Rocket Rita

My story

Rocket Rita — The Pocket Dragon Body of a chihuahua. Spirit of a dragon. Rocket Rita is a small dog with big energy and an even bigger heart. She weighs 16 pounds, stands about 15 inches tall, and has the drive of a working dog packed into a compact little frame. Her estimated birthday is April 22, 2021, and she has been busy stealing hearts ever since. Trainers suspect she may be a Chihuahua and Basenji mix, which fits her bold personality, athletic build, and clever nature. Rita came to Murci’s Mission after having a mammary tumor removed. The tumor was cancerous, but follow-up imaging showed no signs that it had spread. We made sure all remaining affected tissue was also removed. Right now, she is cancer free. Her future adopter should know there is still a higher risk of recurrence, so staying on top of monitoring will be important. Murci’s Mission is here to support with future low-cost care if needed. Now let’s talk about who she is, because Rita is truly something special. She is affectionate, silly, and loves being with her people. She will curl up under the covers to sleep in bed, snuggle on the couch for hours, and follow you from room to room like a loyal little shadow. She is very food motivated and eager to please. In foster care, she has learned sit, auto-sits on walks, down, stay (still improving), come, and spin. Her leash manners are getting better every day and she’s so proud of herself when she nails it. She’s recently discovered how much fun toys can be and has fallen in love with tug of war and fetch. When she gets a treat or gets excited to see you, she will launch herself off the furniture like a tiny athlete. Her foster mom calls it “Barkour,” and honestly, the name fits. Rita is not what we would call a barky dog. She will alert when someone comes to the door or when something grabs her attention, but she’s not constantly yipping. She even slept through the Fourth of July fireworks without any calming aids. No barking, no pacing, just snuggled in and snoozing. Rita is currently living as a solo dog, and we think that’s where she shines best. She has lived with dogs in the past, so it’s not impossible, but she can come in hot and needs proper structure and support to co-exist safely. Our trainers believe with the right boundaries and patient introductions, she could live with another well-balanced dog. Cats, however, are a no. Rita is confident, sweet, and could do well with respectful children who understand boundaries. She’s not one to back down if pushed, but she isn’t looking for trouble either. She’s also incredibly athletic. She loves chasing birds in the yard and bounces around like she has springs in her paws. Rita is registered with AKC Canine Partners and already has two FastCAT runs under her belt. She would make a great hiking or adventure buddy. Rita's adoption fee is $200 and includes her medical records, leash, collar, ID tag, kimberland micro prong, and a sample of her food. Murci's Mission will also continue to offer support by helping Rita's future family schedule her at the low cost clinic should any future masses need to be removed. To be considered to adopt, please begin by visiting www.murcismission.org and sending in an application. If you are looking for a loyal, loving, clever little companion with just the right amount of sass and sparkle, Rocket Rita might be your perfect match. ##2372530##

If you have any questions or would like to adopt Rocket Rita, please reach out to the adoption group directly. PetSmart Charities does not facilitate the adoption process. Thank you.