Tales of Tails: Zlata

Hello, all, welcome back to The Dog Trainer’s Den!

As many of you know, I spent many years in the rescue community and continue to be an advocate for dogs in shelters today.

Because of my time in private rescue and the desperate need of shelters and rescuers everywhere, I decided to start this “Tales of Tails” section of my blog to tell past stories and promote dogs currently looking for their furever.

Today I would like to talk about a dog who has been on my mind every day for the last 3 months, a dog who is at a disadvantage because of her age, a dog whose shelter story begins all the way back in 2019.

I originally started this post as a casual call to action for Zlata…

Unfortunately, I received word that she has been placed on Fulton County Animal Service’s Urgent list with a deadline September 3, 2024.

After a lengthy stay in the shelter, Zlata has begun to deteriorate due to extreme kennel stress, lack of exercise, and lack of attention.

If you are an Atlanta resident, or if you are just passing through this very week on pure coincidence, read very closely.

You could be Zlata’s final hope.

She caught my attention because of her appearance. Not that a black and tan pit bull is uncommon in animal shelters, that her appearance was anything special.

She reminded me of a former rescue dog, a former foster dog turned foster-fail, who showed me that the best dogs can come from the worst situations.

Her name is Zlata.

Zlata’s story begins on June 25, 2019, when she was picked up by an animal control officer from Fulton County Animal Services. She was found wandering on a busy road in Atlanta, GA off of Interstate-285.

This was the first photo of Zlata taken by the shelter. The photo is grainy and of poor quality, but it clearly shows a dog who is sick, hungry, and most likely had puppies somewhere along the way.

Seeing this photo for the first time broke my heart, but as I looked over her records, I found a glimmer of hope.

The day after she arrived at the shelter, someone came into FCAS claiming she was their dog. They were able to prove ownership and took Zlata home on June 26, 2019.

This seems like a cut and dry story; dog gets lost, owner finds them, happily ever after…right?

Unfortunately, not for Zlata.

On March 24th, 2024, an animal control officer found Zlata and another dog wandering in the parking lot of Fulton County Animal Services.

Her profile was reopened and she has remained in the shelter since that day.

157 Days, to be exact.

Since Zlata came into the shelter, staff has narrowed down all of the need-to-know’s about her!

Zlata:

-is estimated to be roughly 8-8.5 years old, which puts her at an unfortunate disadvantage with most adopters.

-is Heartworm negative, but does have some medical history for potential adopters/fosters to note.

-is 54lbs of love

-has enjoyed interacting with other dogs, but would most likely prefer a home without cats/small animals as she tends to be very toy driven

-is lower energy, due to her age

I took some time to visit with Zlata in the shelter, and what I found breaks my heart for her.

Despite her age, Zlata still has a very playful, toy-motivated streak.

Whenever she ventures out of her kennel into the world, she must have her emotional support toy and carries it with her wherever she goes.

Zlata has had some problems with leash biting in the shelter due to the lack of physical and mental stimulation, but having her toy to focus on helps a lot.

Because of the time she has spent at the shelter, Zlata has become a bit jaded and has stopped seeking affection from people.

She will tolerate and accept scratches and rubs, but she has learned to live without the love she deserves.

She has been dulled by the hundreds of people who pass by her every week at the shelter, and I suppose that would dull my desire to get close to anyone.

Zlata needs some help with leash biting, but is treat and toy motivated.

She seems to be completely unbothered by strangers or strange dogs passing her in the hallway of the shelter.

The notes on Zlata show a dog seriously impacted by life in a kennel.

One note written by a volunteer at FCAS reads,

“Zlata is getting very stressed. She jumped and nipped at me which I was not expecting so I did not take her out. Poor old lady.”

These notes show her stress in the kennel and when coming out.

Imagine the intense threshold burst as she knows this is one of the few times she will be given the opportunity to get fresh air for that day.

The struggles Zlata is having is not uncommon for shelter pets.

When given a chance to come out of her kennel, and properly decompress, a heartbreaking reality sits before you.

She needs out of the shelter.

Another volunteer wrote the following note in regards to Zlata:

“Sweet girl did great on our walk! I didn’t realize she was allowed to have to ball in her kennel so I used treats and “find it” to get her to drop the ball, leash her, and walk her out. She walked well on leash, no LB (leash biting) observed. Peed as soon as we were outside. Very treat oriented and eagerly accepted pieces of frozen hot dog, which I dropped on the ground.”

Zlata has a deadline of September 3rd, 2024, to find permanent placement or she will be euthanized.

As someone in the field of animal welfare, I understand the very real need for euthanasia and the role it plays in managing the shelter crisis.

However, I cannot stand that Zlata has found her way onto that dreaded list.

If you are interested in saving Zlata, there are a few ways you can help.

There are two ways to help Zlata avoid euthanasia by 09/03/2024.

She is available for fee waived adoption, which is ideal for her best outcome.

If adoption is not an option for you, she is also available for long-term foster. This program provides supplies in exchange for you opening your home to Zlata.

You can meet Zlata at Fulton County Animal Services, located at 1251 Fulton Industrial Blvd NW, Atlanta, Ga, 30336.

Open Monday-Friday 11am-7pm

Open Saturdays & Sunday 11am-6pm

View Zlata’s adoption profile here: https://adopt.adopets.com/pet/3bfd90e0-dfb9-4abf-901d-505a911a0b95

Share this post, get her seen everywhere you can. Zlata deserves a chance.