Zeus American Staffordshire Terrier & American Bully Mix Cedarbrook, NJ

Hi, I am ZEUS!
I am a two-year-old energetic and handsome neutered male Bully mix who is looking for his furever home. I also have all my yucky shots! My favorite thing to do is run around and play with my toys! I tend to forget my size a lot and always wanna be on your lap for cuddles. I like being the center of attention which means I would prefer a Furever home that is ONLY about me. Those little furballs they call cats, they give me funny looks and tease me so I don't like them too much. I have a couple of doggie friends but I'd rather have four quarters than 100 pennies. I'm loyal to a fault which is why I do great with little humans- the things my Foster Mom tells me are called children.
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I come with all my vet records since I was first rescued. I was very cold and I didn't feel too well... next thing I knew the vet had the rag I KNOW I ate already!!! How'd he get it?!? Oh, well...I guess you better be made aware now- I'm always looking for another one...even though I'm NOT supposed to eat it but I'm still a baby who's learning!

I REALLY love to cuddle and sleep in, I'm told I'm a ladies man ?? So watch out! I'll steal your girlfriend! Haha - just kidding, maybe, depends if she adopts me, sorry dude...
If interested please contact my foster mom Shanna Dugan :
ShannaDugan@yahoo.com
570-688-5361
Phone calls are welcome however you MUST leave a message and wait for a callback. Text messages are welcome anytime!

About my Foster Mom and how the adoption process works:

Hi, I’m Shanna and I rescue pups and cats that cross my path when I can and I’m able to commit. I currently volunteer with NJ AID FOR ANIMALS out of Camden NJ and have since 2011 when I was working as an Animal Cruelty Investigator in the city.
Click below and check out Sweet Pea, The Official Face Of Dogfighting for NJ and also recently named ASPCA's 2019 Dog Of The Year!

www.NJAFA.org
I moved to the Poconos in PA a couple of years ago with my husband and our fur & feathered kids but I still continue the mission by volunteering when I can,
transporting rescues, home checks and I responsibly save one at a time if I'm able.
If approved, we’ll schedule a meet. I will come to you within reason. If a connection is made with you (all family members must be present) and you would like to adopt, a two week trial period will start* (start date depending on logistics, any potential scheduled trainer or veterinarian appointments, etc TBD*)

This two week period allows the dog a chance to decompress and get to know you. You should be home as much as you can as well as sticking to your normal routine the dog needs to acclimate to.

It is strongly suggested that you have no guests or visitors visiting during this first week of the trial

- it is the most crucial time for the dog to get to know you, your routine and most importantly,
it gives the dog a chance to trust you at his pace.

Overstimulating a new dog immediately is almost NEVER a good thing. I can not stress this enough. Do not immediately schedule a grooming session, a trip to PetSmart for toys and treats and on the way to your parents for the new furbaby reveal, you decide to stop at your brothers around the corner, then 3 friends houses on the way home and ending the day with a quick stop at the local off-leash public dog park you've always wanted to check out now that you've got a dog and an excuse.

~NOT ADVISED WITH ANY NEW DOG~

With that said, keep in mind, that sometimes it happens and you may not be clicking/bonding with the dog - that's OK! No judgment!
If it doesn't work out or Zeus isn't the type of dog you thought he was, at any point- NO PROBLEM! I will come and get him. You are not "stuck" with him.

Animals are unpredictable and honestly need to like you and your lifestyle as much as you like them. While we don't like seeing our dogs stressed out from bouncing from home trial to home trial - hence the precautions of the application and home check/meet, etc, sometimes we also can get it wrong. Placing a dog who "seems" like a good fit but there's just something the dog doesn't like - dogs can't speak but they will express their frustration in other ways like being destructive - and no one wants that especially if it's because the dog is extremely anxious and/or nervous. Some people just simply adopt the wrong breed can't adjust their daily routine to fit their dogs' natural stimulation needs. For example, a childless couple who both work most of the day and live in a 1 bedroom apartment really shouldn't adopt a herding dog, UNLESS they can accommodate and change their routine to give their naturally high energy dog the exercise and mental stimulation they absolutely require daily. We do try our best to assess the humans who apply but our experience is really with dogs and cats. We really want to believe you when you tell us you run 2 miles every morning before breakfast and you plan to take the dog with you.

