Animal Profile

Ginger is at risk due to behavioral concerns. Ginger's previous owner reported a variety of behavior concerns in the previous home towards strangers, children, and other dogs. She is reported to lunge, growl, bark hard, and snap. Gnger is reported to have bitten a child, a relative of the owner, on the leg and groin. The bites broke skin and drew blood. During her intake, Ginger displayed similar behaviors that her owner reported, and began thrashing and refusing to walk. Medically, Ginger is apparently healthy.

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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 Ginger is at risk due to behavioral concerns. Ginger's previous owner reported a variety of behavior concerns in the previous home towards strangers, children, and other dogs. She is reported to lunge, growl, bark hard, and snap. Gnger is reported to have bitten a child, a relative of the owner, on the leg and groin. The bites broke skin and drew blood. During her intake, Ginger displayed similar behaviors that her owner reported, and began thrashing and refusing to walk. Medically, Ginger is apparently healthy. Ginger was surrendered by her previous owner due to behavioral concerns in the previous home. Her previous owner described her as a ball of energy who is always ready to play, fetch, and loves to play with toys once she is comfortable. Ginger is reported to not get along with strangers, children, and other dogs; escalated to higher level warnings such as lunging, hard barking, growling, and snapping. Ginger did have a reported bite incident with the owner's nephew that broke skin and drew blood after the child let her out into the yard. During her intake, Ginger became defensive with the staff and began thrashing once leashed, requiring sedation. Due to the concerns reported in the previous home and during her stay in care, we recommend that Ginger be placed in an adult-only home where she can be the only dog through a New Hope rescue partner that can address her challenges with the use of a professional certified positive reinforcement only trainer.

My medical notes are...

Weight: 28 lbs

Medical Notes

4/27/2026

DVM Intake Exam Estimated age: conformation consistent with o reported age of 6 years Microchip noted on Intake? scanned negative History: os Subjective: BAR Observed Behavior - growling, snapping, needed to be double leashed and sedated Is there evidence of suspected cruelty? N Objective: T = np P = wnl R = wnl BCS 5/9 EENT: Eyes clear, ears clean, no nasal or ocular discharge noted Oral Exam: muzzled, visible dentition with mild wear and staining PLN: No enlargements noted H/L: NSR, NMA, CRT < 2, Lungs clear, eupneic ABD: Non painful, no masses palpated U/G: F suspected intact MSI: Ambulatory x 4, skin free of parasites, no masses noted, healthy hair coat CNS: Mentation appropriate - no signs of neurologic abnormalities Assessment: APH Prognosis: good Plan: intake exam and tasks sedated with 0.35mL dex/torb/ket IM- adequate sedation traz approx 8mg/kg PO BID TBD in care (100mg) reversed with equal vol antisedan IM HWT inconclusive - to be retested at sx awaiting sort SURGERY: Okay for surgery: Y

Upon intake, Ginger was hard barking/lunging/growling at staff while in the waiting room. When staff put leash on and attempted to walk, Ginger thrashed hard and would not walk. Staff double leashed Ginger and used a third leash to support Ginger under her stomach so 3 people could walk her back to medical. Ginger was sedated and no further handing was done.

Basic Information:: Ginger is a 6-year-old female dog that lived with her previous owner for 6 years.

Previously lived with:: adults, children, and other dogs

How is this dog around strangers?: Ginger will hard bark and lunge at new people.

How is this dog around children?: Ginger will hard bark and growl at children.

How is this dog around other dogs?: Ginger will lunge and snap at other dogs.

How is this dog around cats?: Ginger does not have experience with cats.

Resource guarding:: Ginger does not resource guard.

Bite history:: Ginger had a bite incident that happened on April 17th. Previous owner stated her nephew was opening a gate for Ginger to go outside to use the yard and was bitten in his groin and leg, bites broke skin. Previous owner stated Ginger had to be physically taken off by someone in order for the bites to stop happening in that moment. The bites were self-treated, and nobody was there to witness the beginning of the incident, but it is a known thing that the 9-year-old nephew is "aggressive" with the dog and often bothers her.

