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Adopt Poppy

Mixed Breed · Unknown · Young · 1 year

We present to you Poppy: this is probably what he would tell us if he could transmit his feelings. Poppy is confined in the municipal dog shelter in Partanna, in the province of Trapani. I am writing to you from a cold and gray kennel. I was abandoned without my mother, thrown away as if I were "nothing." Inside, time passes slowly: the concrete is hard under my paws, the air is cold. I should be carefree, running after a ball, falling asleep on a couch, but my toys are the shadows on the walls. The dog shelter will gradually extinguish me and take away my carefree spirit. Someone said that the dog shelter is the only place in the world where prisoners are innocent: and I am living proof. I just ask one thing: don't let me wither away here. Take me away, adopt me. Five or six months old, future medium-large size, I am in Sicily and available for adoption throughout Italy through a transfer with vaccinations and microchip.

Read original (it)

Vi presentiamo Poppy: ecco quello che probabilmente ci vorrebbe dire se potesse trasmetterci i suoi sentimenti. Poppy è rinchiuso nel canile comunale di Partanna, in provincia di Trapani. ti scrivo da un box freddo e grigio. Sono stato abbandonato senza la mia mamma, gettato via come se fossi “niente”. Qui dentro il tempo scorre lento: il cemento è duro sotto le mie zampette, l’aria è gelida. Dovrei correre spensierato dietro a una pallina, addormentarmi su un divano e invece i miei giochi sono le ombre sulle pareti. Il canile, poco a poco, mi spegnerà e ruberà la spensieratezza. Qualcuno ha detto che il canile è l’unico posto al mondo in cui i prigionieri sono innocenti: e io sono la prova vivente. Ti chiedo solo una cosa: non lasciarmi appassire qui dentro. Portami via, adottami. Cinque/sei mesi, futura taglia media-grande, mi trovo in Sicilia e sono adottabile in tutta Italia tramite staffetta con vaccini e microchip.

Size
Medium
Age
Young · 1 year
Location
🇮🇹Rome
Shelter
OIPA Italy
Living with Poppy
  • Vaccinated
  • Microchipped
  • Has special needs
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Cared for by OIPA Italy · RomeLearn about Mixed Breed

Listed 1 month ago

Bringing Poppy home

What you'll need for Poppy in week one.

Hand-picked · prices indicative

  1. 01
    Required by most shelters

    Trixie Transport Box

    Sturdy plastic carrier — what most shelters require for pickup.

    View on Amazon
    €35–45
  2. 02
    Editor's pick

    Folding Wire Crate

    First-week safe space. Shelter dogs settle faster with a crate.

    View on Amazon
    €50–80
  3. 03
    Legal · EU

    Car Seatbelt Tether

    Legally required in most EU countries for transporting dogs.

    View on Amazon
    €8–12
  4. 04

    Adaptil Calming Spray

    Dog-specific pheromone diffuser. Worth it for the trip home.

    View on Amazon
    €18–25
  5. 05

    Orthopaedic Dog Bed

    Worth the upgrade — rescues often have joint issues from kennels.

    View on Amazon
    €30–60
  6. 06
    Safer than a collar

    Padded Y-Front Harness

    Escape-proof for spooky rescues. Safer than a collar in week one.

    View on Amazon
    €20–35

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About Poppy

What life with Poppy looks like

Poppy is a medium-sized young adult mixed breed dog waiting at OIPA Italy in Rome.

An young adult dog fits most household rhythms once the first couple of weeks of adjustment pass. Two reasonable walks a day plus play time is usually enough. Plan a "decompression fortnight" — quiet routine, no visitors, no off-leash adventures — to let them settle.

Note from the shelter: Abandoned puppy, likely traumatized, needs patient rehabilitation

🇮🇹Adopting from Italy

Italian canili require adopters to sign a stewardship contract (affido) and may retain the right to verify the animal's wellbeing post-adoption. Animals are chipped and sterilized before leaving (Legge 281/91). Public canili rifugio typically waive adoption fees.

Rome, Italy browse more dogs in Italy.

Frequently asked

Adopting Poppy, answered.

How do I contact the shelter about Poppy?
Use the phone, email, or website link in the sidebar of this page. OIPA Italy handles screening and the adoption contract directly — TailHarbor doesn't broker the conversation. When you reach out, mention you saw Poppy on TailHarbor so they know which animal you're asking about.
Can I adopt Poppy if I live in another country?
Yes, in most cases. Rescues across Europe routinely place animals abroad — OIPA Italy will tell you what they need (EU pet passport, rabies titer, transport coordination) and whether they handle transport themselves or refer you to a partner. Plan for an extra €100–€350 in transport costs depending on distance.
Is Poppy already vetted, vaccinated, and chipped?
Most dogs on TailHarbor leave their shelter with sterilization, current vaccinations, microchip ID, and an EU pet passport included in the adoption fee. The vet status on this page reflects what the shelter has reported — ask them directly if you need details on specific vaccines, recent bloodwork, or chronic conditions.
What happens if Poppy isn't the right fit?
Every reputable rescue accepts an animal back if the adoption genuinely doesn't work — that's part of the standard contract. Talk it through with OIPA Italy early rather than rehoming privately; they know Poppy and can place them more successfully than a second-hand listing can.
Why does the description sometimes read awkwardly?
TailHarbor translates shelter descriptions into English from the source language (IT). Translation is imperfect — names of streets, donors, and shelter-specific terms occasionally slip through unidiomatically. For the cleanest read, click the source link to see the shelter's original page.
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Adopt Poppy — 1yo Mixed Breed in Rome | TailHarbor