This is a courtesy post for a Doberman/American Bulldog mix in need of a new home.  Please use the email address at the end of the bio with any questions.
Sherlock Holmes Tran is a high energy pup that my family rescued in January 2021 in hopes of being able to give him a better life. He's almost one year old and the sweetest American Bulldog and Doberman mix with a brindle coat that you'll ever meet. He's a very loyal companion that is neutered, microchipped, and has up-to-date vaccinations (records available upon request). My family has already paid in full ($1,495.00) for Sherlock Holmes Tran to be enrolled with Bark Busters' lifetime obedience and behavioral dog training program. He's had a few sessions already over the past 1.5 months, has been responding very well to the training exercises, and has his whole life ahead of him to continue learning. We're happy to provide our trainer's contact information to your rescue team/Sherlock's potential adopter as well.

To give some background to Sherlock's situation, he is registered on Garden Grove Animal Control Services' Potentially Dangerous Dog (PDD) list due to an isolated incident that took place in September 2021 when he was staying with a relative for a few days while I was recovering from surgery. His caretaker at the time didn't have secure fencing at her residence and he got loose in an unfamiliar neighborhood. Like most puppies, he was mouthing more frequently at that time, and a dog walker in that neighborhood had Animal Control Services take him to the pound after he mouthed her arm while getting excited to see her and her dog. He hasn't had many opportunities to socialize properly because of COVID-19, so we've generally been at home together and go on walks during off-peak hours to social distance. Sherlock hasn't had any behavioral issues or aggression leading up to or following that isolated incident. He's never tried to escape from my property in our neighborhood and I have letters from neighbors that can attest to his good dog behavior. We tried appealing his PDD status through an administrative hearing trial and provided extensive evidence about the proactive measures we took before the incident (100% on-leash and muzzled on public property, double padlocked and secure fencing at residence, neutered, microchipped, fully up-to-date on vaccinations, etc.) and preventive measures we took following that incident (pet license and lifelong training program with professional dog behavioral therapist and trainer), but Garden Grove Animal Control Services rejected our appeal and was firm by their original decision.

My family has made the difficult decision to rehome Sherlock because of financial hardship and because his high energy levels require a more active lifestyle than what we're able to provide him. We've exhausted our finances and capacity this past year doing everything in our power to improve Sherlock's quality of life. We rescued him ourselves and have been fighting very hard for him, but we unfortunately do not have the financial means to continue the fight. 

We've been asking friends/family if they're interested in adopting Sherlock, reached out to 30+ rescues from Southern CA up to Northern CA, and have posted his profile on Rehome by Adopt-a-Pet.com, but haven't been successful in finding him a forever home yet. We are searching for an rescue/adopter that can save him before Wednesday, 12/15/2021, which is the deadline set by the City of Garden Grove's Animal Control Services for us to transfer ownership of Sherlock to an adopter/shelter or surrender him to a shelter as a last resort (which we're desperately trying to avoid because the shelter will euthanize him immediately based on his PDD status without consideration to his actual temperament).

We know that he's a good dog and deserves better than what a biased, unfair system makes him out to be. After speaking with Garden Grove Animal Control Services again this morning, they shared the following information:

  I can request a deadline extension (closer to the 30-day mark on Wednesday, 12/15/2021), which is also subject to approval, for us to have more time to find a solution.
  PDD restrictions and compliance requirements will vary based on the city in which the prospective rescue/adopter resides. For prospective rescues/adopters that reside outside of Garden Grove, there is a possibility that less/no PDD restrictions will be enforced by their respective city. There will be a grace period granted for the prospective rescue/adopter to be in compliance with their city's requirements or request an appeal hearing trial with their city's Animal Control Services.
  For prospective rescues/adopters that reside within Garden Grove, the city's Animal Control Services will mail a letter outlining the city's PDD requirements and grant a new 30-day grace period to be in compliance as well as a new five-day grace period to request an administrative hearing trial to appeal Sherlock's current PDD status.
  If Sherlock's prospective rescue/adopter is interested in appealing his PDD status and having it removed from his record, I can share the evidence and testimonial letters used for my family's previous appeal hearing trial so that Sherlock's prospective new owner/rescue's has a higher chance at a successful appeal.
  The prospective rescue/adopter can request a payment plan to be setup for the City of Garden Grove's annual PDD permit fees, which is subject to approval.
  A separate liability insurance policy is not required for prospective rescues/adopters residing in Garden Grove if their homeowner insurance policy already includes liability insurance.

Please let me know if you have any additional questions about him, his story, Garden Grove PDD owner requirements, or the current circumstances. I can be reached through smileeysally@gmail.com at any time.
Sherlock Holmes
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