Meet ANTONIO

What’s wonderful about ANTONIO

WHERE ANTONIO NEEDS EXTRA SUPPORT

 This lovely and giant suck has a bit of a dark side… he’s a serial stuffie killer! Soft toys, especially those of sentimental value, should not be left anywhere that he can get to them because he will turn them to bits and strings – which are then ingested. One of his biggest challenges is his scavenging and he is enthusiastic about hunting out sticks, pinecones, stones, anything of interest on the ground. He does well in a basket muzzle which allows him to have fun out and about while preventing any trips to the vet for eating rocks!

Antonio has struggled with some symptoms of IBD as well as joint inflammation. He has been thoroughly worked up by an internal medicine specialist and does have a treatment plan. While we do not have an official diagnosis, his symptoms are currently well managed and he only has the odd flare up. He will need a special diet for the rest of his life, and there is potential for further vet care if his flare ups become more frequent. 

08/22/2024 UPDATE: Antonio’s current caretaker has reached out to let us know that he has not shredded a single stuffy in the 4 weeks he has been staying with her. His scavenging is improving greatly and having other dogs in the house has been a positive influence on him. We believe that the relaxed pace of pet life will soothe these challenges of his.

Home Requirements

Someone must be home the majority of the day. As with all PADS dogs that have spent their lives in the full-time company of their raisers, the living situation must accommodate not leaving Antonio alone at home for more than 4 hours/day.

A stable home environment is required. This includes regular exercise, grooming, veterinarian care, food, as well as other necessary supplies and equipment.

Released PADS dogs do not have public access, meaning they are not allowed to enter malls, restaurants, hotels, or shops that are not pet friendly. They are only permitted to go to public locations that are pet dog friendly. Before releasing a dog from our program, PADS evaluates each dog for other working careers. Antonio is not eligible for any other working career. Therefore, one of the conditions of adoption is that he may not be used by other agencies for other working roles (some exceptions may apply depending on the reasons of release, such as volunteering as a pet visitation dog).