Critter Details

Looking to adopt a dog that adds a bit of glitz and glam to your life.. meet Sparkle! Sparkle is an 8 year old husky mix gal who has stolen the hearts of volunteers and staff members. Upon entry to the Shelter, staff observed that Sparkle seemed to have trouble seeing her environment and would bump into things. Our medical team has been overseeing her care and consulted with a local ophthalmologist who determined that Sparkle is functionally blind. Although she appears comfortable at the moment, she may need both of her eyes surgically removed in the future. Because of this, Sparkle needs a very special adopter that will commit to her and her needs in the future. Our clinic team is available to talk to any potential adopter moving forward. More about our girl Sparkle.. She has gone on a sleepover with a volunteer who reports: ‘Although Sparkle certainly doesnâ&#194&#128&#194&#153t see well (if much at all), she never seemed stressed being in a new environment. She spent a long time (~1hr) just exploring the room, sniffing every last corner. She did occasionally bump into walls/furniture, but quickly got better at navigating the space. Sparkle definitely kept a mental map of the area. For instance, she had to go up a couple steps to enter the house, which involved some hesitation on her first attempt. After that first time, she happily went up/down without any assistance. She only ever made it halfway-up the in-house staircase, but I also didnâ&#194&#128&#194&#153t spend much time practicing it with her. Hopping on/off couches and beds was no trouble at all. In general, she did great at navigating the house. She happily followed me around, and knew very well the position of her water and toys and could locate them independently. Her lack of vision did not seem to bother her in the slightest. She loved her walks, and would even position herself in front of me instead of by my side. That being said, she would bump into walls or trip off the curb if I didnâ&#194&#128&#194&#153t stop her, although she remained unbothered by it all. While Sparkle was content riding in the car, she did refuse to enter it. So long as I went slow, she was very tolerant of being carried, so I picked her up to plop her inside.Finally, some short personality notes:Super snuggly! She demanded more attention with stubs, paws, and soft boofsEnjoyed squeaky toys, and happily squeaked them for literal hoursVery food-motivated, but I did have to put treats directly in front of her mouth in order for her to locate themMostly house-trained. She tried to poop inside once, but I stopped her and took her outside before she couldAdores dogs. The moment she senses a dog sheâ&#194&#128&#194&#153s instant wiggles and wants to play’If you have the resources to care for an above average needs dog and are looking for a dog to fill your days with love and laughter – come to the Shelter to meet Sparkle today. The Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter Foundation is now offering â&#194&#128&#194&#156Pawsitivity Bucksâ&#194&#128&#194&#157 with every dog adoption. This $200 training voucher is a way for newly adopted canines and their guardians to connect with local positive reinforcement based behavior consultants and get their relationship started off on the right paw!Please note: Our Santa Cruz locationâ&#194&#128&#194&#153s Shelter hours are 11-6pm, 7 days a week! Although clients can walk through and see any animals in their kennels during open hours, we end â&#194&#128&#194&#156meet and greetsâ&#194&#128&#194&#157 (aka meeting an animal out of the kennel) at 4:30pm every day. If youâ&#194&#128&#194&#153d like to meet an animal out of the kennel, please arrive before 4:00pm to allow for time to discuss individual animals and meet them.