Grace

My story

Grace ACCT-A-224329 is currently considered urgent and at risk of euthanasia due to lack of space for incoming dogs, and length of stay. Grace must have confirmed placement with an RESCUE PARTNER or ADOPTER by Wednesday, July 23rd at 10 A.M. Should Grace's medical or behavioral status change, her urgency and timeline for placement may also change. Meet Grace – A Gentle Soul Ready to Bloom. Grace was found following a Good Samaritan through the neighborhood, likely searching for comfort and safety. The finder described her as calm and easygoing. She was brought to ACCT on 6/28 after several days with no owner in sight. Since arriving, this quiet, sensitive girl has been trying to navigate the shelter environment the only way she knows how—slowly and cautiously. Grace is a tender-hearted dog who can be uncertain and shy at first. The world can feel like a big, overwhelming place when you're still learning to trust. But give her a little time, a lot of love, and a calm, patient home, and you’ll see her begin to blossom. At first glance, Grace may appear fearful or reserved, and she can take some time to warm up. But beneath that initial hesitation is a truly affectionate and submissive pup who just needs a chance. Volunteers and staff have noted her sweet nature, soft tail wags, and her habit of rolling over for belly rubs once she starts to feel safe. She enjoys being close to her handler and gives gentle kisses when she’s comfortable. Grace has done well in select playgroups with calmer, more dainty dogs, but she can become overwhelmed in more energetic settings. She thrives with slow introductions and a peaceful environment. While she’s still building confidence, Grace is making progress every day—and with kindness and consistency, she’s sure to shine. VIDEOS: Grace meets Pope 7/7/25: https://youtube.com/shorts/I_GIqhwFI8c?si=TyWjqY4MIW6vn2EP Playgroup 7/1: Big Bubba, Chula, Grace, Cyan https://youtu.be/m1HHszK59Hs Playgroup 7/1: Grace, Cyan, Scally Wags https://youtu.be/1GU_4rKuIHA Walksheet Notes 7/16: No issues taking her out or through the kennel. Medium energy. Walksheet Notes 7/15: No issues taking her out or through the kennel. Medium energy. Described as a good girl—very sweet. Walksheet Notes 7/13: No issues taking her out or through the kennel, but noted to have mild issues with jumping. Medium energy. Walksheet Notes 7/12: No issues taking her out or through the kennel. 07/08/2025 Per Staff: Was unable to remove her from kennel due to her hard barking and lunging at me through the bars. I offered her a treat through the bars so when she opened her mouth to take the treat I shoved the q-tip into her mouth quickly. 07/07/2025 Per Staff : Unable to pcr test. Whale eye, Low tail wagging stiffly at the end, avoidant of the nurse, moving away with tucked tail, growled at her 3 times, then looked at me with hard eyes and growled so we ended the attempt. On 7/7 Grace came down with an upper respiratory infection and was started on Doxycycline per volunteer 7/4: Grace is a soft and sweet young dog who is trying her best to be brave. She is very handler focused and loves people, so her fear can be easily overcome with a gentle approach. Grace was very affectionate to me with lots of kisses and tail wags. She’s submissive and will roll over to show her belly when people come towards her. She was ok greeting the male volunteer but was slightly more wary of him, so men should bring along lots of treats to win her trust. She met a small male dog and did well but was too nervous to approach larger dogs. 07/01/2025 Playgroup notes: Grace was submissive and nervous at the gate. she was steerable with timid greetings. she corrected dogs in her space and got overwhelmed quickly, needs a more dainty yard 06/30/2025: During the initial intake exam, it was noted that Grace's eyes, ears, and nose were clear. Her mouth could not be checked due to behavior. She was described as shy but bright, alert, and responsive. She growled a little, but when receiving her microchip and vaccines, she went into shutdown. A slow approach is recommended. 06/29/2025 Per volunteer: I made Grace Blue level due to needing an extra slow greeting, skittishness and her lack of desire for handling. I'm hopeful she'll open up given a couple days to adjust. She was generally pleasant and offered no warnings other than general tension (lips licks; dilated eyes; stiffness; tucked tail) Kennel presentation: Fearful; Grace did not come off bed until (after 10 mins of sitting in doorway) I lassoed and invited her with soft talk and mild leash pressure. She was no problem on return with clip method. Leash skills: Easy once leashed but skittish to both noise and movement. Toys: No interest in toys at this time. Tag/Play: Mild responses to invitations to interact. She sought to be near me in the yard with dropped leash. Handleability: I did not offer any pets or handling at this time. TTA Dogs: Non-reactive to passing dogs. Due to being significantly overcapacity with dogs and cats and higher than usual intake, extensions are unlikely to be granted. If you are interested in an animal please contact ACCT Philly immediately. Due to limited space, timestamps may also be proceeded with early so it is imperative to let us know if you are considering adopting or tagging a dog or cat. Confirmed placement is considered confirmation of an actual rescue pull. Possible placement, interested parties, and other "TBD" statuses are not considered confirmed and do not indicate an animal is no longer urgent. ACCT Philly is located at 111 West Hunting Park Ave in Philadelphia. We are open for adoptions 7 days a week. Please visit www.acctphilly.org/adopt for details. All animals at ACCT Philly are from Philadelphia, as the only open intake animal shelter in Philadelphia, we are not able to accept animals from outside of Philadelphia. ACCT Philly’s Pennsylvania kennel license number is 08313

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