08/24/2026
PLACED WITH EVERY LAST ONE RESCUE!!! PLEASE HONOR YOUR PLEDGES OR DONATE
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💔 Fionna is having a tough time with kennel life, but outside of those stressful moments, she’s showing everyone what a smart and social girl she is.
Fionna seeks attention from her handlers, happily accepts petting, and already knows “sit” and “paw.” ❤️ She’s an energetic girl who needs appropriate outlets for that energy and someone who enjoys working with a dog through positive, reward-based training.
A patient, experienced foster home could give Fionna the exercise, enrichment, structure, and calm environment she needs to decompress and thrive.
Fionna does have dental disease, but is otherwise healthy.
💛 She’s affectionate, smart, eager to interact, and already has some training under her belt. Fionna just needs someone willing to give her the opportunity to shine outside the kennel.
📩 New Hope placement required — please message if you can foster or adopt Fionna through an ACC New Hope partner.
FIONNA 260299 MANHATTAN ACC
Estimated to be 3 years 4 weeks old, 83 Lbs.
SPAYED FEMALE, LARGE MIXED BREED
STRAY FROM NY
MEDICAL BEVIOR RATING:
BEHAVIOR RATING: NH ONLY
INTAKE DATE: 07/10/2026
PET PROFILE
Stray, no known history.
Fionna came into the care center as an owner surrender; due to this her behavioral history in a home environment is unknown. Fionna has not adjusted well to the care center environment and is noted to bite the leash when coming out of the kennel and during her walks; she is noted to become mouthy with handlers and is noted to grab onto handlers' PPE. Despite this, she is noted to display soical behavioral with handlers, allowing petting, and will perform cues such as "sit" and" paw". She will benefit from a patient and experienced adopter/foster through one of our new hope partners who can provide a calm and structured environment, along with the appropriate behavior modification strategies to help her thrive.
ASSESSMENT NOTES
Date of assessment: 8/18/2026
Summary: 7/23/26
Leash Walking
Strength and pulling: Mild
Reactivity to humans: None
Reactivity to dogs: Moderate
Leash walking comments: Pulls hard towards other dogs difficult to redirect
Sociability
Loose in room (15-20 seconds): Highly social
Call over: Approaches handler readily
Sociability comments: Jumps up on handler
Soft handling: Accepts contact
Exuberant handling: Accepts contact
Comments: Leans into handler, jumps up, paws the handler, seeking treats
Arousal
Jog comments: Follows handlers exuberantly
Knock
Knock comments: No approach, stands with neutral body
Toy
Toy comments: No interest, No reaction
Summary: Due to entering the facility as a stray, there is no prior dog-to-dog history recorded.
8/12/26: Fionna is introduced to a novel neutered male and approaches the fence fast with a forward leaning body wiggling with nub wags. She sniffs the other dog nose to nose while following them along the fence line, and then gives a deep play bow. She stands back up and huffs, then play bows and begins demand barking. The other dog is reactive in response and Fionna freezes and gives a hard bark before being pulled away. She is redirected without issue once nearby handlers. She is then introduced to a novel neutered male and is forward leaning and loose with nub wags at the gate. She wiggles and play bows, demand barking. The other dog is let into the yard and flags over to her, she leans away and flinches back, displacement bouncing backwards. She continues nub wags and sniffs nose to nose while leaning partially back and bouncing back. The other dog is led away and Fionna follows sniffing him from behind, then when the other dog spins around, she paws at him and then flinches back when he attempts nose to nose interaction while she sniffs him. She gives an alarm bark and then begins doing chin overs while placing a paw on the other dog's back pushing down. The two are given a break and she redirects to her handler and sits for treats. When face to face again, Fionna is loose with nub wags but moves her head away when the other dog attempts to sniff nose to nose. She doesn't solicit interaction and remains loose standing nearby. When the other dog goes nose to nose again, Fionna paws him and then play bows and alarm barks, attempting to leap on the other dog.
