoy the outdoors at her own pace while she works on her leash-walking skills.
Vida needs an adopter who understands fearful behaviors and is willing to move at her speed. If you have a quiet home and a heart full of patience, Vida is ready to be your loyal, quiet companion.
Videos:
Meeting Maddie: https://youtube.com/shorts/A4jdcZ_loWw?si=sJRxIMv2leo7XICB
Meeting Evie: https://youtube.com/shorts/KhnVY-4XajY?si=xd1asI5Jc2vbXBM3
https://youtube.com/shorts/dOHhsSgZLhg?si=mCt3d4lXyCjQvZU
https://youtube.com/shorts/LgrCz8fhP0M?si=ITmM6FN0PW8AZBbk
Behavioral Notes
Per staff 5/1:
Kennel Presentation:
Vida was lying in her crate upon arrival with closed mouth, whale eye, and ears pasted back. She readily accepted cheese offered in the crate but remained lying down and did not get up.
Leash Skills:
Leash was placed without resistance, but Vida did not move forward and remained lying down. Required significant leash pressure to encourage movement out of the crate and ultimately needed to be carried outside. Displayed whale eye, lip licking, trembling, skin crawling, and tucked tail before being picked up.
Sociability:
Once outside, Vida came into close proximity and began leaning against handler's leg during petting. Maintained tucked tail, ears pasted back, and avoided eye contact with averted gaze. When petting stopped, she remained in place with no skin crawling or flinching, indicating some comfort development.
Play:
Did not engage with any toys during the assessment period.
Dog Interaction:
During dog meets, Vida's tail came up and she began walking around the pen more actively. Was able to perform leash walking on the lawn to meet other dogs and walked up to the door independently to return inside.
Return to Kennel:
Required carrying back through the shelter. Unleashed easily and went directly into crate for a treat. Immediately oriented to her bed displaying soft, squinty eyes, gentle panting, ears back, and resumed lying down position.
Color Level:
Experience Blue designation - indicating need for specialized behavioral support and handling due to stress and fear responses.
Recommendations and considerations:
- Ideally should be placed with another dog
- Requires home with fenced yard if no other dog is in the home to work on leash walking skills
- Best suited for quiet area of city or suburban environment
- Appears overwhelmed by traffic noise and loud music from vehicles
Per staff 5/1: Meeting Maddie: Curious, sniffing, tail came to middle and moved fluidly. Helped her walk around the yard on leash.
Per staff 4/30: Helped get Vida to surgery. She was in her crate and the nurse had already leashed her. She moved closer to the front of her crate ears back, tucked tail with baby talk. After a few minutes she laid down. We tried sliding the blanket that she was on slightly to move her out of the crate, when it started sliding she moved off of it. We needed to use some leash pressure to get her front half out. Once the front half of her was out I was able to put my arm under her and lift her out of the crate. Once out of the crate she walked slowly to surgery with wide eyes, ears pinned back, tightly tucked tail, whale eyes. In surgery she tolerated the doctor listening to her with whale eyes, ears pinned back, tightly tucked tail and we were able to sedate her easily.
Per staff 4/30: Took Vida out last night. She was laying down in her crate, ears to the side, soft eyes. When I opened the crate her eyes were wider she ate the cheese I offered her and I was able to easily put the leash on her. Once leashed she needed a trail of cheese to exit her crate. Once out of her crate she walked through the kennels slowly with her head lowered, ears pinned back, tucked tail, eyes darting. Outside she went to the bathroom right away. She sniffed around the yard with her tail low, ears back, tense body. She was not eating any of the treats that I offered. When it was time to go back inside she walked back slowly with the same body language as walking out and went right into her crate.
Per staff 4/29: Vida was sitting quietly in the crate this morning when I walked into the office. Her eyes were wide, ears forward and trembling. I opened the crate and leashed her up. I then kept the crate door open and tossed some cheese onto the ground. She came out slowly and I continued to toss treats onto the ground for her. It took alot of coaxing to make it through the door ways. In the kennels her tail was tucked, eyes darting and ears forward. Vida let me pick her up and carried outside. Once outside she immediately went to the bathroom. In the pen she sniffed around and saw a few dogs passing by. Her tail was down not moving, wide eyes and ears to the side. I crouched down and she came over to me, I was able to gently pet her chest and chin. She did not solicit for more, however she also did not move away from me. She walked back into the building, still hesitant through door ways. The door closing behind us was loud, which scared her. Tail tucked and she bolted forward on the leash. Back in the office she sniffed around and then came to lay next to my office chair.
Per staff 4/28: Caught Vida soundly sleeping even snoring a couple of times in the crate through out the day. I did attempted to take her out prior to leaving for the day. Treat lure to leash up and tried to do a lure out of the crate. Attempted light leash pressure but she pulled back. Left the crate door open and she did come out to eat the treats on the ground, then as i crouched down to slowly grab the leash she retreated to the crate. I removed the leash with my hand and dropped a few treats.
Per staff 4/28: Vida was the front of the kennel with wide eyes, ears forward and tail down. I offered a treat through the bars and she immediately took it. I opened the door and she took a few steps back. The guillotine door was already closed. I tossed some treats and she readily ate them. When I presented the leash she backed up again. I placed the leash on the ground and made a trail to the leash with treats and a placed a pile of treats in the leash loop. I was able to slowly leash her up, when the leash was on she did back up a little. Tail tucked, wide eyes and ears forward. She continued to eat treats. I attempted a treat trail to come out of the kennel, however I needed to use leash pressure to fully come out. Made it into the eval room where she sat down next to me, she tolerated gentle chest rubs and her eyes became softer. Tail no longer tucked but down not moving. I had the crate set up in my office and carried her there for some quiet down time.
Per staff 4/28: Staff heard growling and saw Vida biting the back of Vada's neck and mounting her. Vada was cowering. I closed the guillotine door to separate them for now until we can move Vada to a new kennel.
Per staff 4/26: Vida was low growling while staff came close to the crate she was in. Both dogs were in separate crates. Staff was able to leash them through the crates and tilt the crate to force them out. Once out they both were laying on the floor but still weary of their surroundings.
Per staff 4/26: Scared and quiet.
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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.
COPPER
Pit Bull Terrier
🇺🇸
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
male, medium, adult
Pit Bull Terrier
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
