Out of the Woods? Wolf-dogs begin rescue journey.
The outcome for 17 wolf-dogs, chained in a backyard in Loon Lake, WA, looked pretty grim. Their owner had been evicted from the property where the animals were chained. A kindly neighbor was bringing them food, but their time on the property was limited. Although there is no official animal control in the county where they lived, the neighbor was afraid that someone would call the sheriff and the dogs would be taken and destroyed.
Kim Kahl, a Bend, OR member of the
Wolfdog Rescue Resources group went to work on it and enlisted some Malamute Rescue friends up in Washington to assess the situation and take images. Her friends discovered about 13 adult dogs, 2 young adults and two young puppies. None of the animals had been spayed or neutered. One of the females looked like she could be pregnant. The oldest dog, said to be about 19, was blind. Kim decided that those three, Gabriel, the old blind guy and the two young puppies, needed to get out of the situation first. Kim networked with a Malamute/wolfdog rescue friend in southern Oregon and a number of other people and managed to get the three to safety at
Alaskan Malamute Oregon Rescue (A.M.O.R.).
Time did run out for the dogs left chained on that property. The landlord showed up and told the owner of the dogs that she needed to move them right away because the property had been rented and the new renters were anxious to come in and get started cleaning up. There was no alternative but to take them next door, to the kindly neighbor who had been providing food for them. Her yard is smaller and the chained dogs are having their way with her lovely rose bushes, trees and even the siding on her house. Although almost seventy years old, she continues to care for them, but permanent placement is what these animals really need.
The Problem with Crying WolfOne of the biggest problems with placing wolf-dogs is that they are so often mislabeled. If the owner or just about anyone else says a dog is a wolf-dog, that is what it becomes in the eyes of most animal control and law enforcement agencies. There are some breeders who will breed dogs of questionable genetics then sell the puppies as “wolf-dogs.” The puppies may have some wolf way back in their lineage; and then again, maybe not. Often these animals are shepherd mixes, husky mixes, malamute mixes or other Northern mixed-breeds with or without wolf content. This seems to be the case for the dogs of Loon Lake.
Another complication with placing these animals is both education and the law. Wolves and wolf-dogs appeal to some people. Some have them because it’s “cool.” Some people wish to live with “a piece of the wild,” and fulfill that desire by acquiring a wolf-dog. Some mistakenly believe that wolf-dogs make good guard dogs and get them for protection. Generally, they are much too shy to be good guard dogs. Most of these folks mean no harm. They lack basic understanding of the wolf and have no idea about what the mixed breeding contributes to the genetic and behavioral makeup of the animal. There are also some wolf-dog owners who know and understand wolves and wolf-dogs and are able to provide for a stable and nurturing environment.
To complicate matters even more, there are no uniform laws to guide the people interested in owning a wolf-dog.. There can be state laws, county laws, municipal laws, or no laws. In some of the states a declared wolf-dog is considered to be a dog. In some states the state law conflicts with the municipal law. Or there may be laws about how the containment area needs to be constructed. Some states/counties/municipalities require a person keeping a wolf-dog to have a special permit.
Rescue Continues!Kim continues to work tirelessly to find homes for the dogs of Loon Lake. So far she has commitments for six of the animals. And she is working on getting commitments for two more. Two evaluators from
Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service (SCRAPS) are going to evaluate them. That should give us much needed information about their adoptability and personalities. And once the evaluations are done, we can start making arrangements for spays and neuters. Best Friends has contributed a little over half of the money needed to complete the spays and neuters, which will be done at the
Spokanimal Low Cost Spay and Neuter Clinic.
As you can see, many people from the community and beyond have rallied to help these poor animals, and they need all the help they can get! Please help these beleaguered pets get to safety!
How You Can Help!• Transport help is needed to and from Spokanimal for the spays and neuters.
• Transport help is needed to get the dogs to their new homes.
• Homes are needed for the remaining animals.
• Donations can be made via
Paypal to
wolflady@earthlink.net,
please indicate that the donation is for the Loon Lake rescue• In-kind donations of food, crates, blankets, leashes, harnesses and other dog related items are always needed and appreciated.
If you can help in any way, please contact:Kim Kahl
1033 NW Newport Ave
Bend, Oregon 97701
541-382-0065 home or 541-480-1662 cell
E-mail:
wolflady@earthlink.netby Jane Besmehn, Best Friends stafflead image courtesy of Katy Flanagan, all other images courtesy of Karin Murkelposted by Denise LeBeau, Best Friends staff