As for Zeus in that regard, he really is more of a couch potato after a couple of minutes of the zoomies, He doesn't like to be left alone and likes to eat things he shouldn't when he gets bored, like rags!
This can be trained and/or grown out -remember he's only 2 but this can be a big issue down the road if he eats the wrong thing so, immediate full disclose to avoid wasting anyone's valuable time. HE WILL NEED TRAINING -as does every dog for the rest of their lives. Zeus is basically trained to sit, give paw, high five and sit pretty. Zeus is doing a refresher training regiment with his foster Mom that starts 11/13/20- we will update his profile with any newly learned behaviors or developments.

Now, if after the two week period you are still all in and head over heels ( you will be with Zeus!) The next step is for you to sign an adoption contract with me.

Both spouses should sign, If unmarried - One may sign, however, the one who signs will be the sole LEGAL owner. If (Gods forbid) you break up -the dog goes with whoever signed this contract.

Sorry- I do not adopt to single people under 21 years of age. (Unless you're a trust fund baby that's going to hire a doggy nanny while you're out partying every night and sleeping in... that may be an exception however the doggy nanny would have to sign the contract too ) My point is, I am flexible to bending the rules- however, just know these rules are there because of problems that have happened with adopters in the past. Zeus is my one and only concern. I'm not here to judge your lifestyle, I'm only here to see if Zeus is compatible WITH your lifestyle so he has the best chance to live out his life with you as his family. Most importantly, so he never has to worry about being homeless and abandoned again.

All dogs adopted from me, come back to me if there are ANY issues. Period. This is Non-negotiable. You may not rehome him a few months down the road.
It does not matter the reason be it your relationship situation, a medical problem that may be too expensive, a sudden illness or even death
- No matter the issue or problem, I will take him back immediately if the contracted adopter can no longer care for Zeus.

I want you to be fully aware that it is in the contract - if you can not or do not want to care for him AT ANY POINT IN TIME DURING HIS LIFETIME, or if there's a life-ending decision which could be avoided if not for a lack of money to fix an accidental injury- I am, for all intents and purposes, a backup "lifeline"- no matter how many years have passed.

*Absolutely no rehoming without notification and written agreement AFTER the same application process is given to the potential new owners by myself, personally. In other words, if your friend wants to adopt him 3 months down the road because you got a new job and you're never home anymore - you'll be contractually obligated to contact me first.

Yes, I'm serious, Time is short for dogs and I'm looking for the RIGHT home for every one of the adoptable dogs that I get involved with, not any home on a whim or somewhere that's going to be unstable and only temporary. If that's you or might be you in 3 months- THIS dog isn't for you. He's got a hidden support system I wish I could offer to EVERY dog.


If you've made it this far and you’re ok with all of that novel above, then you’re already one step closer to being approved! Sorry but it's easier to lay all the cards on the table and not mince words by being cryptic or only telling you his age height weight and color with his sob story and waiting for you to ask the right question. This dude is ridiculously awesome- I don't need to "sell" him, he sells himself in the first couple of minutes. I need to protect him from the evil that exists in this world - inside people like Michael Vick, who you wouldn't expect..

Print out the application, fill it out and send it to my email for approval.

Application: https://www.shannaduganmedia.com/application.html

Email: ShannaDugan@yahoo.com

Lastly, relax, I do not come with the dog - I swear!

In other words, despite the process and contract and this intense profile- I will leave you be to live your lives -as long as I get a random update from time to time or I'm able to see when you post him on your social media. If I can get that peace of mind without you even knowing that I'm checking in on him, absolutely acceptable and currently do that with several of my previous rescued dogs and cats.
Like & Share his FB page!
https://www.facebook.com/HomelessPuppy