Sequoia Humane Society seeks a home for Hazel

Hazel — found tied to an outbuilding and abandoned in Alderpoint nearly four months ago — was brought to the Sequoia Humane Society in Eureka in early August. The 5-year-old female Doberman pinscher mix is still awaiting her forever home.

“Hazel … had a microchip and it wasn’t registered, so we sent her to the county (shelter), where she completed her stray hold. It is unclear whether or not there was another dog with her; there has been speculation, but nothing confirmed,” said Sequoia Humane Society Kennel Manager Christina Mackey.

She added: “Hazel was in fairly good condition when she came into the shelter. This was two weeks after she was found in the building. We have her vet records from when the finder took her into the vet, where it said she was very skinny and wasn’t able to support her rear end due to muscle loss.”

Strength regained and now weighing about 65 pounds, Hazel is looking for a loving, committed family. Folks at the Sequoia Humane Society describe her as a bit shy at first, but once she gets to know someone, Hazel becomes a “big lap dog” who loves cuddling and getting pets. Hazel — who also enjoys being active but doesn’t need constant exercise — is said to get along well with independent cats and, with work, may do well with other dogs.

“Hazel is very insecure around other dogs,” Mackey said. “She spends most of the time watching them, because she isn’t sure if she can trust them. She needs time to acclimate to a new environment and feel safe. She doesn’t want to have to compete for resources.

“Under the right circumstances,” she noted, “I believe she would do great in a home with other dogs. She would need plenty of time and space to decompress and do slow introductions, but she isn’t inherently aggressive, just scared. With that being said, she would do best in a home with older children because of her traumatic past.”

Mackey says the ideal family for Hazel would be one that has time to work on her confidence, make her feel safe and show her the love she deserves.

“If there are other dogs in the home, they need to be willing to put in some time with acclimating the dogs to each other and letting her go at her own pace. Hazel would do best with kids over 14,” she said.

Hazel walks very well on a leash with a confident handler and listens to commands, Mackey said.

“She is very food motivated,” she noted. “She has barrier frustration, so she will bark when confined or behind a fence.”

For more information about Hazel and other dogs (and cats) available for adoption through the Sequoia Humane Society, visit https://sequoiahumane.org or call 707-442-1782.

“It would be an absolute relief to see Hazel be adopted into a home,” said Sequoia Humane Society Executive Director Kelsey Sampson. “She deserves a full life with a person who loves her and can help her work on her confidence, and we can’t wait to see that happen.”