You do not need a pygmy hippo. You need Moo Deng.

Moo Deng is short, wide, mighty, and approximately 60 pounds of pure personality. She is built low to the ground, shaped a little like a coffee table, and somehow manages to be both powerful and completely ridiculous in the best possible way.

She’s about 3–4 years old, heartworm negative, loves people, and did beautifully meeting dog after dog during our shelter pull. She is social, confident, funny, and extremely easy to adore.

And then there is the ball.

Moo Deng loves playing ball more than just about anything in the world. The good news is that she is not one of those Labrador types who will make you throw it until your shoulder requires medical attention. She plays hard, has a blast, and then is perfectly content to clock out and resume her other favorite activity: hanging out with her people.

She likes other dogs, too, and has several friends she gets to play with at boarding. Unfortunately, because she is in boarding, those playdates are sporadic. There are only so many opportunities for her to get out, play, and simply enjoy being a dog.

And Moo Deng really enjoys being a dog.

She is a rough-and-tumble player, so she would likely love a canine friend who appreciates the same kind of enthusiastic play and can comfortably match her style. She is not looking for a delicate little wallflower. Think less afternoon tea, more friendly backyard wrestling match followed by a mutual collapse on the floor.

That is also why we would love to get her into a foster home. Boarding keeps her safe, but it cannot give her the regular walks, ball games, playtime, routine, human companionship, and couch lounging that a home can.

Her wish list is pretty reasonable: a ball, some room to play, people who think her ridiculous little body is as fabulous as we do, and perhaps a dog buddy who can appreciate a good romp.

Scout’s Honor covers all expenses associated with fostering as needed. You provide the home and a little of your time. Moo Deng will handle the entertainment.

Apply to foster or adopt Miss Moo Deng at www.scoutshonor.org.

Please share her, too. Somewhere out there is someone whose life is missing a short, wide, ball-loving house hippo. We just need to find them.