Abbey and her previous person where inseparable and did virtually everything together. They shared a very deep bond filled with mutual love and respect for six long years after being adopted from our shelter. Tragically, Abbey’s other half was hit by a car and killed while walking in a crosswalk. Not only did this horrific event leave her without her person, it also left her without a home after attempts to place her by friends and family members failed.
This beautiful 12 year-old Wheaton Terrier mix is settling in at the Santa Cruz SPCA and although she is very obviously grieving, her sweet and calm nature is winning hearts already. You would never guess her age. Abbey is extremely able bodied and loves to fetch balls and take long walks. She’s been through obedience classes and knows basic commands like sit, stay, come, down and walks wonderfully on-leash. In the home, she’s mellow, quiet and completely house-trained. She enjoys lying at your feet, by your side or following you from room to room. This is a seasoned housedog that’s smart to boot!
The perfect home for this sweetheart would be with a kind and gentle person or adult family with no small children. She prefers a gentle approach when first greeting, as fast movements by strangers intimidate her. After just a couple seconds, her tail begins wagging and she’ll give a few kisses for good measure. She seems to tolerate other dogs but doesn’t enjoy puppy energy or engaging in play. That being said, we could see her doing ok in a home with another older dog or as an only dog.
Abbey is a healthy girl with no history of major medical issues. Due to her age, she does have a few benign fatty tumors that are very common in older dogs and generally pose no health risks or require any treatment. Although they are not painful, Abbey is a bit sensitive about them being touched as well as some other parts of her body so it’s important that her new person be perceptive and gentle when handling her.
Weighing in at around 30 pounds, Abbey is a medium sized dog with an extremely soft coat. At this time she has a summer cut and has been shaved relatively short while her face and tail remain longer. She seems to be a very low shedder but it’s not known if she would be considered hypoallergenic. Her hair will grow out long and fuzzy, so she will require regular grooming.
Abbey has a lot of life and love to give a special person. She’s lost a soul mate but that doesn’t mean there isn’t another perfect someone out there for her. If you think you may be the one to pick up her pieces, please come meet her! If you would like to help animals like Abbey and her orphaned friends or if you’d like to help replenish the Second Chance Fund to help pay for emergency surgical procedures, please consider donating to the Santa Cruz SPCA.
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.santacruzspca.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 Center and Gift Shop is located at the Capitola Mall near Target and is open on Friday from 11am-5pm and Sat-Sun 11am-4pm.