Bernie

Bernie is an adoptable male Pit Bull Terrier looking for a home at NYC ACC-Queens in Ridgewood, New York. He is fully grown and medium in size. He is listed on the shelter's euthanasia list, listed due to behavior, and that date has now passed. Shelters often move these dates, so Bernie may still be waiting. The shelter can confirm.

This pet needs emergency placement. Please click here to go to our emergency placement page for more information. This pet is available only through ACC New Hope partners. To adopt or foster, please complete the pre-screener form below. Inquiries sent directly to ACC will not receive a response. Pre-Screener Form Bernie is at risk due to behavioral concerns. Bernie has not acclimated well to the kennel environment and has displayed a concerning level of arousal that has made it difficult to walk/handle safely. He intially was reported to be biting on his crate bars and was highly reactive when other dogs in the room would pass his crate - persistent barking, frenetic movements, and made an attempt to grab a handler's lead after being returned to his crate after playgroup. As his length of stay progressed, Bernie began leash biting when coming out of the kennel. When approached in the kennel, his face is flushed, his body tense as he stands on his legs, panting heavily. Handlers were using treats and large toys to manage his leash biting when coming out of the kennel, but he has continued to escalate and is unable to be redirected. On a recent walk, Bernie was taking treats from a handler after dropping the toy he had carried outside. After taking the treats, Bernie lunged at the handler with an open mouth, biting and holding onto their sweater in the torso area. He continued to jump up, leash bite, and vocalize as his intensity rapidly escalated. A second handler is needed to assist with bringing Bernie back into the building safely with the use of air interrupter and double leashing. Medically, Bernie was recently treated for CIRDC, has mild dental disease, and dermatitis. Bernie was surrendered to the care center as a stray, with no known history. During his time at the care center, he has displayed a low threshold for arousal and has engaged in persistent and intense leash biting that has been difficult to redirect with treats or toys, and has made leashing him from the kennel taking him out on walks difficult. Due to these concerns, we recommend that Bernie be placed in an adult-only home through a New Hope Rescue partner, that can allow him the time and space to decompress and acclimate, provide any necessary (force-free, positive-reinforcement based) behavior modification, and re-evaluate behavior in a stable home environment before placement into a permanent home. Name: Bernie Animal ID: 265860 Gender: male Color: tan Location: Queens Animal Care Center Weight: 49 lbs Age: 4 years 2 weeks