Remember the movie where a playful pup follows a little boy to school? That is exactly what Murphy, a sweet Shih Tzu/Poodle Mix, did one bright morning in Bakersfield. Murphy and the children at the school were having fun running, skipping, and playing fetch until the recess bell rang and the teacher noticed an extra “student” lining up to go to class. Wanting the dog to be reunited with its owner, the teacher contacted the local animal shelter, but unfortunately, Murphy had no identification and no owner came for him.
Eventually, the Shih Tzu/Poodle Mix was transferred to the Santa Cruz SPCA where he has been happily running and playing with dogs and volunteers, but it’s obvious from the quizzical way he stares at you that he wants more than simple room and board.
Every person, big or small, that comes to the Santa Cruz SPCA is greeted by a bout of Murphy’s kisses and playful prancing. Although Murphy is 5 years old, he is quite spry for his age and would fit in a variety of households and living situations given adequate recess time. Murphy can be choosey about his dog-friends, but is super loyal and loving to the friends he chooses.
If his cute under bite and “parti poodle spots” aren’t enough to test you, our overnight fosters believe Murphy to be house-trained and “evaluated” him as a laid-back couch potato in the home. As Murphy’s Poodle heritage would suggest, he is intelligent and eager to learn but like most intelligent students, can be willful at times.
While Murphy’s health exam came back an A+, he currently weighs a pudgy 14 pounds for his size and would benefit from losing a little weight. Also, being a Shih Tzu/Poodle Mix, Murphy’s fur continues to grow (like human hair) and will need regular grooming; this is also a trait that makes him hypoallergenic!
Can you teach Murphy how to love again? The Santa Cruz SPCA is a 501c3 charitable organization and receives no government funding, relying solely on public donations to run its many programs that benefit the animals and people of our community. For more information call the Santa Cruz SPCA at 465-5000, or visit www.spcasc.org. The SPCA is located at 2685 Chanticleer Avenue in Santa Cruz, CA 95065 and is open to the public Tuesday through Sunday, 11:00 A.M. to 5:00 p.m. The SPCA Mall Adoption is at the Capitola Mall.