Leo

Leo is an adoptable male Pit Bull Terrier looking for a home at Philadelphia Animal Care and Control in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is fully grown and medium in size. He is currently on the shelter's euthanasia list with only 3 days left, listed due to lack of space. Adopting Leo, or even sharing his story, could save a life before it's too late.

Leo ACCT-A-249789 is currently considered urgent and at risk of euthanasia due to length of stay and lack of space for incoming dogs. Leo must have confirmed placement with a RESCUE PARTNER or ADOPTER by SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4TH 10AM. Should Leo's medical or behavioral status change, his urgency and timeline for placement may also change. Meet Leo! Leo is a sweet, affectionate, playful boy who is happiest when he's spending time with his people! This lovable guy is very people-oriented and absolutely adores attention. He loves pets, snuggles, and being close to his favorite humans, and volunteers have described him as a total cuddle bug. Once he gets some of his energy out, Leo is more than happy to settle in beside you for some quality time and soak up all the affection he can get. Leo is an energetic guy who loves getting outside and exploring the world around him. He's always excited when it's time for an adventure and has plenty of enthusiasm to share! He can be strong and bouncy when he's excited, so he'll do best with someone who is ready to help him continue polishing his leash manners and channeling all of that fun energy into positive outlets. He has shown that he can settle nicely with his person, including sitting calmly on a bench and enjoying some well-earned pets. Leo is also a smart boy who already knows several commands, including his name, sit, down, stay, wait, and leave it. His previous family described him as affectionate and shared that once he has had a chance to burn off his seemingly limitless energy, he loves nothing more than snuggling with his people. Leo would love an active, experienced family in a 16+ home who can give him plenty of exercise, enrichment, structure, and continued training. His previous family felt he would thrive with more space and opportunities to run and explore, making a home outside the city a great fit for this energetic guy. If you're looking for a goofy, affectionate companion with lots of personality, plenty of energy, and a serious appreciation for cuddles, Leo could be your guy! Come meet this sweet boy and see if you're the person he's been waiting for. Videos: Playgroup 9/5: Leo easily jumps onto A-Frame!: Leo takes the green stuffed toy for a run: Some cuddles and commands (sit and shake) with Leo!: From May: Rawr (Leo's former name) & Rollie: Playgroup 5/11: Behavior Notes: Walksheet notes: 9/4 - medium energy, quick potty break, tried to play tug with leash when returning to kennel 9/4 - medium energy, energetic, needs a kennel, jumpy, mildly mouthy 9/5 - medium energy, playgroup, did not want to be around other dogs 9/7 - medium energy, no interest in other dogs, does not care about treats or other dogs, just wants to be close, jumps up to give hugs, resisted going back into kennel 9/7 - high energy, sweet dog, jumpy, loves pets and snuggles, no interest in treats, turn back to deter jumping 9/8 - medium energy, loves pets and rubs 9/9 - high energy, brief, positive fence meet with another dog, very handler oriented, affectionate, calm sitting on bench with me, jumpy bit redirectable, leash biter 9/10 - high energy, strong on leash, leash bites when clipping, sweet boy, jumpy, and mildly mouthy 9/13 - high energy, not out in 3 days, when doing the clip method, will turn and grab leash, no leash biting prior to returning to kennel 914 - high energy, affectionate and super playful, does leash bite 9/17 - no issues 9/20 - photoshoot, jumpy, strong on leash, no leash biting until return to kennel, offer treat to release leash 9/21 - good on walk, try to leash bite 9/22 - medium energy, strong on leash, great meet thru fence with other dog 9/23 - medium/high energy, strong and pulls on leash, tossed fresh pet on the floor to get him out, once in kennel, he grabs the leash very quickly. Offer a treat to close divider to get leash 9/26 - medium/high energy, pulls on leash, started leash biting on way into shelter, regrouped in grooming room but continued into kennel, kennel attendant assisted into kennel 9/25 - medium energy, very easy outside, very sweet, did not want to return to kennel 9/26 - medium energy, very nice, slow runner, no jumping, doesn't like going into kennel Per volunteer 9/20: 'I took Leo out for the photo shoot on Sunday. The poor boy hadn't been out with a volunteer in 3 days, so he was very happy to see me. He has a kennel sign that he may leash bite, so I tossed some treats onto the kennel floor, and was able to loop him. He comes out fast and strong, but he did not leash bite. In his excitement of getting outside time, he was a little jumpy, but I'm going to give him a pass because he hadn't been out for several days. For the photo shoot, we added a little cap for him to wear; it lasted 30 seconds