ACCT Philly: At-Risk Dogs

‼️ URGENT ‼️ Carter (ACCT-A-253406)

👉 for the most up-to-date notes please refer to the bio in the comments 👈

Carter (ACCT-A-253406) is currently considered urgent and at risk of euthanasia due to length of stay and lack of space for incoming dogs. Carter must have confirmed placement with an ADOPTER or RESCUE PARTNER by SATURDAY, JULY 18TH at 10AM.

Should Carter's medical or behavioral status change, his urgency and timeline for placement may also change.

Carter is a handsome young dog who came to ACCT after being found as a stray. His finder described him as scared, barking, and pulling hard on leash. While shelter life has clearly overwhelmed him, staff & volunteers have consistently seen glimpses of the sweet, gentle dog underneath. He may be reserved at first, but with patience and understanding, Carter has all the potential to become a wonderful companion.

Carter loves getting outside and is happiest when he has room to explore. He's a strong walker who is eager to get out of the building, and while he can pull on leash, recent walk notes show he's been making steady progress. Some days he's calm and low-energy, while other days he's alert and curious about everything around him. Volunteers have described him as very handsome, very sweet, and simply in need of confidence building. He has participated successfully in playgroup, enjoys appropriate interactions with other dogs, and has even begun showing interest in play with his canine friends.

The shelter environment has been difficult for Carter. Loud city noises can make him uneasy, and he often prefers observing the world from a distance rather than seeking attention. While he hasn't shown much interest in toys or treats yet, he has accepted gentle pets once he feels comfortable and continues to build trust with the people caring for him. Staff have started him on medication to help reduce his fear and anxiety while he's in the shelter, and everyone hopes a quieter home will allow his true personality to shine.

Videos:

Playgroup 6/20: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcnvoGYrJkIaIXFfDYkqa3DLmtMQMeTaR

Behavioral Notes
Walk sheet notes:
7/7 strong on leash, alert, easy to leash/unleash, leash pressure returning
7/6 low energy
7/3 strong leash puller, took tossed treats, handsome, sweet, confidence building
7/1 patrolled fence line
6/25 & 6/24 pulling on leash
6/23 sensitive to sounds, harness helps
6/22 difficult returning, easy back into kennel
6/21 friendly and gentle
6/20 playgroup
6/7 great dog, low energy

07/08ACA had issue getting leash off dog tonight: "He wasn't trying to go in. He needed two handlers just to get him back in and he was agitated. I went to hook but got sidetracked because I had to help another ACA." The leash was left on temporarily, and a nurse removed it without incident.

07/07/2026
Kennel Presentation: Laying at the front of his crate, ears back, wider eyes. Took the treats that were offered gently, then spit them out.

Leash Skills: Easy to leash and came right out. Walked through the kennels with a low, still tail, ears back, wide eyes, and a tense body. Outside, he shook off, kept his ears back and tail low but looser, and pulled strongly.

Sociability: Asocial in the yard, pacing around with a low, still tail, ears back, wide eyes, and tense body. Ate intermittently but would not come over when called. During handling his skin crawled, tail stayed low and still, ears back, closed mouth, wide eyes. Moved away when petting stopped and returned to pacing around the yard. Heavy shedding noted. On a second handling attempt after a few treats, he remained with a low, still tail, panting, ears back, and wide eyes.

Play: N/A

Dog Interaction: Met Rook. Pulled very strongly toward him with a tense body and high tail while being sniffed. Needed strong leash pressure to move away.

Return to Kennel: Walked back with a low tail while pulling hard, ears back. Stopped several times on the way to the building but continued with mild leash pressure. Outside his crate he stopped, ears back, low tail, wide eyes, and pulled back strongly on the leash. A treat trail and jogging toward the kennel were attempted. He stopped eating about three feet from the crate and pancaked. With leash pressure he reached the crate but continued pulling backward. A second handler assisted with a belly loop. He head-whipped toward the handler with a closed mouth but was successfully guided into the crate.

Color Level: Experienced Blue

07/01"I took Carter outside on Wednesday, July 1. He was in a crate in ISO and was hesitant to come forward. I leaned in to loop him, and he came out fast and strong. When we got outside, he had a very healthy p*e, so maybe in an effort to say housetrained, he pulls hard to get outside.
In the yard, he walked around, did some exit searching and once he put his front paws on the fence as if to scale it, but he never made any attempt.
He seemed uncomfortable, though his tail was not tucked, with all the street sounds. It was an unusual night because several fire trucks and ambulances, one right after another with full sirens, went sp*eding up the avenue.
A couple of times I tried to call him over to me but he didn't respond, and he had no interest in toys or treats.
I ended up stepping on his leash to stop him just so I could give him some gentle pets along his back. However, when I stopped petting and stepped off the leash, he moved away.
I thought maybe a squeaky toy would interest him, but he moved back when I squeaked it, though he did come back to sniff it when I stopped squeaking it.
He resisted returning to his crate. I ended up having to use some mild leash pressure to guide him into his crate.
He currently seems to prefer just being by himself, but I hope he can soon relax enough to show interest in some pets, toys, or treats."

06/22Walksheet notes: Carter was walked on 6/20 and 6/21. Carter had no issues on 6/20, noted to have a good dog meet and participated in playgroup. On 6/21 Carter had mild leash pulling, medium energy, a good dog meet, and was described as "very friendly and gentle."06/20Playgroup 6/20: Steerable with spray bottle (4/5), mildly with shake can (2/5). Avoidant, timid, tolerant, quiet. Kept a low profile, exchanged appropriate greetings, meandered and sniffed independently. Started to show some inclination to engage in push/pull play with Arabella later on.