Housetrained:: Yes

Energy level/descriptors:: Medium

Other Notes:: Previous owner stated Ginger has had behavior issues her whole life such as growling and lunging at stranger's when first meeting them. Ginger also is known to act aggressively towards other dogs and will snap. Ginger is known to pull hard on her leash but will potty while out on walks at least 2 times a day and is potty trained.

Has this dog ever had any medical issues?: No

For a New Family to Know: Once Ginger is familiar and comfortable with you, she is a ball of energy. She is always ready to play, fetches and loves to play with toys. She plays restlessness and is gentle. She loves laying her face on laps and being pet/loves to give kisses. Ginger knows commands "sit" and "go lay down". She also loves car rides.

Date of intake:: 4/27/2026

Means of surrender (length of time in previous home):: Owner Surrender (6 years)

Previously lived with:: adults, children, and other dogs

Behavior toward strangers:: hard bark and lunge

Behavior toward children:: hard bark and growl

Behavior toward dogs:: lunge and snap

Behavior toward cats:: unknown

Resource guarding:: none reported

Bite history:: Ginger had a bite incident that happened on April 17th. The previous owner stated the nephew was opening a gate for Ginger to go outside to use the yard, and was bitten in his groin and leg, the bites broke skin. The previous owner stated that Ginger had to be physically removed by someone for the bites to stop at that moment. The bites were self-treated, and no one was there to witness the incident's beginning, but it is known that the 9-year-old nephew is "aggressive" with the dog and often bothers her.

Housetrained:: Yes

Energy level/descriptors:: Ginger is reported to have a medium energy level.

Other Notes:: Previous owner stated Ginger has had behavior issues her whole life such as growling and lunging at strangers when first meeting them. Ginger also is known to be reactive towards other dogs and will snap. Ginger is known to pull hard on her leash but will potty while out on walks at least 2 times a day and is potty trained.

Date of assessment:: 4/30/2026

Summary:: Due to the severity and concerning nature of Ginger's bite history, the concerns reported in her previous home, and the behaviors displayed on intake, she is not an appropriate candidate for a handling assessment.

Summary (7):: 4/27: When a handler uncovers Ginger's kennel to take a picture, she immediately rises and shifts closer to the back of her kennel. She is whale eyeing the handler, and her body is stiff and rigid. Ginger looks away from the handler and the camera, but turns back to look when she hears a squeaker. Her body begins trembling as the handler closes one side of the kennel to place her water bowl in. She is covered back up, and the handler walks away.

Date of intake:: 4/27/2026

Summary:: hard barking, lunging, growling at staff, thrashed on leash, refused to walk, had to be double leash

Date of initial:: 4/27/2026

Summary:: growling, snapping, needed to be double leashed and sedated

BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION:: New Hope Only

Recommendations:: No children (under 13),Single-pet home,Recommend no dog parks,Place with a New Hope partner

Recommendations comments:: No children (under 13): Due to Ginger's reported behaviors with children and her bite history, we recommned for her to be placed in an adult-only home. Single-pet home/recommend no dog parks: Ginger is reported to lunge and snap at other dogs. Due to this, we recommend for her to be the only dog in the home and not attend dog parks. Place with a New Hope partner: Due to all noted concerns displayed in a home environment, the behavior department recommends Ginger be placed with a New Hope placement partner who is able to provide an experienced adult-only foster home. A period of decompression is recommended to allow her to acclimate comfortably to her new environment; force-free, reward-based training only is advised when introducing Ginger to new and unfamiliar situations. Consultation with a professional trainer/behaviorist is highly recommended for guidance to safely manage/modify any behavior Ginger presents with outside of the care centers.

Potential challenges: : Fearful/potential for defensive aggression,Multiple-bite history/risk of future aggression,Low threshold for arousal,Bite history (human)

Potential challenges comments:: Fearful/potential for defensive aggression: Ginger has escalated to growling and lunging on multiple occasions both at intake and in her previous home. Her signs of discomfort must be respected; Ginger should never be forced to interact, she 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 Ginger. Please see handout on Fearful/potential for defensive aggression. Multiple-bite history/risk of future aggression | Bite history (human) | Low Threshold for Arousal: Ginger was reported to have bitten the owner's nephew on the groin and leg, holding on; she needed to be physically removed for her to stop biting. Please see handout on Arousal and Multiple-bite history/risk of future aggression.