Please message our page to foster or adopt this cutie and help Chico rebuild his confidence with some extra

TO BE EUTHANIZED 10/17/2026 IN NYC Nobody should lose his life because he is scared, and precious little boy CHICO is scared. Chico is a sensitive little soul who prefers a calm environment so he can feel safe. But unfortunately he came from a very busy, multi generational household that was simply too chaotic for him. He lived his whole life with the same family. Then the grandparents arrived and he didn’t like them shoving him in his crate. And then when the baby was born and as the baby grew over the last 2 years and was crawling, learning to walk, not kept away from Chico through any adult supervision, swinging his arms and legs around, Chico was even more sure that this was not the kind of home in which he felt comfortable and where he wanted to grow old. Chico was so uncomfortable in his home as was his family with him that they decided to make him live in a crate. Can you blame Chico for not wanting to go in there? Please help this darling boy who has not felt he could exhale for a very long time. He will need someone who is experienced and respectful of his boundaries. Take things slowly and allow for a period of decompression in your understanding, patient home environment so Chico can thrive for the first time in years. He deserves the chance to live without fear and you can help him do it. Please message our page today to foster or adopt this cutie and help Chico rebuild his confidence with some extra love from you! CHICO, ID 267295, 10 years old, x lbs., Male Queens ACC, Small mixed breed, White/Tan Owner surrender reason: Date of Intake: 5-Oct-2026: Behavior issues Behavior Assessment Rating: New Hope only No children under 13 Place with a New Hope rescue Medical Behavior: Tense, stressed AT RISK MEMO: Chico is on the at-risk list due to behavior concerns. In the prior home, Chico was reported to display fearful and defensive behavior toward unfamiliar people and family members and has a history of multiple bite incidents that broke skin. His owner also reported difficulty safely handling and walking him due to concerns around placing his collar. In the care center, Chico has shown intense fearful and defensive behavior, including trembling, whale eye, growling, avoiding the leash, and attempting to bolt away from handlers. Chico continues to struggle to acclimate to the shelter environment despite efforts to minimize his stress. Medically, Chico has monocytosis, is mildly hyperglycemic, and has a Grade 4/6 systolic heart murmur. Chico was surrendered to the care center by his previous owner due to behavioral issues. The owner reports that Chico displayed highly defensive and fearful behavior in the home, including growling and snapping when family members attempt to approach or touch him, escalating to bites on three occasions — to the owner, their mother, and their two-year old son. All three bites were bite-and-releases that broke skin and were treated at home. Chico has not acclimated well to the care center environment, growling, lunging, and snapping at staff and allowing only minimal handling. Due to noted concerns displayed in both the home and care center, we recommend placement with a New Hope partner who can provide an experienced, adult-only foster home, a period of decompression, and any necessary behavior modification before placement into a permanent home. INTAKE NOTES—Date of Intake: 5-Oct-2026 Upon intake, Chico arrived in a carrier, minimal handling was done but he was growling and lunging/snapping while being taken to medical and transferring to his kennel. OWNER SURRENDER NOTES—BASIC INFORMATION Chico lived with his owner his whole life but then was overwhelmed when the grandparents moved in and the baby was born. He has no experience with dogs or cats. He was fed both wet and dry food and was mostly kept in his crate which he did not like being put in. BEHAVIOR NOTES: Date of Intake: 5-Oct-2026 Spay/neuter status: No Means of surrender: Length of time in previous home: 10 years Previously lived with — Adults and children Behavior toward strangers — Will lunge, growl, and show teeth Behavior toward children — Will lunge, growl, and show teeth Behavior toward dogs — No experience Behavior toward cats — No experience Resource guarding — Never attempted to interact while he is eating. Bite history — Chico's owner reported that Chico has bitten three times in the past, the most recent in September 2026. In this instance, their two-year old son was swinging his foot when Chico bit it, a bite-and-release that broke skin and was treated at home. The two previous bites were to the owner, who was walking past Chico in the back yard when he bit them on the hand, reportedly unprovoked, and to their mother, who was also bitten on the hand when trying to place Chico in a crate. Both of these bites were also bite-and-release and broke skin, and were treated at home. Housetrained — Partially Energy level/descriptors — Chico is described as medium energy by his previous owners. Other Notes — Chico's previous owner reports that he barks and growls at any stranger that gets near him, and at family in the home when they try to touch him. SHELTER ASSESSMENT SUMMARIES: Date of Assessment: 13-Oct-2026 Chico's owner has reported that Chico has bitten three times, the most recent two weeks ago; all three bites were bite-and-releases that broke skin (for more detail, please see bite history information above). During intake and medical examination, he growled, lunged, and snapped at staff. Due to all noted concerns, Chico is not a safe candidate for a handling assessment. PLAYGROUP SUMMARIES: DOG TO DOG: N/A ENRICHMENT NOTES: 10/07/26 (KSV): Chico is lying on his bed at the back of his kennel when the handler approaches. His body is tense, and he is shaking. As the handler speaks to him quietly, he begins to growl. The interaction is ended to minimize his stress. 