About Zoey

Zoey is a 14 year old shepherd mix that I rescued from a county shelter 8 years ago. I serve in the military and have orders to go overseas. Zoey is too old to make the trip overseas; the travel alone would be too much of a shock to her. At first I thought I would be able to leave her with my family, as they have other dogs, but we no longer think it's a good idea. Zoey has displayed aggression towards the other dogs in the house, and there have been some close calls where she's almost caused injury. We've also noticed that she can be very possessive of the humans in the house, and this causes her to stay in a state of constant anxiety. An ideal home for Zoey is one in which there is only one human, with a stead/firm hand, and several years of dog experience. She is an alpha and as such needs to be the only dog. She has arthritis in her spine and hips, and we suspect in her front legs as well, though this has not been confirmed by our vet yet. She is currently on pain killers and joint supplements, and her diet is fish focused for the added benefits of the oil. Despite the arthritis and the pain it causes, Zoey still wants to be outside moving around. Running is out of the question, but she will gladly walk the fields & trails with her human. For the most part though, nothing would make her happier, than to just spend the day on the couch with her person. We know Zoey is a good girl, but we can no longer provide quality of life for her with the 4 other small dogs in the home (3 of which are less than a year old). Since we're never sure if Zoey will snap and end up hurting the other dogs, we've ended up having to close her off in a bedroom for extended periods at a time. That is no way for a dog to spend its days. We've talked with some of our friends and neighbors, in the hopes that someone we knew would be willing to take her in, but that avenue hasn't turned up much and my departure is drawing near. I need to find a somewhere for her to go soon, because I really don't want to face the alternative. I am happy to provide any additional information and answer any questions you may have.

Newport News (City)
Newport News, Virginia