Animal Profile
Moose
Hello, my name is Moose. My animal id is #223510. I am a male black dog at the Staten Island Animal Care Center. The shelter thinks I am about 4 years 1 weeks old.
I came into the shelter as a stray on 3/30/2025.
Reserved
Someone has already placed a deposit on me. I'm no longer available.
Moose is on the at-risk list for behavior concerns. Moose arrived to the care center as a stray and we have been unable to gather any previous information on Moose. In care, Moose has been tense and anxious. He bares teeth and hard barks in his kennel. While out of kennel he is seen hard barking towards other staff and volunteers, as well as neighboring dogs when being returned to his kennel. Moose will benefit from an experienced handler to give him the time to decompress and use force-free methods to build his trust. Medically, Moose is healthy.
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This pet needs emergency placement. Please click here to go to our emergency placement page for more information. Due to the detailed behavior issues, this animal is only available for foster/adoption through one of ACC's New Hope Partners. If you are interested in adopting or fostering, please fill out the pre-screener form. This animal is not directly available for adoption through ACC and is only available by completing the pre-screener form. Adoption inquiries sent directly to ACC will not receive a response. Pre-Screener Form Moose is on the at-risk list for behavior concerns. Moose arrived to the care center as a stray and we have been unable to gather any previous information on Moose. In care, Moose has been tense and anxious. He bares teeth and hard barks in his kennel. While out of kennel he is seen hard barking towards other staff and volunteers, as well as neighboring dogs when being returned to his kennel. Moose will benefit from an experienced handler to give him the time to decompress and use force-free methods to build his trust. Medically, Moose is healthy. Moose is a big guy, but his size and strength mean that he requires an adopter who can approach him with a calm and considerate demeanor. He thrives when introduced slowly and respectfully. Moose is warming up to select staff relatively quickly. While Moose enjoys toys and treats, he is also displaying signs of anxiety in the care center, likely due to the change in environment. He will need a foster or adopter who can offer him the patience and consistency he needs to feel secure. Moose's ideal home will be one where he can settle in and build trust, with a focus on creating a peaceful routine to help ease his nerves.
My medical notes are...
Weight: 113 lbs
3/31/2025
[DVM Intake] DVM Intake Exam Estimated age: Adult Microchip noted on Intake? not scanned History: stray Subjective: Observed Behavior - tense Is there evidence of Cruelty? no Is there evidence of Neglect? no Is there evidence of Trauma? no Objective EENT: Eyes clear, no nasal or ocular discharge noted Oral Exam: no oral exam PLN: No enlargements noted H/L: Not auscultated, eupneic ABD: Not palpated U/G: Male intact MSI: Ambulatory x 4, skin free of parasites, no masses noted, healthy hair coat CNS: Mentation appropriate - no signs of neurologic abnormalities Assessment appears healthy Prognosis: good Plan: SURGERY: Okay for surgery
Details on my behavior are...
Behavior Condition: 3. Yellow
Upon arrival LMB was in an airline carrier. When POs opened the trunk, LMB was hard barking and bearing teeth. Staff and PO lifted carrier on to dolly, LMB continued barking. Staff was able to leash him with slight difficulty but gave no issues when scanning for MC and getting into the kennel.
Date of intake:: 3/30/2025
Means of surrender (length of time in previous home):: Stray (No known history)
Summary:: Leash Walking Strength and pulling: Moderate - Hard Pulling Reactivity to humans: None - ignores Reactivity to dogs: Inconclusive Leash walking comments: Sociability Loose in room (15-20 seconds): Moderately social - explores on his own, checks in with staff Call over: Approaches with coaxing Sociability comments: Handling Soft handling: Tolerates contact - displacement behaviors (scratching) Exuberant handling: Not conducted Handling comments: Arousal Jog: Follows Arousal comments: Knock: Approaches exuberantly Knock Comments: Toy: Grips and moves away Toy comments:
Summary (7):: 4/6: Moose has a loose body on approach. Moose is lured to keep his head down with a jerky treat. Once leashed, he is quickly moved past barking dogs and into the hall. He is brought to the yard and as he is urinating, staff member attempts to undo his collar and he head flips and looks to her. She gives him some space and he is brought on a walk. The handler is able to fit a martingale collar on him as he relieves himself. He pulls on and off during the walk and is brought to the yard where a drag leash is attached. He is let loose with 2 staff members and is able to get through his handling assessment. He is leashed and when in the hallway returning to kennel, he whines anxiously as he heads towards the room. He pulls hard towards neighboring dogs barking and is returned to kennel. 4.3: Moose is at the front of his kennel with a soft body when approached. He is easily roped and taken on a walk. On the walk Moose pulls a moderate amount and has a loose body. When passing people or dogs out of the shelter he would looks at them but otherwise ignored them. When approaching the shelter Moose began to pull harder and attempted to kennel fight with reactive dogs when returning to his kennel. 04.02: Moose is standing at the front of his kennel with a neutral body. When the door is opened he jumps up and stands against the kennel door. A toy is used to try and lure him on the floor until leashed. When leashed he pulls towards neighboring kennels, continuing to pull hard until leaving the building. He pulls hard on leash at first then begins to walk with slack in the leash. At time he would he would pull at the end of the leash when trying to sniff something. Moose sees another staff member and begins to pull towards him barking until they are out of sight. He barks again at a volunteer walking at the end of the hall way. When returning to kennel he bark at neighboring dog kennel pulling towards them.
Date of intake:: 3/30/2025
Date of initial:: 3/31/2025
Summary:: Tense
BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION:: New Hope Only
Recommendations:: No children (under 13),Place with a New Hope partner
Recommendations comments:: No children (under 13): Due to fearful potential for defensive aggression, we recommend a home with no children. Place with a New Hope partner: Moose is highly anxious in the care center. We recommend placement with a New Hope partner who can provide any necessary decompression period and re-evaluate behavior in a stable home environment before placement into a permanent home.
Potential challenges: : Fearful/potential for defensive aggression,Anxiety,On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration,Strength/leash pulling
Potential challenges comments:: Fearful/potential for defensive aggression: Moose has escalated to hard barking and baring teeth in kennel. His signs of discomfort must be respected; Moose should never be forced to interact; he should always be given the opportunity to walk away from situations or people she finds uncomfortable. We recommend a slow approach, and we recommend ONLY force-free, reward-based training methods for Moose. More aversive techniques are likely to increase fear, increase the risk of aggression, and decrease Moose's quality of life. Please see handout on Fearful Potential for Defensive Aggression. Anxiety: Moose is highly anxious in care, often whining, circling, pacing. We have no history on his behavior in a home environment, so we do not know if this will occur outside of the care center. If it does appear in a future home, we recommend puzzle toys, long walks, and giving him other things to focus on to alleviate her anxiety. Positive reinforcement, force-free training only should be used. Please see handout on Generalized Anxiety. Strength/leash pulling: Moose is a large strong dog with the capability to pull over an average adopter. His adopter must be prepared and able to handle a dog of this size and strength. It is recommended that he be walked on a front clip harness or head halter, which help diminish his strength through leverage, and that he be trained using positive reinforcement, reward-based training to not pull-on leash.