8/7/26: Fionna is introduced to a fake dog due to her prior meet. She freezes when she spots the fake dog, with a tense forward leaning body and flagged mid level nub. She gives a few nub wags and stands taller remaining tense. When let into the yard, Fionna charges over to the fake dog standing over them and freezing, then takes a couple steps back and begins sniffing the fake dog with fast nub wags and a looser body. She stands in play bow position and then does some chin overs. The fake dog is bounced forward on leash by a handler and Fionna play bows in return and bounces around the other dog while wiggling. She consistently play bows and play slaps, bouncing around the other dog before redirecting her attention and exploring the yard.
8/1/26: Fionna is introduced to a novel intact male and flags over to the fence with a forward leaning tense body, high wagging nub, and raised hackles. She was making hard eye contact, had a tight closed c shaped mouth. She immediately began attempting to push the fence while baring teeth and snapping. She was pulled back and was unable to redirect her attention while exiting the yard, continuing to lunge and hard bark at the other dog.
Summary (2): 8/20/26: Fionna is at the front of her kennel with a loose, wiggly body; she is easily leashed as the handler leashes her. While exiting the room, Fionna eats a coupled of tossed treats on the floor. On the street, Fionna walks with moderate to significant leash pulling; she doesn't react to people or dogs on the street. Any time she looks back at the handler, they toss treats for her to eat. While going back inside the building to the elevator, Fionna pulls towards a dog with a neutral body, but the handler pulls her away. While walking to her kennel, the handler presents treats to Fionna and toss them into the kennel; Fionna enters with ease.
8/19/26: As Fionna is being returned to her kennel, she baulks right in front of it; even with leash pressure, Fionna refuses to enter, and backs away. Another familiar handler places the sling under Fionna, and both handler muscle her in to her kennel; they're able to remove their leash and sling.
8/18/26: Fionna is at the front of her kennel with a loose, wiggly body; she is easily leashed as the handler leashes her. While exiting the room, Fionna eats a coupled of tossed treats on the floor. On the street, Fionna walks with mild to moderate leash tension; she doesn't react to people or dogs. Fionna often looks back at the handler and/or sit in front of them for treats; the handler tosses her some treats. Upon entry, the handler walks Fionna to her kennel; they toss treats into her kennel right as she enters on her own.
8/14/26: Fionna is standing at the front of her kennel with a loose, wiggly body as the handler approaches. She is easily leashed with a treat lure and exits the kennel. Handler uses a treat trail and Fionna walks by the neighboring kennels without issues. Once in the hallways, Fionna walks ahead of the handler with hard leash tension but has no interest to pop-up crates or staff members. Once outside, she explores the area around and sniffing certain spots and relieves herself shortly after. When Fionna sees another dog, she will stop and hard stare at them remaining visually focused on the dog. Fionna responds immediately, when the handler uses treats and a verbal recall, and disengages from the other dog. She is able to continue the walk without further escalation. Fionna is social and readily engages with the handler. She maintains a loose body and relaxed facial expression.-
Summary (3): -She accepts petting, leans into the handler for contact, and responds to cues “sit”, "down" and “paw.” She accepts treats but takes them with a relatively hard mouth. She shows little interest in passing people but does not attempt to pull forward them or show any reactivity. During return Fionna allows the handler to pre-clip the leash. While entering the room, Fionna gradually slows her pace; she stops right in front of her kennel, lowers her body, and places her front paws forward, planting herself and refusing getting into the kennel. Handler attempts to use a treat trail to encourage her to move forward, but Fionna does not respond to the treats and remains sitting at the same spot. The handler steps back out of the room and attempts to run Fionna inside, but she stops again right before entering the kennel. Handler then shortens the leash and applies pressure; Fionna continues to resist moving forward. With continued leash pressure and slight pick-up, she eventually moves forward and enters the kennel. During the returning process Fionna remains manageable and tolerant of handling and allows handler to touch and move her body without any problem. Handler was able to get back the leash with no further issues.
