The status of GUNNER was

last posted on 09/14/26 by

San Jose Animal Care Center

Male Dog, German Shepherd Dog

German Shepherd Dog (Medium Coat)

Description:

Gunner has been placed on FINAL as of 9/10/2026He must be pulled by 5:00 PM on 9/17/2026, or he will be humanely euthanized.Gunner has consistently demonstrated a high level of Fear, Anxiety, and Stress (FAS) while housed in the shelter, with an FAS score of 4. He presents as extremely fearful in his kennel. When a person stops in front of his kennel, Gunner runs to the back of the kennel while whining, with his tail tucked and head lowered. When passing his kennel, Gunner may bluff charge toward the front of the kennel and bark. His behavior is highly fearful and appears to be significantly influenced by the stress of the shelter environment.Gunner has demonstrated that his behavior around other dogs may vary depending on the energy level of the other dog. He met a similarly sized dog and did well during the interaction. However, he appeared fearful when exposed to dogs that were too high energy, if the dog was too high energy, Gunner would back away. Any future dog-to-dog introductions should be conducted by experienced handlers using appropriate safety, supervision, and management protocols.Gunner's extremely fearful kennel presentation and FAS score of 4 suggest that the shelter environment is significantly impacting his emotional well-being. His behavior may be influenced by the stress of the shelter environment and should be carefully evaluated in a lower-stress setting. A quieter environment, appropriate decompression time, and patient, confidence-building support may help provide a more accurate assessment of his behavior and needs.Given Gunner's high FAS and extreme fearfulness in the kennel, placement should be with an experienced adopter or rescue organization that can provide a lower-stress environment, adequate decompression time, and individualized behavioral support. His behavior around people and other animals should be carefully considered when developing a management and handling plan.Gunner is available for adoption or rescue.A rescue partner or adopter must commit to and pull Gunner by 5:00 PM on 9/17/2026, or he will be humanely euthanized.EXTENSION REQUEST PROCESSA Rescue Group (RG) may request an extension of an animal's Needs Rescue Final Date no later than 5:00 PM on the noted final date by emailing [email protected], with a cc to a Division Manager or Shelter Operations Supervisor.09/13/26 16:55What did we do on today’s adventure:Today I got to visit Almaden Lake Park and PetSmart, and I handled the whole adventure like a pro! I was a little shy when I first met my handler, but a whole string cheese and some chicken quickly turned us into best buddies; from then on, I enjoyed sniffing, getting pets, walking nicely on a loose leash, and checking in with my handler along the way. I stayed calm around walkers, joggers, strollers, bikers, and other dogs, handled the busy environments surprisingly well, and even though loud noises and suddenmovements could startle me, I recovered quickly—and of course, I was a champ in the car and jumped right in by myself!What should potential adopters know about me:• He walked nicely on a loose leash and was non-reactive around dogs, walkers, joggers, strollers, and bikes. He also checked infrequently with his handler.• He was curious and friendly with people we met in the park and often wanted to walk over and say hello and sniff.• He may be a little shy at first, but warms up quickly with treats, and once he considers you a friend, he enjoys petting and becomes quite affectionate.• Sudden movements and loud noises can catch him off guard, but he settles quickly and continues on with his adventure.Three words to describe me:Affectionate, Sensitive, Friendly08/25/26 09:56Gunner is in URGENT need of rescue for his fearfulness and inconsistent kennel behavior. When he first came in, Gunner was completely shut down. Since he has been at the shelter for some time, he has started to open up. He is still shy when first coming out of the kennel for his daily walk but after a few minutes he loosens up and allows handling. His biggest concern is his kennel presence. Gunner is still super scared in the kennel. Most of the time he will run to the back of the kennel and not approach people at the front; however, there are some times where he is baring teeth and charging the front. Gunner needs out of the shelter and into a home that will give him time to decompress and learn that he is safe.07/28/26 11:29Very fearful in the shelter with an FAS of 4. In need of rescue.