ham

MEET HAM!

Her shelter name is actually Clarabelle but we refer to her as ‘Ham’ because it perfectly fits her fun, squishy personality and piggie body type. Ham is around 10 years old and was brought to Philly's animal control shelter as a stray, though it's suspected that the person who brought her in was her original owner. Ham was actively lactating, had bite wounds around her neck, and pressure sores on her legs. Because she was already fighting infection and then stressed in the shelter, she developed severe pneumonia and almost didn't make it back out. Luckily, her sweet little face caught her foster family’s heart, and she was swept off to the ER and a new life of safety with City of Elderly Love. She has since made a full recovery!

Since coming to the rescue in December 2024, Ham has gone through quite the transformation. She has completely recovered from her stint of homelessness and had all of her medical needs addressed. Since losing some unnecessary weight and recovering physically and emotionally, Ham has blossomed into a spunky, joyful, medium-energy girl who loves to do zoomies through the house and yard just as much as she loves to curl up under a heated blanket. Ham loves to meet new people and has always been a social girl. She is not currently living with kids but we think she’d do well in a home with older kids who might not mind this little house hippo zooming by them during playtime. We can’t wait to see this squishy, hilarious girl complete one lucky family!

Ham is currently in foster care on a small hobby farm with many other animals but we think she’d be happiest in a home without pets. She doesn’t love to share her space with other dogs and can be reactive to them on walks. She shows too much interest in smaller animals and may be too pushy in her approach with them. Given that Ham has likely had several litters in her younger years, it seems she’d prefer to spend her golden years being the sole center of attention, which is fine! Ham’s ideal home would be outside the hustle and bustle of the city where she can lounge in the sun in her own yard and take leisurely strolls through the park.

Ham has an old torn CCL in her knee which healed on its own at some point but causes a bit of arthritis now but it doesn’t slow her down in the least. In fact, she seems even more mobile these days. She should remain on a glucosamine/joint supplement and may need meds for pain management as she continues to age. Like most pitties, she has some itchy skin and does well on a daily allergy medication and may need something stronger during peak allergy seasons (medicated shampoo or cytopoint). She recently had a dental cleaning, had several mammary masses removed, and is feeling and looking better than ever!

Ham (Clarabelle) is available for adoption through City of Elderly Love! She has been fully vetted since leaving the shelter and is spayed, vaccinated and microchipped. She is also perfectly house-trained! Interested in adopting her? Visit cityofelderlylove.org to complete an online adoption questionnaire!