08/27/2026
💔 SADIE HAS SPENT 45 DAYS IN THE SHELTER AND SHE’S BEEN TRYING TO PROTECT HER BABIES. EUTH LISTED FOR TODAY THURS 8/27 ‼️
SADIE –
📍 San Antonio Animal Care Services
📍 Kennel S4018
🐶 Female
🎂 Estimated Age: 2 Years, 1 Month
🐕 American Staffordshire Terrier Blend
⚖️ 43.6 lbs
🗓️ 45 Days at Shelter
🚨 Must leave with an approved transfer partner, foster, or adopter by 8/27/2026 or she may be euthanized.
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Sadie has been at the shelter for 45 days.
And right now, she is actively nursing a litter of puppies.
When staff approached her, Sadie was lying down nursing one of her babies with a relaxed body.
When called to, she lifted her head to greet them.
Loose body.
Low wagging tail.
Interested in treats.
She even began inching closer toward the handler.
But then she looked back at her puppies.
And her body changed.
Sadie became tense.
Her eyes widened.
Her ears pinned.
Her tail tucked.
When a hand was extended toward her with treats, she froze and showed mild guarding behavior.
The handler backed off.
And Sadie adjusted.
She came closer again for treats with a loose body, lowered head, pinned ears, and a low wagging tail.
She wasn’t trying to pick a fight.
She was conflicted.
She wanted to interact.
But she was also a nursing mother keeping an eye on her babies.
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❤️ WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT SADIE:
• 2 years, 1 month old.
• 43.6 lbs.
• Staffy blend.
• Has spent 45 days at the shelter.
• Currently actively nursing a litter of puppies.
• Relaxed while nursing when initially approached.
• Responded socially when staff called to her.
• Interested in treats.
• Inched toward the handler for interaction.
• Became tense and conflicted while monitoring her puppies.
• Displayed mild guarding behavior when the handler extended a hand toward her.
• Adjusted appropriately once the handler gave her space.
• Came closer again to continue taking treats.
• No barrier reactivity was observed during this evaluation.
• Litter guarding is considered possible.
• No dog-to-dog interaction or outside observation was completed at this time.
🩺 MEDICAL:
The puppies were placed on the vet exam list for coughing and hacking.
• Puppies were BAR — bright, alert, and responsive.
• Mild coughing noted.
• Nostrils clear.
• Ambulatory.
• Began treatment for presumptive infectious tracheobronchitis.
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Sadie’s behavior needs context.
She is a young mother.
She is nursing puppies.
And she’s doing it inside an overcrowded animal shelter.
The evaluation itself describes a dog who appears torn between wanting to engage with a person offering treats and wanting to make sure her babies are safe.
When she became uncomfortable, she communicated.
When the pressure was removed, she relaxed enough to approach again.
That matters.
It doesn’t mean her guarding should be ignored.
It means Sadie needs a placement that understands what they’re looking at and can give this family somewhere quiet and safe to decompress.
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Forty-five days.
That’s how long Sadie has been inside the shelter.
And now she’s running out of time.
She has spent weeks caring for them.
She shouldn’t lose her life because she’s trying to protect them in one of the most stressful environments imaginable.
Sadie needs someone willing to give this little family the safety she’s been trying so hard to provide herself. 💔
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🚨 FOSTER • ADOPT • RESCUE • SHARE 🚨
Sadie needs an approved transfer partner, foster, or adopter by 8/27.
Please share her with bully-breed rescues, nursing-mom fosters, experienced fosters, and anyone equipped to give a mother and her puppies a quiet place to decompress.
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📧 Adoptions:
[email protected]
📧 Foster:
[email protected]
📧 Rescue:
[email protected]
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🆘 LOCAL fosters/adopters needed desperately, many rescues are currently closed for intake ‼️
‼️FOSTERING IS FREE for locals through the shelter ‼️
📣30-45 minutes from San Antonio? FOSTER for the shelter:
https://form.jotform.com/92256416564158
Link to ACS approved rescues to possibly foster for:
https://www.sa.gov/Directory/Departments/ACS/About/Partners/Rescue-Groups
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☎️ (210) 207-4738 or (210) 207-6666
📍 San Antonio Animal Care Services
4710 State Highway 151
San Antonio, TX 78227
San Antonio Urgent Dog Network is not the shelter. We are volunteers networking at-risk dogs.
