Date of intake:: 4/4/2026

Means of surrender (length of time in previous home):: Stray; history unknown

Date of assessment:: 4/8/2026

Summary:: Gumball has not acclimated well to the shelter environment and has been highly fearful and shut down during his stay. He can be reluctant to walk at times and remains avoidant of interaction with handlers. His tail is tucked, body tense, whale eyes, and he will seek either a hiding spot or an exit. Due to these concerns, a handling assessment could not be conducted.

Summary (6):: 4/15/26: Gumball is at the front of his kennel door vocalizing, pawing at his kennel glass with visible saliva marks across the glass. Gumball when attempted to be leashed will eat the treats placed out for him but runs to grab them quickly before the handler has a chance to leash him. Gumball is attempted to be leashed over his head, where he bows, grabs the leash and begins to pull it very lightly. Gumball at some point during these attempts will come close enough where he is leashed quickly and walked out of kennel. Gumball is walked outside, and he spins around the handler, whining, leaning into them from behind them and pulls hard in multiple directions. Gumball in the play yard will explore, seemingly more comfortable, leaning into petting but pant heavily. Gumball is able to slowly explore his surroundings and settle, with a neutral body and will lean into more petting once the handler starts. Gumball is brought back to kennel where he continues to pull hard frantically, and walked into kennel with no issue. 04/13/26: Gumball is standing at the front of kennel as handler approaches. He becomes tense and moves to the back of kennel and the door is opened. Handler uses a soft tone and treats in an attempt to lure him forward, but he stands on his kuranda bed. Handler attempts to drop the lead lightly over his head, but he will jump up and snap at the rope. He does this a few more times before handler is able to leash him. He readily exits kennel and pulls forward, skittering as he exits the kennel room. Gumball is taken out to the play yard where he will spend time sniffing along the yard and looking out at people walking by. His frame loosens and he accepts brief, light petting from handler. After his session, he returns to kennel safely. 4/10/26: Gumball is standing at the front of his kennel with a tense body as handler approaches. He has no interest in treats and would back away as the handler attempts to slowly leash him. He would try to walk towards the door gap to walk out of kennel and then back away each time he saw the leash. He is able to be leashed as he quickly walks out of kennel and is then taken to the behavior room. In the room, he has a tense body and tucked tail while heavy panting. He is comfortable approaching the handlers to sniff them and would engage in taking chicken from a handler's hand and the ground as they were sitting down in a chair. He would constantly stop and stare at the door when he heard dogs barking or a sudden noise. He then would approach the door and jump up to seek exit. He pulls on the way back to his kennel and enters with no issues

Summary (7):: 4/9/26: Gumball is standing at the front of his kennel with a tense body as handler approaches. He is continues to have a tense body as the handler unlocks the door and tosses treats inside. He would eat a few of the treats and then back away and retreat to the back of his kennel with his hackles raised while growling as the handler attempts to leash him. He then refuses to come forward to the door each time the handler closed it. He begins to air snap at the leash as the handler attempts to lasso him. He is able to be leashed when he lowers his head to walk forward. He then pulls on the way to the behavior room. In the room, he has a tense body and tucked tail as he walked around. He would constantly approach the door and jump up to seek exit. He begins to take high value chicken from the ground and then from the handler's hand. He pulls on the way back to his kennel and quickly enters with no issues. 4/7/26: Gumball is at the back of his kennel with a tense crouched frame as the handler approaches. He will crawl to the front of the kennel and is leashed with ease, zig zigging ahead of the handler and behind them on the walk to the behavior office. In the behavior office, he will initially not engage with his surroundings, standing in the middle of the room trembling. the handler will offer him a licki mat with spray cheese and sausages on it and he will slowly start to engage with it and the handler. He will then start to sniff around the room. When two other staff members enter the room, he will approach them and sniff them briefly before disengaging. He is returned to his kennel with no issue and secured safely. 4/4/26: Gumball is barking and vocalizing in his crate and turning away as handlers attempt to leash him. He has no interest in treats and is able to be leashed while being distracted with a squeaker for a moment. He would then turn around and bark and vocalize at the back of the crate. Once the door is opened, he launches out of the crate and pulls into medical for this vaccines with a tense body, tucked tail and his hackles raised. He would snap at the medical staff while also vocalizing and panting as they attempt to vaccinate him. He is then taken away and given a moment to settle. He is then taken to the squeeze gate and he begins intensely thrashing, alligator rolling, while leash biting and vocalizing. The handler gives him multiple breaks and he lunges for a staff member with an open mouth when the squeeze gate is released. He is then squeezed again after a moment and he begins thrashing, alligator rolling and vocalizing again. He takes a second to catch his breath and is quickly vaccinated and then brought to his kennel in pre-exam. He has to be muscled inside the kennel due to not wanting to in.

Date of intake:: 4/4/2026

Summary:: very fearful and stressed

Date of initial:: 4/4/2026

Summary:: Thrashing and alligator rolling during handling for vaccines, tense, trembling, very wary of handler

BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION:: New Hope Only

Recommendations:: No children (under 13),Place with a New Hope partner

Recommendations comments:: No children (under 13): Due to Gumball's high levels of fearfulness and avoidance, we recommend an adult-only home at this time. Place with a New Hope partner: Gumball has not acclimated well to the kennel environment and has allowed only minimal handling since intake. We recommend placement with a New Hope partner who can provide any necessary behavior modification (force-free, positive reinforcement-based) and re-evaluate behavior in a stable home environment before placement into a permanent home.

Potential challenges: : Fearful

Potential challenges comments:: Fearful: Gumball has been significantly stressed and fearful during his stay in care. It is important to always go slow and give him the option to walk away from any social interaction. Gumball should never be forced to approach anything that he is uncomfortable with or to submit to petting or handling. It should always be Gumball’s choice to approach a new person or thing. Darwin would do best in an initially calm and quiet home environment and should be given time to acclimate to his new surroundings. Please see the handout on the Decompression Period.