Meet Mariah

Meet Mariah, the Queensland Heeler mix. Mariah arrived to the Shelter as a stray so we don’t know much about her life before now. She had been running around in Corralitos for some time and a good Samaritan alerted animal control when they had safely confined her. Although a bit shell shocked from the whole experience, when the animal control office asked “wanna go for a car ride?”.. her ears perked up and she was tolerant of being picked up and brought to the Shelter for safety. Back at the Shelter, she kept placing her head on the staff member’s lap for head pets and then pawing at her when she stopped petting her. Mariah continued to blossom over the coming days and is now ready for adoption. She continues to be very people focused. She’d thrive in an adoptive home with a guardian who will provide daily mental and physical stimulation as well as bond with her through positive reinforcement based training. Mariah has met some dogs at the Shelter and seems a bit inexperienced around them. She is interested but unsure about exactly what to do. A home with another dog may be a fit with a slow, thoughtful introduction as well as management in the new home. Mariah may just be happy as the apple of someone’s eye. We do not have any history of Mariah with children or cats. Mariah is available for pre-adoption. Come meet her, fall in love and take her home after her spay surgery. The Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter Foundation is now offering “Pawsitivity Bucks” with every dog adoption. This $200 training voucher is a way for newly adopted canines and their guardians to connect with local positive reinforcement based behavior consultants and get their relationship started off on the right paw! Please note: Our Santa Cruz location’s Shelter hours are 11-6pm, 7 days a week! Although clients can walk through and see any animals in their kennels during open hours, we end “meet and greets” (aka meeting an animal out of the kennel) at 4:30pm every day. If you’d like to meet an animal out of the kennel, please arrive before 4:00pm to allow for time to discuss individual animals and meet them.