Guava

Guava is an adoptable female Bullmastiff looking for a home at Maricopa County Animal Care & Control - West in Phoenix, Arizona. She is fully grown and medium in size. She is currently on the shelter's euthanasia list with only 4 days left, listed due to behavior. Adopting Guava, or even sharing her story, could save a life before it's too late.

Memo 10/21/2026 10/21/26 15:28 Canine has a history of concerning behavior toward animals in previous environments. Placement with a New Hope Partner is required by close of business 10/26/26 to provide secure management, behavioral evaluation, and any needed support. May be at risk for euthanasia 10/27/26 or sooner if warranted. Intake 10/17/2026 What is the reason for surrender? OWNER IS NEEDING TO SURRENDER THIS DOG TO THE SHELTER DUE TO HER AGGRESSION TOWARDS OTHER ANIMALS. How long have you had your pet? 6 MONTHS Where did you get this animal from? PREVIOUSLY ADOPTED THIS PET FROM MCACC Is your pet spayed/neutered? YES Is this animal currently showing any signs of illness, taking any medication, or has the animal been diagnosed with a medical or behavioral condition? NO We offer resources such as low-cost veterinary care, trainers, food/medication coupons, and financial assistance. Would you like any resources instead of surrendering? Has the animal bitten anyone? If yes, please explain? NO Any near bites (contact but did not break skin)? If yes, please explain? YES, SHE AIR SNAPPED AT STAFF IN THE LOBBY WHILE TRYING TO SCAN FOR A MICROCHIP. SHE ALSO AIR SNAPPED AT OWNER WHEN HE TOO TRIED TO SCAN FOR A MICROCHIP. OWNER STATES THAT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT SHE HAS DONE THIS TO PEOPLE, BUT NOT TO ANIMALS. Do you have pictures of injuries/bites? Did the bite occur within the last 10 days? Date of bite? NO Has the animal shown any signs of aggression toward people or animals? OWNER STATES THAT SHE HAS NEVER SHOWN ANY AGGRESSION TOWARDS PEOPLE, BUT SHE DEFINITELY HAS SHOWN AGGRESSION WITH OTHER ANIMALS. Has the animal ever seriously injured or caused the death of another animal? NO How is the animal around children? YES, AROUND OWNER'S 8 YR OLD LITTLE BROTHER. OWNER STATES THAT THIS DOG HAS BEEN REALLY NICE WITH THE YOUNG CHILD. SHE ALLOWED ALL PETTING AND HANDLING AND EVEN EATS OUT OF THE CHILD'S HAND. Please describe behavior around children? Please list all household members the animal lives with or regularly interacts with, and describe interactions? JUST 1 ADULT Please describe how the animal interacts with other animals? YES Cats? OWNER STATES THAT WHEN SHE SEES A CAT, SHE WILL PREY ON THEM AND TRY TO RUN AFTER THEM Dogs? OWNER STATES THAT HE DID INTRODUCE THIS DOG TO HIS MOTHER'S FRENCHIE AND SHE ATTACKED THIS DOG, BITING THE DOG AROUND THE NECK WITH 'LOCK JAW', RESULTING IN BLOOD FROM THE INJURED DOG. THE INJURED DOG WENT TO THE VET, BUT WAS DETERMINED NOT TO BE SEVERLY INJURED. Livestock (horses, cows, goats, chickens, etc.)? HORSES AND CHICKENS. OWNER STATES THAT SHE DOES OKAY WITH THE HORSES BECAUSE THEY ARE MUCH LARGER THAN HER, BUT OWNER STATES THAT HE THINKS SHE SEES THE CHICKENS LIKE SHE DOES CATS BECAUSE SHE WILL CHASE AFTER THE CHICKENS. Other Animals (birds, small mammals, reptiles, etc.)? NO Resource Guarding: Describe any known guarding of food, toys, people, or space? NO Is the animal house-trained? YES, WHEN OWNER FIRST ADOPTED HER. BUT WHEN HE TOOK HER TO HIS PARENTS HOUSE, SHE WAS MAINLY OUTSIDE. Is your pet potty trained? YES, OWNER STATES THAT SHE WILL LET YOU KNOW WHEN SHE NEEDS TO GO OUTSIDE Familiar with a dog door? NO Crate trained? YES, OWNER STATES THAT SHE KENNEL TRAINED. Leash trained? YES, BUT SHE PULLS Knows commands? NO Where was this animal kept? INSIDE WHEN IT WAS JUST THE OWNER AND THE DOG, BUT ONCE THE DOG MOVED TO HIS PARENT'S HOME, THEY