8/13/26: Fionna is at the front of her kennel with a wiggly body; she is easily leashed and brought out the kennel. while exiting the room, Fionna eats the treats tossed by the handler; during the elevator ride, she sits in front of the handler and eats treats that she gave them. Fionna walks with mild to moderate leash tension; she doesn't react to people and dogs (she looks at the dogs with a neutral body, and is redirected with a verbal cute). Fionna typically looks back at the handler and sits in front of them for treats; once she receives a treat, she continues with the walk. After the handler cleans up after her, Fionna jumps to bite the leash, but lets go as soon as the handler straight arms the leash; she then jumps up again, placing her front paws on the handler's chest to bite and tug the leash. The handler tosses a bunch of treats at her, and eventually she stops. The handler is able to bring Fionna inside and walks her to her kennel; however, Fionna refuses to enter her kennel. The handler tosses treats and uses leash pressure to get her inside, but she refuses. The handler walks Fionna out the room and jogs her inside towards her kennel, but she still refuses to enter it; she applies more leash pressure, but she resists. The handler brings Fionna outside the room and calls for an experienced handler; the main handler tosses treats on the ground for Fionna to eat as the other places the sling underneath her. Both handlers walk Fionna into the room and muscle her into kennel; they are able to remove both the leash and the sling.
Summary (4): 8/12/26: Fionna is standing at the front of her kennel with a wiggly body as the handler approaches. When the kennel door is unlocked, she begins jumping on the door and barking. She is easily leashed with a treat lure and willingly exits the kennel. The handler uses a treat trail to guide her out of the room and Fionna passes the neighboring kennels without reactivity. In the hallways, Fionna walks ahead of the handler with consistent leash tension. Her body remains loose, and she shows no interest in pop-up crates or staff members. Once outside, she pulls strongly toward the street. She sniffs different areas and relieves herself after. When Fionna sees another dog, her body becomes stiff; she hard stares at them but gets distracted when the handler uses a verbal recall. She disengages from the dog and returns her attention to the handler. Fionna is social, has a loose body and relaxed face when engaging with handler. She accepts petting and responds to “sit” and “paw.” She is very receptive to treats but takes them hard. Fionna shows no interest in passing by people during the walk. Upon return handler is able to pre-clip the leash and bring Fionna back into her kennel with ease.
8/11/26: Fionna is at the front of her kennel with a loose, wiggly body, pawing at the kennel door as the handler approaches; they leash Fionna while luring her and bring her out the kennel. while walking out the room, the handler tosses treats and Fionna eats them as she walks. While walking through the hallway and the driveway, Fionna looks at dogs with a forward body, but doesn't react, as she is able to be redirected. After crossing the street, Fionna frequently jumps on the handler; she eventually jumps to bite and tug the leash. The handler tosses treats and she stops to eat them. Fionna walks with moderate leash tension; she doesn't react to people. The handler does some clicker training with Fionna; they click anytime she sits and looks at them; she is very receptive, sitting without command and eats tossed treats. After the training, Fionna leans her body into the handler and allows pets; after the handler stops petting her to return to shelter, Fionna jumps up and bites and tugs the leash again. The handler has to toss a few treats in order for her to stop; she walks back to the shelter without doing so, Upon return, the handler clips their leash and returns FIonna to her kennel.
Summary (5): 8/08/26: Fionna is standing at the front of her kennel with a loose, wiggly body as the handler approaches. When the kennel door is unlocked, she begins jumping against the door and barking in a demanding way. She is easily leashed with a treat lure and willingly exits the kennel. Handler uses a treat trail to maintain her focus as she leaves the room. Fionna passes the neighboring kennels without displaying any reactivity all the way out. In the hallways, Fionna walks ahead of the handler with persistent leash tension. She remains highly focused on moving forward and shows no interest in pop-up crates or staff members. Once outside, she immediately pulls toward the street with strong leash tension. She relieves herself shortly after sniffing around certain spots. When she notices another dog, her body becomes visibly tense, and she hard stares at them. Handler uses treats and a verbal recall and Fionna immediately disengages from the dog, and returns her attention to the handler. Fionna is social and seeks interaction with the handler. She readily accepts petting, leans into the handler; she responds to the verbal cues “sit” and “paw” and accepts treats as rewards (takes them hard). Fionna has no interest in people passerby and remains a loose body and relaxed face during the walk. Upon return, handler is able to pre-clip the leash and bring Fionna back into her kennel with ease.
