Meara O'Reilly

TO BE EUTHANIZIED 4/18/26 IN NYC Harlem is only two years old, but he already looks like a dog who has given up on being seen. He spends his days curled into a tight ball at the back of his kennel, trembling so hard his whole body quivers. When people approach, he turns his face away—not to be difficult, but because he truly believes disappearing is his safest option. He presses himself into the corner as if the wall might open and swallow him into a quieter world. Harlem was found as a stray. No collar. No history. No one looking for him. He has never been anybody’s “somebody,” and now he is scheduled to die simply because he is too scared to understand what is happening to him. Staff try so gently with him—soft voices, chicken, patience—but Harlem only eats when they step out of sight. When they try to walk him, he panics, flails, or rushes back into his kennel, the only place he knows how to cope. He isn’t aggressive. He isn’t shutting down out of defiance. He is shutting down because he has never been shown how to feel safe. And yet… there are tiny, heartbreaking glimmers. He allows the leash to be clipped. He steps forward when the world is quiet enough. He eats when he thinks no one is watching. These small moments are the truth: Harlem wants to live. He just doesn’t know how to be brave yet. Harlem needs an experienced foster or adopter, someone who understands fear—someone patient, gentle, and experienced enough to help a dog who has never had a soft place to land. He doesn’t need perfection. He just needs someone willing to choose the dog no one else sees. If you can foster or adopt through a New Hope partner, please reach out immediately. Harlem deserves a chance to feel safe. He deserves a chance to feel wanted. He deserves a chance to live. HARLEM, Id 251508, @2 Yrs. Old, 57 lbs., Male Manhattan ACC, Large Mixed Breed, Black Surrender Reason: Stray, 4/7/27 Behavior Assessment Rating: New Hope Only Recommendations: No children under age 13 Place with a New Hope Partner Medical Assessment Rating: 3. Yellow AT RISK MEMO: Harlem is at risk due to behavioral reasons. Despite our best efforts at making him comfortable, Harlem has remained highly fearful while in care. His is often observed to be at the back of the kennel with a tense body and is reluctant to approach handlers. Whenever leash pressure is applied Harlem begins to flail. He is observed to be receptive to treats and chicken. Medically, Harlem is apparently healthy. Harlem is fearful in the Care Center and refuses to walk. When staff attempt to remove him from the kennel, he moves away or trembles, and will try to rush back inside as soon as he exits. While in the kennel, Harlem does show interest in treats. He will require an adult-only home through a New Hope Partner that can manage his behavior using positive reinforcement. INTAKE NOTES – Date of Intake: 7-Apr-2026 n/a OWNER SURRENDER NOTES – BASIC INFORMATION: n/a BEHAVIOR NOTES Date of intake:: 4/7/2026 Spay/Neuter status:: No Means of surrender (length of time in previous home):: Stray, no known history SHELTER ASSESSMENT SUMMARIES: Date of Assessment:: 4/11/2026 Summary: In the Care Centers, Harlem is highly fearful and refuses to leave his kennel. When he does, he is anxious and attempts to rush back into his kennel. Due to these behaviors, Harlem will not receive a handling assessment. PLAYGROUP NOTES - DOG TO DOG SUMMARY: n/a ENRICHMENT NOTES 4/13/26: Harlem is laying at the back of the kennel with tense body and whale eye. The handler presents the leash and attempts to coax him forward verbally and with treats. Harlem is not receptive. The handler tosses chicken and he is not receptive until the handler steps away from the kennel. When the handler reapproaches Harlem freezes in the new position. The handler tosses more chicken and ends the interaction due to high FAS. Summary (7):: 4/12/26: (PM WALKS) Harlem is at the back of the kennel curled up with a whale eye. Handler tosses treats to him and tries to coax him to the front. He remains at the back pressed against the kennel wall. Handler steps away to grab higher value treats. Upon return, it is observed that Harlem has eaten all of the treats scattered. Handler tosses the higher value treats to him. He takes a few of them in his mouth and eats them before he stops eating them and retreats to the back of the kennel. Handler grabs a hook and uses it to place a leash over his head. The leash is placed on and the kennel door is open. More treats are tossed and Harlem remains in the back of the kennel, whale eyed and refuses to approach. Handler steps out of his field of view and Harlem still remains in kennel. Handler then uses the hook to remove the leash and the interaction is then ended. 