before it eventually fell off, but during those 30 seconds, he did look dapper! Because we were trying to stay on schedule, I didn't get to spend a lot of time with him. He got his picture taken and was returned to his kennel. He was excited for his picture, but was able to settle, and even briefly allowed pets. He was just so happy, he couldn't contain his excitement. He did not grab or bite the leash while we were out. However, I know that when he returns to his kennel, he sometimes grabs the leash, so I got prepared with the clip method for removing the leash. I also had a large treat ready for him and tossed that in the kennel. Unfortunately he didn't see it, so he held on to my leash - he didn't tug it, he just held onto the leash. He was given another large treat, then he dropped my leash and went to eat his treat. Per staff 9/10: Easy to leash, came right to the front. Jumping on the door- excited, Leash biting. While walking pulled hard, jumping on you, leash biting. Yes, I handled the dog. Very hyper sweet boy leash bite jumping, strong on leash and playful. Walked right into kennel and unleashed without issue.' Per volunteer 9/9: Leo is an energetic playful puppy. He was excited and jumpy when we got to the yard, was fairly easy to redirect. No interest in toys, was not motivated by treats, handler oriented. He was happy to sit next to me on the bench and lean in for cuddles and pets. On return to kennel he grabbed at the leash when i tried to clip him, in a 'this is a game' way. Allowed me to clip him at his kennel once distracted by another person. Per staff 9/9: Children 16+ Per staff 9/9: Volunteer took out Leo and noted that he was easy to leash and came right out. Once out of kennel he started jumping up on her with a loose body continuously, she tried a treat scatter which he was not interested in. She short armed the leash which worked. In the yard he was jumping up on her repeatedly with the same loose body language. She clipped him to the fence which helped him calm down and he sat down. She unclipped him and he was okay for a minute then started jumping again. She was able to step on his leash and he stopped jumping. She stepped off and he was okay for a minute again before getting jumpy. She was able to handle him with no issues. No interest in toys or treats in the yard. She mentioned that he would go and sit on the bench when she told him too. Walking back inside, she went to clip his leash in the vestibule before entering the kennels and he went to bite the leash and nicked her hand, no broken skin, had a loose wiggly body. He did some very light leash biting for a few seconds after that before stopping. She was able to clip the leash when another volunteer gave him a peanut butter bone and he hopped right into kennel. Per volunteer 9/7: Kennel Presentation: Standing at the front of his kennel with a relaxed body, soft eyes, and a mid-level slow wagging tail. He took a treat gently through the bars. Leash Skills: Tried to push out slightly when I opened the kennel door, then stood fairly still. Leashed him easily, moderate pulling throughout the kennels and peed quickly outside. Sociability: Very jumpy and handler-oriented. He was not treat or toy motivated, instead soliciting attention from both handlers (me and another volunteer). He maintained a loose body throughout our time in the yard and jumped on us continuously for attention. After a few minutes, he calmed down when we turned our backs. When he stopped jumping, we praised him and gave attention, and he seemed to catch on quickly. The jumping subsided slightly once he had gotten some energy out. Play: No interest in toys. He did try to play with his leash (picked it up and presented as a toy) a few times then dropped it before trying to play or pull on it. Dog Interaction: N/A Return to Kennel: Returned easily w clip method. Tried to push out slightly while removing leash Color Level: Blue Per volunteer 9/7: Leo is a cuddle bug. He is not interested in treats or toys, he just wants to climb on your head or get hugs. He did surprise me jumping up on me - seemed like he was going in for a hug though. He hung close in the yard, walked back in with no problem, but got a little feisty when it was time to get my leash back. Playgroup 9/5: Steer test 4/5 with water and 3/5 with can. Avoidant at gate greetings and moving away. Hackles raised, got up on the bench began to growl and bare teeth when dogs came over Per staff 9/3: less is more with him. low growled at most aca's and nurses, but despite him being very nervous we were able to get him checked in. Per owner 9/3: 'Leo was surrendered by his owner of 3 months due to his behavior becoming increasingly unmanageable. They have attempted training and socialization, but Leo has been unable to settle. While he can exhibit good behavior for short periods, the owner does not believe he will be able to settle in their home. They feel he would be best suited to a home outside the city with more space than they can offer and an experienced adopter or foster who has ample free time to work with him on his behavior and help him learn to settle independently. Leo is a