Sweet Sedona, aka Nona, has come so far since being rescued after being found fending for herself in a field near Cedar Rapids. Once skin and bones, she has now put on much-needed weight and looks so healthy. Not much is known about Nona other than she ended up in a field in Iowa after being adopted from a shelter in Arizona.  The name and number connected to her microchip claimed they never had a dog, so it was obvious that she was abandoned.

Initially, she had a hard time adjusting to new dogs as it appeared that Nona had been an only dog most of her life.  However, through slow and supervised interactions she has steadily increased her inner circle of dogs to hang out with. Nona is an older gal, at around 9-10 years of age, but a spry one.  Don’t let her age fool you, she has many years of life left.  She is extremely low maintenance and doesn’t require a lot of exercise, although she wouldn’t mind a nice walk around the neighborhood. She is house-trained and never makes messes.  She loves her kennel, although she doesn’t require one when left alone.   But a kennel provides her with added security on those days she’s a little uncertain and fearful of humans. Nona has been let down a lot by humans, so it takes her a while to trust. A home with older adults or empty nesters would be best for her.  A quiet home would provide the most nurturing environment for her.

She seems to prefer the company of older dogs and their “mind your own business” mentality because energetic, in-your-face dogs set off her “fight or flight” mode. It’s apparent that she’s had to fight to survive.  She does redirect beautifully when encounters with “no boundaries, face intruders” occur. No cats or critters for her as she more than likely survived off of them after she was discarded in that field. Nona’s an extremely smart girl with scars and a unique look to her face that makes her look as if she’s always scowling even when she’s happy. She is a barker so no apartment-style living for her because she must alert you to any possible intruders.

This girl has been through a lot, therefore she needs an experienced and dedicated adopter, so we don’t let her down again.  Several meet and greets are required to ensure that it will be a good fit for all.

Sedona’s adoption fee is $200 and includes spay surgery, being up to date on vaccinations and preventives, a microchip with free lifetime registration, and a free obedience class.

If this “experienced” girl seems like a good fit for you, please complete an adoption application HERE.

Louis V, which is short for Louis Vuitton, is a timid little guy looking for someone to give him a comfortable home where he can settle in at his own pace.  Estimated to be around seven years old, we don’t know Louis’ full story but from the way that he was found to the way that he acts now, we can only imagine the rough start this little guy has had.  Our best guess is that he was used for breeding; he is very fearful of people and does not seem to be familiar with anything other than hunkering down in a kennel. Louis was on the run in Delaware County for many days before he was caught. He was finally able to be captured when a couple driving down the road saw him sitting frozen in the middle of the road.  When they pulled over to approach him, Louis ran in fear.  With some soft words and slow movements, they were able to gain Louis’ trust and get him safely into their car.

He was so badly covered in fleas and his fur dirty and matted that the water ran red with blood from the fleas. He was so terrified but let us clean and care for him.  In the days that followed we updated his vaccines and transferred Louis into a foster home to let him decompress. Louis is very fearful of the world around him; it seems that he is in a near-constant state of panic or high alert.

In his foster home he has settled nicely into a routine, found companionship in the other dogs in the home, learned to slowly start trusting people, and found a newfound appreciation for younger children.  Louis still startles very easily and when startled his natural reaction is to jump and run away quickly.  Because of this and his history of being so hard to catch, we do think that a fenced-in yard would be safest for him.  He would, however, benefit from a home that would encourage him to go for leash walks and he will need another confident dog to help show him the ropes. As fearful of loud noises and quick movement as Louis is, he has shown very little fear and doesn’t react nearly as much with the young female child in the home.  He lets her approach when he’s eating and has also learned to enjoy snuggling up to her in bed when she sleeps.  He may have found comfort in this young child because she’s an easy target to steal snacks from, but we’d like to believe it’s because he can sense that she won’t hurt him as many humans seem to have done in his past. Louis will be okay in a home with children so long as they will listen when asked to give him a little space.

Louis is neutered but he is not potty trained.  He will dutifully wear a belly band in the home and will follow the other dogs outside to potty.  He can be scared of coming inside at times, but with some gentle coaxing, he comes around quickly. A leash-walking routine may also help him with his potty training! Louis is far from “perfect,” but we know that the perfect home is out there for him.  Someone who will give him the time and love needed to earn his trust will be rewarded with soft eyes and the ultimate bedtime snuggles. Louis will start to show you his playful side, he may steal your dirty socks if they don’t make it into the hamper in time and if you aren’t careful he’ll nab your snack when you aren’t looking! He’s been known to be playful with another friendly dog near his size, even going so far as to play bow and initiate play with them!

Chestnut is a neutered male hound that is approximately 3 years old. He is timid at first but quickly opens up, especially with other dogs. He will be best placed with another confident dog who is happy to play with him. He loves the outdoors and would love a good fenced-in yard. He likes to get into mischief if unattended for very long and will need lots of chew toys but he is already good with being in his crate so this is easily manageable. Chestnut has done doggy daycare and had a great time, too! He is currently in a foster home with other dogs and elementary-aged kids and does great with them all. We’re unsure about cats as Chestnut hasn’t met one yet, but he loves to play hard and then lay around. Chestnut is sweet and well-mannered! Chestnut will be without a foster home soon and we feel he wouldn’t be good in a kennel situation like the Adoption Center. It’s important we find a foster or forever home soon.

Chestnut’s adoption fee is $250 and includes neuter surgery, being up to date on vaccinations and preventives, a microchip with free lifetime registration, and a free obedience class.

If you’d like to meet this sweetie, please complete an adoption application HERE.

Ricky and Luna are a bonded pair of cuteness!  If you are looking for sweet, little, bonded, velcro dogs, Ricky and Luna are your perfect match! Once they are comfortable with you and feel safe, they love to be in your lap, giving kisses, or just watching tv and napping with you.   They are around 1 to 2 years old and take a little while to warm up to new situations but once they do they are cuddly and very sweet. They are good with dogs but new people may take some time to warm up, and cats or small children are not a good fit.   Ricky and Luna need a secure fence over 4 feet. Both are altered, love to run, and play with toys; we are working on not barking and biting the Roomba as it travels across the floor. You really need to meet these two to appreciate how special and adorable they are and to see their fabulous treat dance!

The adoption fee for Ricky and Luna is $400 and includes neuter surgery, being up to date on vaccinations and preventives, microchips with free lifetime registration, and a free obedience class.

If you’d like to meet these two adorable sweeties, please complete an adoption application HERE.