Simba’s Story – 2025 Big Match

Simba came to us from the Austin Animal Shelter in 2017. At intake, he appeared to be a beautiful, if very active, young dog. After a couple of fosters reported concerning behaviors and asked for him to be moved, my husband and I agreed to take him home for observation. It turns out that underneath all of the cuteness, he was a volatile, reactive, “touch-me-not” dog. We don’t know what happened to him while he was on the street and in the shelter, but it caused him to become fearful, untrusting, and defensive. Simba would happily approach a person for pets, and when the person reached out to pet him, Simba would become terrified and would snarl, snap, and bite. Those mixed signals earned him a bite record, which meant we didn’t consider him adoptable. He was afraid of hands and very sensitive to touch, but he also wanted to snuggle. That desire for affection was a hopeful sign. We began working on body handling and building trust. He began to trust us pretty quickly, but getting him used to being touched took longer. We’re still working on aspects of grooming, like paw handling and nail trimming, and he thinks clippers are his mortal enemy. Despite–or maybe because of– his bad-boy attitude, Simba developed a fan club among the volunteers. He rewards the people he trusts with heaps of love and affection, and he is eager to please. He knows we have his back and will advocate for him. Thanks to CSRA, Simba is safe and is loved and appreciated for who he is as a dog. He has a great life as a CSRA/SA Forever Foster. Simba is 11ish now and is still full of surprises. Last year, while undergoing treatment for cancer, he decided to reward the vet with kisses rather than with teeth.  ~ Jen, foster mom