8/06/26: Fionna is at the front of her kennel with a loose, wiggly body when the handler approaches. As the handler unlocks the kennel door, she begins jumping against the door and barking in demanding way. She is easily leashed with a treat lure and readily exits the kennel. Handler directs Fionna's attention to follow a treat trail on the ground, and she passes neighboring kennels without displaying any reactivity. While walking through the hallways, Fionna pulls hard ahead of the handler with consistent forward leash tension. She shows no interest in pop-up crates, staff members, or other stimuli inside the shelter. Once outside, Fionna continues pulling hard toward the street and relieves herself. During the walk, Fionna pulls hard maintaining leash tension. When she notices another dog, her body tenses and she intensely hard stare at them. Handler redirects her using treats and a verbal recall cue. Fiona responds readily, quickly disengages from the other dog, and gets attention back to the handler. Fionna is social, she readily accepts petting, leans into the handler seeking more interaction. She responds consistently to the verbal cues "sit" and "paw" and accepts treats as reinforcement (takes hard). She shows no reactivity toward passing people and maintains a loose body with relaxed face. During return handler is able to pre-clip the leash and bring Fionna back into the kennel with no issue.
Summary (6): 8/6/26 (D2D): Fionna is at the front of her kennel jumping up on the kennel door; she is easily leashed and brought out the kennel. the handler tosses treats on the floor and Fionna eats them as they exit. While walking downstairs, Fionna approaches a few staffers with a loose body, jumping on a few of them. The handler then brings Fionna to the yard for a D2D (see notes). After the interaction, the handler brings Fionna inside and returns her to her kennel.
8/6/26: Fionna is reported to leash bite as soon as she exited the kennel. The handler drops treats and she eats some, but she goes back to jumping up to bite the leash, as well as mouthing the handler's PPE.
8/1/26: Fionna is lying down as handler approached but comes forward when kennel door is unlocked. She is easily leashed and taken to the backyard for playgroup (Please see dog to dog notes for details). While walking thru hallway Fionna pulls hard. After playgroup, Fionna is returned to kennel with no issue.
8/1/26: It is noted on the behavior board that Fionna is leash biting.
Summary (7): 7/31/26: Fiona is at the front of her kennel with loose and wiggly body when handler approaches. She starts pawing at the kennel door and barking in demanding way when handler unlocks it. She is easily leashed with a treat lure and taken out of the room. In the hallways Fiona pulls hard forward all the way outside; she is not interested in pop-up crates or other staff members. Once outside, Fiona continues pulling towards the street and relieves herself. When she sees another dog she stops, her body tenses and she is hard stares at them. She is attempting to move towards the dog but is redirected with treats and recall. She quickly disengages and remains focused on the handler. She is social, allows petting and leans onto handler for more showing fast tail wag. She follows commands "sit" and "paw" and takes treats as a reward (takes treats with hard pressure). She walks in slower pace next to the handler with mild to none leash tension. Fiona doesn't react towards people passerby. Her body remains loose and wiggly with soft, relaxed face. During return handler is able to pre-clip the leash and Fiona goes back into her kennel by her own with ease.
7/27/26: When a dog passes by Fionna while she is in the pen in the backyard. She pulls forward and muzzle punches the fence. She continues to pull forward and fixate on the dog as the dog is walked away.
7/23/26: Fionna is at the front of her kennel with a loose, wiggly body and relaxed tail wag when the handler approaches. She is easily leashed, and taken out of the kennel. While exiting, she readily follows a treat trail and is distracted from other dogs in the kennels. In the hallways, Fiona pulls hard ahead of the handler all the way outside. Once on the street, Fionna continues walking slightly ahead of the handler with moderate leash tension but slows down every time for treats. She pulls hard towards certain spots to discover and sniff and eventually relieves herself. When she sees another dog, Fionna starts pulling hard towards them with tense body. She is not distracted with treats or recall and is continues pulling intensely towards them. She remains fixated on the other dog until longer distance is created and another dog is no longer visible for her. Fiona doesn't react towards other people passerby. Fiona is social and is engaged with handler during the walk. She responses when called, readily accepts treats, follows command "sit" and allows petting. She remains loose body and soft face most of the time. Once walk is finished, Fiona is taken to the Canine Behavior office (see notes). During return handler is able to pre-clip the leash and bring Fiona back into her kennel with ease.