4/10/26 (PM Walks): Harlem is in the back of his kennel with a slightly tense body; the handler tosses treats into his kennel and he eats them when they're out of sight. The handler tosses high value treats, and Harlem slowly stands up to eat them; the treats are placed closer to the front of the kennel. As Harlem is at the from, the handler hand-feeds him the treats, which he slowly eats. Then, they slowly bring in the pole leash and lure him with treats. Once the leash is on, the handler opens the kennel door to allow Harlem to exit; as he doesn't exit on his own, the handler adds leash tension to bring him to the front. They also drop the treats on the ground, but Harlem shows no interest. Once he slowly exits, the handler gently adds a little more leash tension. As he is outside his kennel, Harlem attempts to climb back in, but the handler maintains leash tension; he tries once more. When the handler ads leash tension to encourage him to walk out the room, Harlem presents a clown face and refuses to move, so the handler alleviates the leash tension and Harlem climbs back into his kennel. The leash is removed with a hook and the interaction is ended. 4/10/26: It was reported by a staff member that Harlem was leashed but would not exit kennel. When pressure was placed on the leash, he would flail. A behavior team member approached, Harlem is at the back, shaking. The kennel door is opened wide as he was still leashed. Harlem comes forward, steps out of kennel but then attempts to go towards the back of the kennel room. HAndler holds leash so that he can not go towards the back so then HArlem re-enters his kennel. The kennel door remains opened wide and Harlem eventually steps out of kennel again attempting to go towards the back. When he can not, he goes back into his kennel. He is not interested in treats. He steps out again and handler hold him in the aisle as a staff member quickly cleans the kennel. He is sitting against the wall, tense body but allows for his leash to be clipped. Once staff have set up his kennel he goes back into kennel readily. INTAKE BEHAVIOR: Date of intake: 4/7/2026 Summary: Fearful but walks slow with handler MEDICAL BEHAVIOR: Date of initial: 4/9/2026 Summary: very fearful, trembling examined. ENERGY LEVEL: We have no history on Harlem so we cannot be certain of their behavior in a home environment. However, they will need daily mental and physical activity to stay engaged and exercised. We recommend long-lasting chews, food puzzles, and hide-and-seek games, in additional to physical exercise, to positively direct their energy and enthusiasm. BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION:: New Hope Only Recommendations: No children (under 13) Place with a New Hope partner Recommendations comments: No children (under 13): Harlem should go to a home with older children due to his fearful behaviors. Place with a New Hope partner: Harlem should go to a New Hope Partner that can manage his behavior. Potential challenges: Fearful Anxiety Potential challenges comments: Fearful: Harlem is extremely fearful and refuses to leave his kennel. When he does, he immediately attempts to return to it or becomes anxious. He will need time to decompress in a new home, with daily enrichment. Please see the handout on Decompression and General Anxiety. MEDICAL EXAM NOTES 4/9/2026 DVM Intake Exam Estimated age:2 yr Microchip noted on Intake? negative History:stray Subjective:stray Observed Behavior -very fearful, trembling examined muzzled Is there evidence of suspected cruelty? none Objective: BARH mm pink P = WNL R = WNL BCS 6/9 EENT: Eyes crusty, ears clean, no nasal or ocular discharge noted Oral Exam:clean adult dentition PLN: No enlargements noted H/L: NSR, NMA, CRT < 2, Lungs clear, eupneic ABD: Non painful, no masses palpated U/G:scrotal testes MSI: Ambulatory x 4, skin free of parasites, no masses noted, healthy hair coat CNS: Mentation appropriate - no signs of neurologic abnormalities Rectal:not performed Assessment: mild periocular dermatitis severe fear Prognosis:very good Plan: flush eyes start trazodone 125mg Po BID indefinitely SURGERY: Okay for surgery 4/11/2026 High FAS written on symptoms board. In kennel is tightly curled up and giving whale eye P: Clonidine 0.4 mg PO BID indefinitely * TO FOSTER / ADOPT * If you would like to foster or adopt: To foster or adopt a NYC ACC dog please PRIVATE MESSAGE our page at facebook.com/NYCDogsLivesmat… so we can assist and guide you through the process. PLEASE NOTE: To foster or adopt a NYC ACC dog you need to live within a prescribed range of New York City. States include: NY, NJ, PA, CT, RI, DE, MD, MA, NH, VT, ME or Northern VA. If you are outside of this range, you have the option to “direct adopt” where you must go to the shelter “in person” to complete the adoption process. We can guide you through that process. Shelter contact information: Phone number (212) 788-4000 Email adopt@nycacc.org Shelter Addresses: Queens Shelter: 1906 Flushing Ave., Ridgewood, NY 11385 Manhattan Shelter: 326 East 110 St. New York, NY 10029 Staten Island Shelter: 3139 Veterans Road West Staten Island, NY 10309 NYC ACC RATING SYSTEM Level 1 Dogs with Level 1 determinations are suitable for the majority of homes. Level 2 Dogs with Level 2 determinations will be suitable for adopters with some previous dog experience. Level 3 Dogs with Level 3 determinations will need to go to homes with experienced adopters. Level 4 Dogs with Level 4 determinations will need to go to homes with experienced adopters. It is suggested adopters have prior experience with the behaviors described. New Hope Rescue Only Dogs with this rating need to be pulled by a New Hope Partner Rescue. Contact our page or email us for assistance