10/5: Chico is whale-eyeing and growling when a handler approaches. He sniffs cheese but does not take it. He tries to dodge leashing, but the handler is able to lasso him on the first attempt. He is then moved to a kennel where he can have either side of the transfer door. Once leashed, Chico bolts out of the kennel and tries to bolt away from the handler. As the hadnler opens the new kennel door, Chico jumps in and bolts to a back corner. A hook is used to remove the lead. INTAKE BEHAVIOR Date of Intake: 5-Oct-2026 Summary: Growling, lunging, snapping MEDICAL BEHAVIOR Date of Initial: 8-Oct-2026 Summary: Tense ENERGY LEVEL: Chico is described as medium energy by his previous owners and will need daily mental and physical activity to keep him engaged and exercised. We recommend long-lasting chews, food puzzles, and hide-and-seek games, in additional to physical exercise, to positively direct his energy. BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION: New Hope Only Recommendations: No children (under 13) Place with a New Hope partner Recommendations comments: No children: Due to Chico's bite history, we recommend an adult only home at this time. Place with a New Hope partner: Due to Chico's bite history and all concerns noted in both the home and care center environment, we recommend placement with a New Hope partner who can provide an experienced adult-only foster home, necessary behavior modification (force-free, positive reinforcement-based) and re-evaluate behavior in a stable environment before placement into a permanent home. Potential challenges: Fearful/potential for defensive aggression Multiple-bite history/risk of future aggression Bite history (human) Potential challenges comments: Fearful/potential for defensive aggression | Multiple bite history | Bite history (human): Chico has shown highly fearful behavior both in the home and care center environment, including growling, snapping, and lunging when people approach or attempt to handle him. In his previous home, this has escalated to bites on three occasions, to the owner, their mother, and their two-year old son. All three bites were bite-and-releases that broke skin and were treated at home. Though the bites have not typically caused serious injury, they indicate a high level of stress for Chico when he is in situations that escalate to biting. This is a behavior that will require careful environmental management and force-free, reward-based training to help him feel comfortable with people and handling. Please see handout on Bite history and potential for future aggression. MEDICAL EXAM NOTES: 10/14/2026 Progress exam: Inappetence noted on monitor log Subjective: BAR, no C/S/V/D Objective: EYES: Clear, no discharge LUNGS: Eupneic, no sign of respiratory distress NASAL CAVITY: no discharge MUSCULOSKELETAL: Ambulatory x4, no lameness or lesions NEURO: Appropriate mentation ASSESSMENT: Presumed inappetence PLAN: Per standing orders -Start medical feedings q12h x5days -CTM, recheck as scheduled 10/9/2026 DVM Blood Work Interpretation S/O — CBC largely WNL; mild monocytosis (1.14). No anemia, leukocytosis or thrombocytopenia. -Chemistry largely WNL; mild hyperglycemia (159). Renal values WNL (SDMA 9, creatinine 0.7, BUN 14). Hepatic values WNL. -proBNP WNL at 726 pmol/L despite grade 4/6 systolic heart murmur. -TT4 low-normal at 1.2. A — Mild monocytosis, likely nonspecific/reactive. -Mild hyperglycemia, likely stress-associated. -Grade 4/6 systolic heart murmur with normal proBNP; clinically significant myocardial stretch/stress not supported by current testing, though structural cardiac disease cannot be excluded. -Otherwise unremarkable senior BW. P — No treatment indicated based on BW. -Recommend echocardiogram after placement given prominent heart murmur. -Recommend dental care after placement. 10/8/2026 DVM Intake Exam Estimated age: 9-12 years based on the condition of teeth and eyes Microchip noted on Intake? Negative History: Owner surrender Subjective: BAR H pink 1 sec Observed Behavior - tense; not interested with treats; high FAS; biting; tail tucked under Evidence of Cruelty seen -No Objective P = 80hr (sedated) R = 25rr (sedated) BCS 4/9 EENT: Eyes clear, ears clean, no nasal or ocular discharge noted Oral Exam: 3-4/6 ddz PLN: No enlargements noted H/L: NSR, 4/6 systolic murmur, CRT < 2, Lungs clear, eupneic ABD: Non painful, no masses palpated U/G: MI with 2 down MSI: before sedation ambulatory x 4, skin free of parasites, no masses noted, healthy hair coat CNS: before sedation mentation appropriate - no signs of neurologic abnormalities Assessment dental disease heart murmur Prognosis: fair to guarded Plan: Dog sedation: Using 0.2 ml dexmedetomidine (500mcg/ml) and 0.2 ml butorphanol (10mg/ml) IM Reversed with Antisedan-0.2 ml IM behavior assessment Trazodone- 50 mg (5 to 10 mg/kg po q 12 hrs) sig: 3/4 tab po q 12 hrs Intake procedures CBCD/CHEM/T4/ProBNP- pending SURGERY: permanent waiver due to age ************************************ * TO FOSTER / ADOPT * To foster or adopt a NYC ACC dog please PRIVATE MESSAGE our page at so we can assist and guide you through the process. PLEASE NOTE: To foster or adopt a NYC ACC dog you need to live within a prescribed range of New York City. States include: NY, NJ, PA, CT, RI, DE, MD, MA, NH, VT, ME or Northern VA. If you are outside of this range, you have the option to “direct adopt” where you must go to the shelter “in person” to complete the adoption process. We can guide you through that process. NYC ACC RATING SYSTEM Level 1 Dogs with Level 1 determinations are suitable for the majority of homes. Level 2 Dogs with Level 2 determinations will be suitable for adopters with some previous dog experience. Level 3 Dogs with Level 3 determinations will need to go to homes with experienced adopters. Level 4 Dogs with Level 4 determinations will need to go to homes with experienced adopters. It is suggested adopters have prior experience with the behaviors described. New Hope Rescue Only Dogs with this rating need to be pulled by a New Hope Partner Rescue. Please PRIVATE MESSAGE our page for assistance