KEPT THE DOG ON THE OUTSIDE Any history of destruction? If yes, please describe? NO DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOR Last vaccinations / last vet visit? NOTHING MORE THAN WHAT HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY MCACC How would you describe your pet's energy level? MODERATE ENERGY LEVEL Any known fears (fireworks, car rides, baths)? OWNER STATES THAT SHE IS AFRAID OF FIREWORKS AND THUNDER. OWNER STATES THAT SHE IS OKAY WITH BATHS, BUT SHE IS THE BEST WITH CAR RIDES. What are your pet’s Likes (favorite toy, activity)? OWNER STATES THAT SHE DOES NOT LIKE TOYS, BUT SHE LOVES TO GO ON WALKS Any escapist behavior? YES, OWNER STATES THAT IF YOU OPEN THE DOOR AND SHE SEE'S THE OPPORTUNITY, SHE WILL BOLT OUT. Any Door Dashes/Runs away, if so, describe? Any Additional details/notes on behavior? OWNER ONLY MENTIONED THAT HE WOULDN'T TRUST THIS DOG AROUND ANY OTHER CATS OR DOGS. OWNER FEELS THAT SHE WOULD BE BEST IN A ONLY DOG HOME. OWNER STATES THAT SHE SEEKS ATTENTION FROM YOU AND WHEN YOU FEEL SAD, SHE LIKES TO STICK BY YOUR SIDE. OWNER ALSO STATES THAT SHE DOESN'T BARK ALOT. 4/24/2026 How long have you had your pet? 1 YEAR AND 2 MONTHS. Where did you get your pet? SHELTER Is your pet spayed/neutered? YES. Do you have any vaccine history for your pet? NONE CURRENT. Has your pet been around other animals? What kind of animals? How would you describe the interaction with other animals? THIS PET HAS NEVER LIVED WITH ANOTHER DOG. WHEN THIS PET IS OUT WALKING, THIS PET MAY LOOK AT ANOTHER DOG NEARBY BUT NO OTHER REACTION. THIS PET ONCE BIT OR TRIED TO BITE A STRAY CAT THAT HOPPED INTO BACKYARD. THE CAT RAN AWAY AND THIS PET'S OWNER WAS NOT ABLE TO VERIFY THE ACTUAL BITE OR HOW SERIOUSLY THE CAT WAS INJURED. THIS PET NOW LIVES WITH A CAT IN SAME HOME AND INITIALLY DID OK WITH CAT WITH NO ISSUES BETWEEN THEM FOR ABOUT ONE MONTH. THIS PET STARTED GROWLING AT THE CAT. OWNER STATED THAT THIS PET HAS SHOWN INCREASED AGGRESSION TOWARD THE CAT. RECENTLY, THIS PET JUMPED OVER A BABY GATE INTO THE ROOM WHERE THE CAT WAS AND TRIED TO BITE THE CAT. Has your pet been around any other people or children? If yes, how would you describe the animals behavior towards other people/children? FRIENDLY, SEEKS ATTENTION AND PLAYFUL WITH OWNER. WHEN SOMEONE NEW COMES OVER, THIS PET GREETS AND IS FRIENDLY. OWNER STATED THAT THIS PET HAS BEEN AROUND CHILDREN AGES 16+ AND DID FINE WITH OLDER CHILDREN. OWNER STATED THAT IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS THIS PET WILL GROWL AT STRANGERS SUCH AS AT THE VET OFFICE. THIS PET GROWLED AT STAFF UPON APPROACH IN LOBBY. NOTICED THAT THERE WERE NOTES IN THE OS APPT ABOUT A RESOURCE GUARDING INCIDENT WITH A CHILD. OWNER STATED THAT THEY WERE NOT HOME AT THE TIME, THAT THEY DIDN'T REMEMBER EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED. Has your pet shown any aggression around other people? If yes, what were the circumstances? GROWLS BARKS AT STRANGERS SOMETIMES. Where was your pet kept, inside or outside? BOTH. If inside, did you keep your pet in a crate? Was he/she destructive in any way? BOTH. PET OCCASIONALLY GETS INTO TRASH WHEN UNATTENDED. If outside, what kind of fencing do you have and did it contain the animal? TALL FENCING IN YARD CONTAINED PET. PET HAS JUMPED OVER A BABY GATE. Is your pet potty trained? YES. Does your pet have any aggression, like **growling, curling their lips, lunging** around food, toys, or bones? NO. Is there anything we need to know medically about your pet? NO. Does your pet walk on a leash? YES. Does your pet know any obedience/tricks? KNOWS NAME. KNOWS SIT, STAY, UP, GO HOME (TO GO TO CRATE), WILL GIVE PAW ON BOTH SIDES. Evaluation Comments (Observations from our staff and volunteers) 10/19/2026 During AM cleaning dog would not move to outside of kennel when called, Sitting at front of kennel, relaxed body leaning against door, allowed petting through gate had soft tail wagging, when opening door shyd away from leash but came forward for more pets with some baby talking and allowed leash to be put on, walked out with no issues and walked gently beside handler around to the back of the building, ignored other dogs when passing, entered kennel with no issues and allowed leash to be removed by hand and continued soliciting attention. 