Pepina (Foster-to-Adopt)

Pepina is available for Foster to Adopt! ***Please apply at https://www.fetchandreleash.ca/adoption-info#adoption-form*** As a foster-to-adopt family, you will have two weeks to get to know your new furry house guest before committing to adoption. At the end of two weeks, if you choose not to move forward with adoption, we simply ask that you continue to provide a safe and loving home until their new forever family can be found. During your foster-to-adopt trial, you’ll receive the support of a Fetch + Releash mentor to help you through the transition and answer any questions or concerns you may have. Foster-to-adopt families will be required to pay a $200 deposit on the adoption fee and sign our foster-to-adopt waiver in advance. If you choose not to adopt, your $200 will be refunded to you within 30 days of your dog being adopted into a new family provided you see your pup through to adoption. If you choose not to see your dog through to adoption, you will forfeit your deposit. Foster-to-adopt families will be expected to provide their own supplies. Visit https://www.fetchandreleash.ca/adoption-info for more info on mandatory supplies. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Pepina / F / 9 years old / 40lbs / Mixed Breed / Good with Dogs / Untested with Cats / Untested with Kids / From Mexico / Fostered in Scarborough ** Follow Pepina’s journey on Instagram: @fosterpawty ** Meet Pepina! Pepina's foster describes her as a sweet, affectionate, and gentle girl. Pepina came to us through our partner in Mexico. Little is known about her past but she has a bright future ahead of her! This girl is as sweet as they come. Her tongue is always just a little out and is ready to give out a kiss or two. Although a senior, she has a hop in her step and has small but adorable bursts of energy. She is a happy old soul and will teach you how to really live in the moment. She loves a good belly rub and will let you know by softly grunting. Her other favourite pastime is sleeping all day while cuddling one of her stuffies and when she's not sleeping she enjoys people/dog watching out the front window. Pepina just wants a comfy bed, a lazy walk, and a loving touch to enjoy her golden years. Once she knows you, she is confident and comfortable. She loves attention and affection from her trusted people. She will press her body into you while you give her lots of pets and belly rubs. Pepina also loves meeting new people but warms up more easily on the street rather than in the home. She is curious but cautious when meeting strangers in the home and she likes to keep her distance until she feels safe enough to approach. She has successfully made several new human friends with visitors when her space is respected and she's able to observe and approach when she's comfortable. She has met children as young as 6 and did very well with them. Based on her temperament, we believe she could likely live with respectful children who understand doggie etiquette. Her new family should be prepared to monitor all interactions to ensure everyone's safety. Pepina is an adaptable gal and could do well in an apartment or a home. She is dog-social and is currently living with another dog. She seems to find comfort in having a furry companion. She has not been tested with cats but she is curious about them on the street. Her fosters believe she could potentially live with a cat but, despite being gentle-natured, she may occasionally chase a cat. Pepina is a low-medium energy dog who will need two walks a day and canine enrichment. For enrichment, she loves her stuffie toys and enjoys light play with her foster brother. She is more of a morning gal who prefers a longer, slow-paced walk in the AM. She walks well on a leash and will continue to do well with ongoing support. She knows basic commands and is very eager and food-motivated. She is fully potty trained and will stand at the door to let you know she needs to go out and always returns once she's finished. Pepina would prefer to have humans who are home most of the time. Pepina has shown some signs of separation anxiety but this has been improving over time. Due to her anxiety, she has not been left alone for long periods. She is comfortably left alone for around an hour and can do slightly longer stretches but she becomes a little restless and may whine or bark as time progresses. She has access to her crate and occasionally goes in there on her own to sleep but she is also trusted free rein while her foster parents are away. Prior to coming into care, Pepina tested positive for Ehrlichia, a tick-borne infection that is not contagious. A CBC was performed to see if there is an active infection. Pepina 's CBC came back indicating that there is no active infection however it is recommended that Ehrlichia-positive dogs get an annual blood test to monitor and that pre-op blood work including a CBC test and platelet count be performed before any surgeries or dental extractions. Medical: Pepina is currently taking Anafranil daily to help her anxiety when her fosters are out of the house. This has been helping her a lot and it costs $212.45 every 3 months. She also gets Librela injections every month to help with her arthritis and the average cost is $147 per injection. Pepina was diagnosed with High Blood Pressure in March 2024 and she started on Benazpril. She will need blood pressure rechecks with urine protein/creatinine ratio +/- urinalysis every 6-12 months to monitor the current dose of medication and to ensure no adjustments need to be made. The average cost for a month of medication is $170. If you’re interested in fostering with the intention of adopting, please apply at https://www.fetchandreleash.ca/adoption-info#adoption-form Pepina’s adoption has been sponsored by F+R. To learn more about our adoption fees and the foster-to-adopt process, please visit our FAQs at https://www.fetchandreleash.ca/about-us#about-faqs.