high-energy dog with a strong passion for exercise and play. He is walked four or more times per day for approximately 15'20 minutes and enjoys exploring outdoors, going for walks, hanging out with his owners, and being petted. He enjoys rope toys, balls, squeaky toys, durable chew toys, stuffed/plush toys, puzzle toys with treats, and Kongs. He is food motivated and enjoys Pupperoni, Tricky Trainers, cheese, and peanut butter. He sleeps on the bed with his owners. Leo is mostly housebroken but occasionally has accidents inside. He will go into a crate if needed but cries, whines, and barks. His owner reports that he has too much energy and can become overstimulated, has separation anxiety when home alone, is destructive of items in the home/chews things, mouths or play bites, and pulls too hard on leash. He knows his name, in addition to 'sit,' 'down,' 'stay,' 'wait,' and 'leave it.' Leo has tried to bite but did not make contact. His owner reports that he is nervous, fearful, or shy around strangers. He shows some anxiety around unknown men but generally warms up quickly and has a preference for women over men. He is described as super friendly with children and 'loves them,' although he has not lived with children. His owner reports that his reaction to other dogs depends on the situation. He seems frustrated when he is unable to meet other dogs while on leash. They feel he may potentially benefit from the influence of an older, mature canine companion. Around cats, he is described as neutral with no reaction. He has a high prey drive and wants to chase wildlife such as deer, squirrels, and rabbits. The owner feels Leo would likely fit best in an active home outside the city with space for him to run off leash. They believe he would benefit from an experienced owner or foster with ample free time to work on training and helping him settle independently. The owner describes Leo as affectionate and says that he will snuggle with his people once he is sufficiently exhausted his 'limitless energy.' Per staff 5/11/26: Best suited for children 12+ due to jumpiness Playgroup 5/11/26: Steerable 3/5 water 4/5 can. Low tail, hackles raised, avoidant in the yard. Tolerated being sniffed with ears back and hackles raised then moved away. Handler oriented, would jump up on one of the handlers in the yard. Per staff 5/10/26: Took Rawr (Leo's former name) out for a dog meet, he was at the back of his kennel, ears back, wide eyes. When I talked to him he came to the front, low tail wags, soft eyes. Easy to leash and came right out. Walked on a loose leash and would jump up on me occasionally while walking outside with soft eyes, ears back, low tail wags. Met Rollie, ears back, low tail, tolerated being sniffed then moved away with a mid wagging tail, loose body, ears to the side. In the yard he was jumping up on me, would stop when I moved away then jump up again. Walking back inside his tail was low, ears back, head low to the ground. Went right into his kennel and I was able to remove my leash easily. Per staff 5/10/26: At the front of his kennel, wide eyes, ears back. Moved to the back of the kennel when I opened the door, wide eyes, tail tucked, ears pinned back. Not eating any treats that were offered. I put the guillotine down and he laid down towards the back of the kennel. Needed to lasso him, once leashed he slowly came out. Walked on a loose leash, ears pinned back, low tail, wide eyes darting. Once outside in the yard he shook off, low tail wags, loose body, softer eyes, ears back. Would come over when I called to him, lean on me and sit on my feet. He allowed all handling with a loose body, slightly open mouth, ears back, soft eyes, low tail wags. Jumped up on me once outside I moved away and he did not jump up again. Not eating treats outside. Walking back, loose leash, head low, ears pinned back, low tail. Slowly hopped into his kennel and I was able to remove my leash easily. Per staff 5/10/26: Was able to check in Rawr (Leo's former name) this morning- He was friendly and sweet during his intake. He is an energetic boy! Per staff 5/9/26: TTA due to doing a low growl and having a tense body, was also pushed right up against ACA Per finder 5/9/26: Found as a stray last night and was very loveable around strangers, great with animals, and did great with the finder's children. He walked good on leash and was overall friendly, cuddly, shy and playful. - Due to being significantly overcapacity with dogs and cats and higher than usual intake, extensions are unlikely to be granted. If you are interested in an animal please contact ACCT Philly immediately. Due to limited space, timestamps may also be proceeded with early so it is imperative to let us know if you are considering adopting or tagging a dog or cat. 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: Confirmed placement is considered 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. Animal ID: ACCT-A-249789 Breed: Mixed Breed (Medium) Color: White Weight: 55.9 lbs Age: Adult (1-7 years) Location: Large Dog Kennel, C8 Campus: Main Campus Attributes: Good Dog Meet (In Shelter), Experienced Blue, Adult-Only Home Preferred