10/17/2026 Growling, lowered head, looking up at handler on approach. Ate treats on booth. Leashed with large loop, walking into Triage. Dog side eyed, looking for exit. Declined treats in room, whining. Hard stared handler when petting with leash. Used squeeze gate for vaccines. Walked to kennel stop n go, entering with no issue. Used clip leash for leash removal 5/3/2026 Dog didnt eat 5/3/2026 Solicited attentions, Easy to pull from kennel, Easy to return to kennel, Not interested in toys, Takes treats nicely, Somewhat Pulls on Leash, Stop and go, Calm, Ignored dogs when walking past kennels, Relaxed body, affiliative, allowed all pets. On walk she would pull stubbornly towards whatever direction she wanted and would stop and refuse to go when prompted. Had to use treats, pets and leash pressure to move her. 5/2/2026 dog didnt eat 4/28/2026 dog didnt eat 4/26/2026 Dog was laying on kuranda bed on approach to kennel. Verbally coaxed dog forward with treats, would sniff treats but not eat them. Would dodge leash placement while leashing. Once leash was secured with a large loop, slowly walked out of kennel building with a lot of verbal coaxing while having tail tucked & ears slightly pinned. Once out of building, dog would do a shake off of body while untucking tail & relaxing ears. Walked slowly to small PY. Would explore PY while air scenting. Would approach handler on own, appears to know \"SIT\". Dog would reposition body to have back of body against handlers legs then look around surroundings while handler would pet on head without issues. Would look up towards handler then lean back of body against handler while being pet near shoulders. Would walk around with handler while having a relaxed body. Would sit near gate entrance & start to make a crying sound. Handler would approach dog & pick up leash without issues. Walked back to kennel with slow tail wags while air scenting. Entered back into main building without issues & walked throughout main building with some verbal coaxing. Entered back into kennel room & back into kennel without verbal coaxing. Allowed leash removal to be done by hand without issues. Interested parties should be made aware of all intake notes from previous home environment. Placing NO SMALL ANIMALS & OLDER CHILDREN 12+ as a REQUIREMENT. Placing Go Slow, No Children & Family Introduction as Recommendations. Potential adopters should be counseled on slow introductions with new and unfamiliar people while dog is on leash. Advise adopters that nervous body language is communication, not bad behavior. Encourage them to slow down, give the dog space, avoid forcing interactions, and use calm, positive reinforcement to build confidence over time. Interested parties should be counseled on providing this dog with proper decompression time in a new home.  Allowing time to adjust is important for their comfort and well-being.  Adopters should be counseled on proper dog-to-dog introductions, which should only occur after the dog has fully decompressed. 4/24/2026 came into ramp on control device, advanced restraint for vaccines, wide eye, tail tucked, stiff body, resisted restraint Name: Guava Animal ID: A5163621 Breed: TRICOLOR AM PIT BULL TER Sex: Spayed Age: 4Y 6M Weight: 49.6 lbs Kennel: West Kennel, Wing E - 149 Intake Date: 10/17/2026 Deadline Date: 10/26/2026