Meet Arlo: A Sweet Senior Deserving of a Second Chance
Arlo is a 10-year-old shepherd mix at Orange County Animal Care in Orange, California, looking for a compassionate, committed adopter who can give him the stability, care, and loving home he deserves. He entered the shelter as a stray in August and has been waiting for his home ever since. He is now on the euthansia list. Animal ID: A1974355
After a recent foster-to-adopt placement, Arlo was returned to the shelter when his adopter realized his care needs were more than they could manage. While we are saddened that the placement did not work out, we appreciate the adopter’s honesty in recognizing that Arlo needs a different level of support.
Frost Fund is advocating for Arlo and working to help him find a permanent home outside the shelter before it is too late.
Videos of Arlo:
Important: Arlo’s Urgent Timeline
As of October 20, 2026, Arlo has a scheduled euthanasia review date of October 24, 2026. On that date, the shelter will review his case and determine next steps, which may include euthanasia or an extension if a viable rescue or adoption option emerges. The final decision and timing are determined by the shelter.
Arlo needs a committed adopter or an established rescue willing to step in as soon as possible.
If you are interested in adopting Arlo, please contact Frost Fund promptly, but most importantly, please go directly to Orange County Animal Care to meet him. You do not need to wait for us to take that step.
If you are not local to Orange County but want to adopt Arlo, please email us. We can try to get a rescue on board to approve you as an adopter through them and then coordinate transport.
If you are a rescue interested in pulling Arlo, please email the shelter at rescue@occr.oc.gov. Frost Fund may be able to assist with transportation to an approved adopter through a rescue or rescue location.
Get to Know Arlo
- Age: 10 years old
- Breed: Shepherd mix
- Personality: Described by shelter volunteers and observed as incredibly sweet, loves kisses, and wonderful with people and children.
- Great in cars and on car rides.
- Other dogs: Arlo has been observed around larger dogs without showing signs of aggression or reactivity. Shelter volunteers believe he may do well with other friendly larger dogs, although compatibility has not been fully established. Proper introductions are essential in every new dog-to-dog placement.
- Cats and small animals: Arlo has a prey drive and needs a home without cats or other small pets.
If you have another dog, introductions should take place gradually in a controlled setting. Working with a qualified trainer is strongly recommended to help set everyone up for success, especially as Arlo transitions from shelter life into a home.
Understanding Arlo’s Care Needs
Arlo deserves a home prepared to accommodate his senior needs and provide appropriate veterinary follow-up.
During his previous foster-to-adopt placement, Arlo received a senior blood panel. The results were encouraging and normal overall, and the veterinarian did not express concerns about the findings. Frost Fund can share the available bloodwork and veterinary notes with an approved adopter so they can review them with their own veterinarian.
However, Arlo is underweight, and his previous foster-to-adopt family reported that he seems constantly hungry and has frequent, soft, unusually large bowel movements. These observations warrant further veterinary evaluation to determine whether an underlying issue is affecting his digestion, nutrient absorption, or ability to maintain a healthy weight. His veterinarian can also assess whether any additional treatment or medication may be beneficial at his age.
Potty schedule
According to his previous foster-to-adopt family:
- Arlo needs to go outside approximately every 2–3 hours during the day.
- He may occasionally need an additional bathroom break during the night.
Eating and digestion
His previous adopter reported that Arlo eats ravenously but struggles to gain weight and has frequent, soft, unusually large bowel movements. We recommend discussing a fecal test and further evaluation of his digestive health and nutrient absorption with your veterinarian.
While his blood panel results are encouraging, they do not rule out every underlying condition or guarantee that additional care will not be needed.
Prospective adopters should be prepared to follow up with their veterinarian and work toward understanding and addressing these concerns.
How Frost Fund Can Help
Frost Fund is prepared to offer initial financial assistance to a committed, approved adopter to help support Arlo’s transition into a home. We want him to enjoy his final years and know what love means.
Available assistance may include support for initial veterinary care and training. Specific amounts, eligibility requirements, and terms will be discussed directly with the approved adopter.
All expenses must be approved in advance and coordinated with Frost Fund. This assistance is intended to help with initial care and training and does not constitute a commitment to cover ongoing veterinary bills, future medical expenses, or lifetime care.
Please note that the shelter is not expected to provide additional veterinary support now or after adoption.
Adopting Arlo from Outside the Area
If you live more than four hours from Orange County, Frost Fund may be able to help coordinate transportation through an established rescue willing to formally pull Arlo and approve the adoption.
We have facilitated similar arrangements before and would be happy to explore this option for a committed adopter who is approved by a partnering rescue.
If you need transportation assistance, please email teamfrostfund@gmail.com as soon as possible. We can begin exploring options with a potential rescue partner and update the shelter regarding possible rescue assistance. Transportation and rescue placement are not guaranteed, so please reach out promptly.
About Frost Fund
Frost Fund is a 501C3 animal advocacy and support nonprofit, not a shelter or foster-based rescue. We do not have a facility or the capacity to take returned dogs into our care. Our role is to advocate for vulnerable shelter animals, connect them with committed adopters and rescue partners, and help make successful adoptions possible.
For Arlo, we are looking for the right home—not just any home. He needs someone who understands his current care needs, is prepared to pursue appropriate veterinary follow-up, and can offer patience, stability, and a lifelong commitment.
Medical Records
To help you make an informed decision, we have included links to the medical and background documents provided by the shelter, current as of October 20, 2026, along with videos of Arlo.
- Medical and background documents:
We encourage prospective adopters to review these materials and reach out to the shelter directly with any questions. (Although given his urgent timeline a response may not be promptly provided.)
How to Adopt Arlo
If you believe you can provide Arlo with the home and care he needs, please take the following steps as soon as possible:
1. Visit Orange County Animal Care to meet and adopt Arlo.
1630 Victory Road, Tustin, CA 92782
You can also email rescue@occr.oc.gov to let the shelter know which day and approximately what time you plan to visit and meet Arlo.
2. Email Frost Fund about your plans.
Please email teamfrostfund@gmail.com with your intentions and anticipated timeline. This will allow us to communicate with the shelter about your interest and help coordinate any potential rescue or adoption support. While we will advocate for additional time when possible, an extension of Arlo’s timeline is not guaranteed.
3. Coordinate post-adoption support.
Once Arlo is adopted, Frost Fund can work directly with the approved adopter to coordinate any eligible initial veterinary care, training, or transportation assistance.
Arlo has already spent too much time waiting for a place to call home. We hope his next chapter brings him the comfort, security, and love every senior dog deserves.
If you think you could be Arlo’s person, please don’t wait. He deserves the chance to spend his golden years in a home of his own.
