Duke is a 1-2 year old Pit Bull type Terrier mix that is living in an overcrowded Philadelphia shelter. Luckily for him, he has acquired his very own volunteer who is helping him work on his basic obedience and manners while living in a kennel most of the day. While working with him, his volunteer has noticed that Duke might be an ideal dog for work with various dog sports such as Flyball, agility, dock diving, etc. Here are some basic stats about him.

1. He is VERY focused on toys and very motivated by playtime.
2. He is a natural retriever and neither hell nor high water will keep him from his tennis ball/toy. (For this reason he would do best in a home without toddlers or small children as he might very well knock them down in the pursuit of toys).
3. He handles distractions VERY well. He is not really interested in other dogs, but will exchange polite and friendly sniffs and tail wags before going about his business. Business that usually includes toys, fetching, etc. He has been exposed to other dogs, motorcycles, cars, traffic, noisy people, children, etc and still his focus on the ball is unwavering.
4. He’s an amazing catch and often jumps high into the air to catch a tennis ball and possibly a frisbee.
He has also been working with a weighted back pack and still shown an ability to effortlessly lift himself high into the air! He’s a pretty tall, slender dog and stands about 21 inches at the shoulder and weighs about 55lbs.
5. In addition to all of his sporting potential, Duke is pretty good in his crate and in the car. I would still recommend crating him in the car at first so he nor his cuteness will be a distraction to the driver.
He is also fairly interested in tug toys and would LOVE to engage with the ones that have tennis balls affixed to them (thus again would be PERFECT for learning flyball skills).

Please feel free to contact Lulu if you have any questions about Duke. She can be reached via todorov.lulu@gmail.com.

If you want to head in and meet him for yourself please visit him at:
111 West Hunting Park Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19140

Adoption hours: Monday – Friday 1PM – 8PM, Saturday – Sunday 10AM – 5PM.

Here’s a video of Duke fetching a ball:

Update: Nibbler is still missing. Here’s more information directly from the cat’s owner:

“Nibbler has been missing from 49th & Larchwood since July. Numerous reports of possible Nibbler sightings range from 50th to 46th, and from Baltimore Ave to Pine St. Nibbler is a male, and was about 22 lbs when he went missing so this is pretty big cat. He had a collar and tag when last seen, but that may have slipped off. He has black spots on his back, a black tail, and white underbelly. His humans miss him very, very much and believe he is still wandering around West Philly. If you think you have seen him please let us know. Nibbler is micro-chipped.”

Please call Doug at 215 909 2334 if you’ve seen Nibbler.

Update (Oct. 3): Neemah has been found and returned to her owner (see comments).

Sep. 21, 8:27 pm: A female lab/shepherd mix, Neemah, got out of her house on Thursday (Sept. 20) around 10 p.m. and ran west. She was last seen at 51st and Catharine. She’s an older dog and is likely very nervous. She is not familiar with the area.

Please call 434-989-5670 with any information.

Pit Bulls get a bad rap. Just last week on our site there were some negative comments about them after we published a post about a young Pit Bull looking for adoption. This Sunday (Sept. 23) there is an event that will try to dispel some of these myths and discuss how to help the breed. The “Punish the Deed, not the Breed” forum, organized by PACT for Animals, will be held on the University of Pennsylvania campus from noon to 7 p.m.

The forum will include screenings of the film “Beyond the Myth” at the International House (3701 Chestnut St) at approximately 1:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. There will also be seminars and symposiums held at Golkin Hall in the Fitts Auditorium (entrance is on Sansom Street between 34th & 36th Streets), beginning at 12:15 p.m. and continuing until 7 p.m. Tickets are available online ($25) or at the door ($35).

For more information about the forum and the event schedule, please follow this link.

A grey kitten with white nose, neck, and paw markings showed up at a neighbor’s house at 5oth and Baltimore on Friday night. It is at least 8 weeks old, can eat solid food, and is a bit skinny. Please contact themeul[at]gmail.com if you have any information regarding its owner or mother.

Last month neighbor Robin and her husband found this sweet, handsome pit bull near Clark Park. They took him in, hoping to find his home, but none was found. Rather than taking him to ACCT they chose to foster, got him fixed, vaccinated, microchipped, and want to find him the best possible home.

“Baby” (his current name) is considered to be about 7 months old, weighs about 60 lbs, gets along great with Robin’s two little dogs, kids, other dogs, and strangers. He just wants to be everybody’s best friend! Local dog walkers who have met Baby agree that he would make an awesome best friend. He is still young, so he does LOVE and need attention!

Anyone wanting to meet Baby can email Robin at robinstur42@yahoo.com or call 215-526-8645.