He’s 180 pounds of pure love.
If you stroll through the kennels at Ventura County Animal Services, it’s hard to miss Scooby Doo. The brown pup with a black muzzle stands head and shoulders above the other shelter dogs — and on his hind legs, he’s taller than most of the shelter staff, too.
Scooby Doo arrived at the shelter a week ago after being picked up as a stray on the streets of Camarillo, California. The family who took him in searched for his owner without luck. While in his finders’ home, the big dog got along with their young children and other dogs, but was ultimately surrendered to the shelter for care.
At approximately 180 pounds, Scooby Doo is one of the biggest dogs to ever come through the shelter’s doors. And the Great Dane is also one of the friendliest.
“When he arrived, the staff who was the first to meet him said that he was seeking affection,” Jules Hooper, marketing specialist with Ventura County Animal Services, told The Dodo. “He was leaning on the staff member, licking his hand — really friendly off the bat, and he allowed us to give him all of his vaccines and a quick exam without any issues at all.”
The pup bares such a striking resemblance to the cartoon character that the kennel supervisor immediately put in a request for the name. Not to mention, he’s loyal, loves treats (or Scooby Snacks) and is an all-around sociable dog.
“We could definitely see him hanging out with a gang like the Mystery Incorporated crew,” Hooper said. “So, yeah, he just reminded us of Scooby Doo — it really was that simple.”
Scooby Doo is about 2 years old but still has lots of puppy energy. He loves to play with toys, chase balls and go on walks. Hooper believes he’d do best with an active family who will spend lots of time with him, including working with him on training and manners.
“He is strong and he does pull quite a bit on the leash,” Hooper said, “So any person that’s walking him needs to be ready for that. He loves people, so sometimes he’ll try to pull towards people because he’ll get pets and love.”
Scooby Doo is meeting potential adopters this week, and hopes to find a loving family to have adventures (and possibly solve crime) with soon. If you live in the Ventura area and are interested in meeting Scooby Doo, you can learn more about the adoption process here.
However, the wiggly Great Dane is only one of many long-stay large dogs in the shelter waiting patiently for a home. “All of our small dogs get adopted fast, and we’ve got probably 50 dogs that have been here for more than 100 days,” Hooper said. For those who’ve thought about fostering or adopting a big dog, there are plenty of good boys and girls eager to meet you.
