LadyBird is a medium sized, 40-pound, 2-year-old, rust and white colored Staffie Mix. Poor Birdie hasn’t had much attention given to her during her short life – she was found as a stray, but she’s getting plenty of attention now. Since she’s become a member of the Pen Pals at ACCT, her behavior has improved immensely.

She has learned to walk on a leash with an Easy-Walk harness, she has mastered ‘sit’ and does pretty well with ‘down,’ picked up ‘touch’ like a champ and is now working on recall! Birdie is a very friendly girl, but can be excessive in her play style. With the right kind of dog, she’ll play and play and play! There isn’t a dog she’s met that she’s hasn’t liked. She’s even worked her way up to shared housing in the shelter. She’s paired with another dog in the kennels, they share two spaces where they keep one another company – which is working wonders with the dogs at keeping their stress-levels down.

LadyBird is very treat-motivated, and training her has gone pretty well, but she needs consistency, discipline and boundaries. Because she’s so pushy in her play style, please bring in your dogs to make sure that your dogs can tolerate her. Should Birdie go to a home where there are children under the age of eight, close supervision should occur around the children; her inconsistent manners and pushy style may be too much for a small child.

LadyBird is part of the Pen Pal program. She has a volunteer dedicated to finding her a great home or foster. Her pen pal also spends quality time with LadyBird trying to keep her as stress free as possible while living at the shelter. LadyBird’s pen pal also works on teaching her to be the best dog she can. If you have any questions about Birdie, contact her pen pal at katherine.ACCT@gmail.com.

Check her out in action with her buddy Johnny (just adopted) here.

This dog’s name is Lucy and she currently is ACCT’s longest term resident by quite some time. For some reason the caramel colored dogs get often overlooked. Lucy is a 1-2 year old female Pitbull terrier mix. She’s on the smaller side weighing only about 40 lbs. Her previous family couldn’t keep her due to landlord issues so she ended up at the shelter. She has a beautiful brown coat with some white on her chest and toes. Her biggest attribute is her huge pittie smile!

Lucy’s stay at the shelter has been super special because she’s a member of the ACCT Penpals. Her Penpal is an employee at ACCT that spends one on one time with her, takes her on adventures, and is teaching her manners and new commands. Lucy loves her human friends so much that she tends to jump up when she sees them, but she’s learning that this is not very lady like. Lucy is learning to be a very classy girl. Continue Reading

About 1,500 cheering Barack Obama supporters packed the Bobby Morgan Arena at the University of the Sciences on Thursday for a rousing get-out-the-vote speech from First Lady Michelle Obama.

Obama was preaching to the proverbial choir in West Philly, a longtime Democratic stronghold. And her speech, aimed at rallying campaign supporters, even felt like a Sunday morning sermon. Obama punctuated a few of her most resonant points – on things like universal health care and education equity – with “Can I get an Amen?”

Obama’s day-long swing through eastern Pennsylvania will also take her to Montgomery County and Bethlehem to help keep Pennsylvania behind President Obama, who won the state in 2008.

“It’s all on the line,” she said. “Everything is at stake. That’s why we’re here.”

Update (08/08): Charlie is still looking for his forever friend. Please email Don at dkushon@gmail.com for more information.

Charlie is a 1-year-old, handsome, super smart, athletic, water-loving, 60 pound, pit bull terrier mix. He was found hanging out on his own and was brought to the shelter on May 15.

He already knows “sit, down, touch, and watch.” He loves running or hiking in the Wissahickon and if you give him a chance he will dive in the water. He will retrieve sticks and can catch a frisbee. He travels well in the car. He’s very good with other dogs, and his body language stays loose and wiggly when they are around. He did wonderfully in a play group with six dogs. Even though he has a lot of energy he is getting a lot of experience chillin’ with his human friends inside a home.

Since July 1 Charlie has been living in Center City with his pen pal Don who is fostering him. He’s getting a whole new experience now that is way different from life in the shelter. He has a crate that he sleeps in during the night and while Don is away during the day at work. He’s starting to get used to his new routine and becoming more relaxed.

Charlie doesn’t have any problems with food. He gently takes treats when they are given to him. He’s up to date on all his vaccines and he’s even been neutered and microchipped. He has some manners to work on and he’s enrolled in a basic manners class on Thursdays at 6pm that began July 12 and runs for 5 more weeks at a place in Chestnut Hill called Y2K9. Anyone interested in Charlie would be welcome to join him in class.

Some things he needs some help with is wanting to jump on people, being too mouthy and getting overstimulated with larger toys like a soccer ball. These behaviors will definitely improve with training, as his friends at the shelter think. If you are interested in Charlie and have other dogs at home, you can have a meeting with him so you can make sure you all get along. If you have children 8-years-old or younger, bring them to meet him too!

Charlie is looking for his forever friend and can’t wait to meet you. His adoption fee is only $25 and includes his neutering, vaccinations, and microchipping. If you think you have a place in your heart for Charlie, please contact his pen pal Don at dkushon@gmail.com and arrange a meeting with him.

2-year-old male orange tabby cat “Nana” was last seen on July 30 near 45th and Larchwood.

Duke is a 1 to 2-year-old young terrier/pit mix who needs a home where he can cover and then learn to be the best dog he can be! Duke is playful with toys but he’s not very good at giving them back to his human friends! He’ll need some basic training to help him learn that he can trust his human friends and play with toys nicely with them. He has several volunteers working with him to learn to trade a tennis ball for another ball or for a treat, but since he has come down with a cold his learning has been slowed.

He lived in a home previously, but was surrendered to the shelter because his owners didn’t have the time to get him through his puppyhood. Duke can be rambunctious at times, but all it takes is a few minutes of walking or playing fetch and he settles right into being a normal, happy, loving dog. He has met some other dogs at the shelter and was totally appropriate and friendly with them. If you have dogs at home please bring them along to meet Duke to make sure they’ll be the best of friends.

Also if you have cats please feel free to ask about getting Duke a cat test to see if he can live with them.

If you have questions about Duke or want to learn more, please feel free to contact his human friend at bragan.jen@gmail.com or contact the shelter where he is currently living directly.

Animal Care and Control Team (ACCT)
111 W. Hunting Park Avenue
(267) 385-3800 | phone

Adoptions
Hours: 1pm – 8pm, weekdays; 10am – 5pm, weekends
adopt@acctphilly.org

Foster Care
Hours: 9am – 6pm, everyday
foster@acctphilly.org