Date of intake: 7/20/2026
Summary: Friendly, allowed handling
Date of initial:: 7/21/2026
Summary: Wiggly for exam
ENERGY LEVEL: We have no history on Fionna so we cannot be certain of their behavior in a home environment. However, they will need daily mental and physical activity to stay engaged and exercised. We recommend long-lasting chews, food puzzles, and hide-and-seek games, in addition to physical exercise, to positively direct their energy and enthusiasm.
BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION: New Hope Only
Recommendations: No children (under 13),Recommend no dog parks, Place with a New Hope partner
Recommendations comments: No children (under 13): Due to poor impulse control, we recommend an adult only home.
Recommend No Dog Parks: Due to the concerning behaviors that Fionna has shown during playgroup (see DOG-DOG SUMMARY), as well as her on leash/kennel reactivity, we feel that she should not visit dog parks.
Place with a New Hope partner: Fionna came into the care center as an owner surrender; due to this her behavioral history in a home environment is unknown. Fionna has not adjusted well to the care center environment and is noted to bite the leash when coming out of the kennel and during her walks; she is noted to become mouthy with handlers and is noted to grab onto handlers' PPE. Despite this, she is noted to display social behavioral with handlers, allowing petting, and will perform cues such as "sit" and "paw". She will benefit from a patient and experienced adopter/foster through one of our new hope partners who can provide a calm and structured environment, along with the appropriate behavior modification strategies to help her thrive.
Potential challenges: :
Basic manners/poor impulse control,
Social hyperarousal,
Mouthiness/poor bite inhibition,
On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration,
Leash-biting
Potential challenges comments:
Basic Manners: Fionna has been observed to jump up on handler frequently. It is recommended that default behaviors such as "Sit" and "Off" are reinforced to substitute any frustration and teach them to control their impulses instead of simply reacting; proper management is also advised. Force-free, reward-based training only is recommended. Please see handout on Basic Manners.
Social hyperarousal/Mouthiness/poor bite inhibition: Fionna is noted to jump up on handlers and to become mouthing on handlers PPE, she is also noted to leash bite. Continued training should focus on reinforcing calm behaviors, promoting appropriate outlets for excitement, and rewarding disengagement and handler focus when her arousal levels begin to increase. Please see the handout on leash biting, arousal and Mouthiness/poor bite inhibition.
On Leash Reactivity: Fionna has been observed to pull hard towards other dogs while on leash. This behavior is difficult to redirect. Fionna will need positive reinforcement, reward based training to teach them to look at you rather than other dogs. We recommend a front clip harness to help manage this behavior. Please see handout on On Leash Reactivity and Barrier Frustration.
MEDICAL EXAM NOTES
7/21/2026
DVM Intake Exam
Estimated age: 2 to 5 years
Microchip noted on Intake? Scanned negative
History: Stray
Subjective: BAR
Observed Behavior - Ravenous appetite. Jumps on table. Wiggly for exam.
Is there evidence of suspected cruelty? No
Objective:
P = 120
R = WNL
BCS 3/9
EENT: OD: grey ocular discharge, scleritis laterally, cornea moist and clear. OU: mild entropion medially, pupils symmetric and responsive. Ears cropped and clean, no nasal discharge noted
Oral Exam: Mild tartar on brief view of mouth.
PLN: No enlargements noted
H/L: NR, NMA, Lungs clear, eupneic
ABD: Non painful, no masses palpated
U/G: Female intact
MSI: Ambulatory x 4, skin free of parasites, no masses noted, healthy hair coat
CNS: Mentation appropriate - no signs of neurologic abnormalities
Re**al: WNL externally
Wood's Lamp Exam: N/A
STT: 25 OD
Assessment:
Conjunctivitis OD
Mild medial entropion OU
Underweight
Dental disease stage 1/4
TID feeding
Prognosis: Good
Plan:
Intake tasks
NeoPolyBac with Dexamethasone 1/4 inch strip ou bid x 7 days
SURGERY:
Okay for ohe
7/23/2026
K9 behavior notes dog reactivity
A:
FAS
P:
Clonidine 0.6 mg PO BID indefinitely
7/29/2026
Pre-surgical exam, anesthesia, and surgery performed by offsite vet. Medical record uploaded to Vet Documents.
