Tinker did not do anything wrong.
The 7-year-old Dachshund mix is at the Mobile SPCA because her owner could no longer care for her — the single most common reason an adult dog ends up in a shelter, and the one that has nothing to do with the dog.
Her Condition
She arrived with a bad ear infection. She has been treated, and she is doing great now.
Ear infections are common in Dachshunds and Dachshund mixes — the long, drop ears trap moisture and restrict airflow, creating conditions bacteria and yeast are happy to exploit. Left untreated, they are painful and can damage hearing. Treated, as Tinker’s was, they resolve.
What She’s Like
By the shelter’s account, Tinker is sweet and calm. She is crate-trained and most likely house-trained. She loves to ride in the car.
That is, frankly, a resume most adopters are actively looking for and most do not expect to find.
The Case for the Middle-Aged Dog
Adult dogs are consistently the hardest population to place. Puppies move quickly. Seniors attract a devoted subset of adopters who take them specifically. Dogs in the middle — five, six, seven years old — sit longest.
This is one of the more irrational patterns in animal sheltering, because a dog like Tinker is arguably the easiest possible adoption. She is past the destructive chewing stage. She is past house-training accidents. She has settled into her actual personality, which means what the shelter tells you about her temperament is what you are going to get — unlike a puppy, whose adult disposition is a genuine gamble.
A calm, crate-trained, house-trained 7-year-old who rides well in a car is a dog that will fit into a household in about a week.
How to Meet Her
Tinker is available now at the Mobile SPCA. Prospective adopters can contact the shelter directly to arrange a meeting or to ask about her adoption fee and medical records.
Anyone not in a position to adopt can still help. Shelters in Mobile and Baldwin counties consistently need fosters, volunteers and donations of food and supplies, and foster homes in particular free up kennel space for the next animal that needs it.