Want Your Own Spirit Animal? 5 Great 'Ghost Dog' Alternatives

So you want to adopt Ghost Dog. 

That's wonderful! We applaud you. Statistically though, it probably won't happen. 

Here are the facts: More than one hundred (100) people filled out applications to bring Ghost Dog home. There is only one (1) Ghost Dog. There are, however, roughly 100 other lost or abandoned dogs currently in Casey's care.

If each of Ghost's 100 suitors adopted just one other pooch, Casey would have 0 dogs left. 

We're confident he'd be OK with that—after all, he still has a menagerie of abandoned cats, snakes, guinea pigs, birds and turtles to busy himself with. 

If you like Ghost Dog, perhaps we can interest you in some of these eligible pets, instead? You can find a photo of each dog posted at right. 

Name: Blue

Breed: Cane Corso mastiff

Age: 3-years-old

Weight: 60 pounds

Personality: Blue was found in the alleyway behind a Crown Heights apartment complex. When Casey first found him, Blue was terrified, shirking from human contact. But since his rescue, Blue has bloomed.

"I don’t think he had a nice start to his life, but he’s really come out of his shell," Casey said. "He’s friendly with everybody. He just wants to be pet and loved."

Like Ghost, Blue is great with other dogs, but is occasionally timid around people. With a bit more TLC, though, Casey said he's sure to come around quick. 

Ghost Dog Traits:  Blue is similar to Ghost Dog in that he’s also a Cane Corso with similar coloring. He makes an ideal candidate for someone who loves the breed but can’t handle Ghost's monstrous strength, since Blue is 40 pounds lighter and relatively slight for a mastiff.

"Anyone who would make a great home for Ghost if they could handle him physically could probably deal with Blue without much effort," Casey said. 

Name: Penny

Breed: Boxer/Airedale Mix

Age: 3-years-old

Weight: 50 pounds

Personality: Penny is very sweet. Her high energy level makes her a great companion, and when it's time to play, she will. At the same time, Penny knows when to relax and lay down. Casey said she can can be "a bit of a headache" on-leash with other dogs, but does very well off-leash. 

Penny would flourish with someone who is active. She was surrendered by her owners because she kept running away—except that she didn't go anywhere. 

"She has great homing instincts," Casey said. "The people would put her out in the backyard, and every day she would jump the fence and sit on the porch."  

Ghost Dog Traits: Ghost Dog is closely associated with Prospect Park, and Penny's playful nature and enthusiasm for the outdoors make her a great park companion. Like Ghost, she'd romp just fine off-leash.

Name: Security

Breed: Dogue de Bordeaux, or French mastiff

Age: 5-years-old

Weight: 105 pounds

Personality:  Security was surrendered to a local police station after his owner's home was destroyed by Hurricane Sandy. He's a friendly dog with lots of energy, and he's with great with people, including kids.

Security, like Ghost Dog, needs some work on his leash manners, since Casey said his previous owner likely didn't walk him often. But with a little time and training, Casey is confident that he'd adapt to leash-life just fine. Bonus: Unlike Ghost Dog, Security is fully housebroken and well-trained, making him an excellent addition to almost any home. 

Ghost Dog Traits: Ghost Dog and Security have many of the same stats. Both are around 5-years-old, and they are similar in size. (Security is a few pounds lighter.) Like Ghost, Security would do best with an owner with large dog experience, and someone physically capable of walking a large, powerful pup.  

Name: Kinga

Breed: Pitbull mix

Age: 2-years-old

Weight: 40 pounds

Personality: Kinga came to Casey via the NYPD, who called him after discovering the emaciated animal in a Crown Heights alley. Kinga was initially aggressive toward the officers, with her growling and snarling making it difficult to trap her. When Casey arrived, he said that though she was indeed growling, it was clear to him that she wasn't menacing, only underfed and terrified. 

It took a few minutes, but Casey and his crew successfully roped her. 

"After just a couple days, she turned into this," he said, pointing at a happy mutt desperate to be pet by everyone. 

Ghost Dog Traits:  "She's kind of like a mini Ghost Dog," Casey said, though somewhat more outgoing. Kinga is good with other dogs, and her affinity for running, playing and riding shotgun on car rides make her a great companion. 

Kinga has been with Casey for six months, meaning the sooner she can get out of the cage and into a good home, the better. 

Name: Dino

Breed: Mastiff mix

Age: 3-years-old

Weight: Around 100 pounds, but underweight. At full size, Casey estimates Dino will be between 120 and 130 pounds. 

Personality: Dino is very hyperactive, but very sweet. In the four weeks since he arrived at the shelter, Casey said he's proved to be wonderful with people, though due to a broken leg, he hasn't yet had the chance to mingle with other dogs.

As an active dog, Dino would benefit from an owner with experience handling  "large, woofy dogs," Casey said. Temperament-wise, Dino seems to love everyone—he simply needs an owner who can handle his bulk and will take the time to train him.

Ghost Dog Traits: Dino is slightly less successful version of Ghost Dog. Like Ghost, Dino spent much of his life roaming wild on the streets. But Dino perhaps lacks Ghost's savvy—which is how he got hit by a car, leaving his back leg broken. 

"He had his moment," Casey said. "He tried."

Like Ghost, Dino comes with his own special needs: His broken leg will heal (Casey said the cast will come off in two weeks), but he also has a heart murmur, which as he gets older, will likely require medication. 

Anyone interested in adopting any of the above pets should contact Sean Casey Animal Rescue at (718) 436-5163, or email nyanimalrescue@yahoo.com.