Green linear tattoo placed lateral to incision.
Start 1 1/2 tab of carprofen 100mg sid po x4 days as pain management
As per offsite vet: Small amount of clear mucus in e-tube post sx, pen g given for dirty skin, diarrhea post sx, and bleeding sores on all 4 paws.
7/30/2026
Post-Op Exam, off site vet noted clear mucus in e-tube and diarrhea post surgery
S: sleeping in kennel initially, then awoken comes forward easily for treats
O:
EEN- eyes clear, no nasal or ocular discharge noted
H/L- eupneic, no appreciable sneezing or audible congestion
MSK/i- ambulatory x4, healthy haircoat. Limited view of incision site but no discharge on bedding.
Neuro- alert/appropriate
A:
Appears to be healing well post op
No evidence of CIRDC at this time
P:
CTM in care
Recheck in 3 days to see if still no CIRDC signs or if medication indicated
8/1/2026
SO:
BAR, wiggly at front of kennel
eent: eyes clear, mucus nasal dc apparent
h/l: eupneic, repeated coughing appreciated
msi: ambulatory x4
neuro: mentation alert and appropriate
A:
CIRDC
P:
restarting doxycycline 400mg PO SID x10d
8/4/2026
Lept vax - 2nd booster administered LHL
8/11/2026
No CIRDC symptoms
Plan
okay for adoption
TO ADOPT DIRECTLY FROM THE SHELTER - please download the NYC AC app from the App Store and fill out the adoption application there.
Dogs with NH ONLY rating cannot be adopted directly from the ACC, so please message our page for assistance .
TO ADOPT or FOSTER: If you cannot get to the shelter in person to adopt, or want to foster, please message our page (Must Love Dogs - Saving NYC) Must Love Dogs - Saving NYC Dogs)
OR email [email protected] for guidance and assistance.
PLEASE NOTE: To foster, you have to be within prescribed range of NYC ACC approved New Hope rescues you are applying with,
and to adopt you will have to be in the general NE US area; NY, NJ, CT, PA, DC, MD, DE, NH, RI, MA, VT & ME (some rescues will transport to VA).
Shelter contact information:
Phone number: 212-788-4000 (automated only)
Email: [email protected]
Manhattan Animal Care Center
326 East 110th Street
New York, NY 10029
Staten Island Animal Care Center
3139 Veterans Road West
Staten Island, NY 10309
Queens Animal Care Center
1906 Flushing Ave
Ridgewood, NY 11385
Adoption hours:
Monday through Friday: 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm
Saturday and Sunday: 11:00 am to 5:00 pm
(Closed on all Holidays and Training Days, as listed on their website www.nycacc.org)
Adoption fees depend on dog's age. Please email the ACC for more info. Fees include pre-adoption medical care and vaccines, deworming,
spay/neutering and one free follow-up visit to specific veterinarians.
Open for donation drop off:
Monday – Sunday (10am – 6pm)
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* NYC ACC RATING SYSTEM *
All adopters/foster go through screening process set by NYCACC, which involves submission of pertinent documents, an interview with ACC adoption counselors, to determine if dog is suitable for the home. Dogs can go beyond Northeastern States as long as the adopters go to the ACC in person to pick up the dog.
Level 1
Dogs can go to homes with little dog experience, with children no younger than 5 years old.
Level 2
Dogs can go to homes with some previous dog experience, and with no children under 5 years old.
Level 3
Dogs can go to homes with more experience, and with no children under 13 years old.
Level 4
Dogs can go to ADULTS ONLY homes with very experienced adopters or fosters
NHO
Dogs need to be pulled by a New Hope Rescue, homes would be screened by a New Hope rescue and by the ACC, for suitability. Adopters, fosters need to be highly experienced, and have no children below 18 years of age
