Kita

WOLFDOG

May 2018

Kita’s surgery was a success! She’s completed her rehabilitation and is relaxing as a house dog in her foster family’s home.

Shy Wolf Sanctuary was originally contacted about a wolfdog locally named Lokita in need of relocation. We called the owner back, who spoke limited English, and tried to assist with the issues. We were told that she was escaping and difficult to manage. We offered a kennel or assistance in containing her. We even found a willing foster home, but the owner told us that she wasn’t sure she wanted to give up the wolfdog. Fast forward a month and we received an email from Lee County Domestic Animal Services about an owner surrender dog that was labeled a wolfdog.

Our Executive Director drove up to Lee DAS and evaluated Lokita as a very sweet, very scared low content wolfdog. Because we had an approved foster, we “pulled” her from the shelter immediately and were planning to take her directly to the foster. In discussing the wolfdog with the foster, it became evident that the dog may have more significant behavioral issues going on and might be better treated initially at the sanctuary.

Our vet worked us in immediately and we were able to get her right rear leg x-rayed. Kita had obviously been struck by a car and had a badly healed fracture with bony growths that limit her range of motion and cause pain. Kita will likely require surgery at the very least to remove those bony growths, if not more extensive work. Throughout the exam, Kita made no effort to growl, snap or bite in any way.

She’s a very sweet girl! Kita will stay at Shy Wolf Sanctuary to be treated and we will evaluate if she can eventually be moved to the foster home. For now she’s very fearful, not house trained, supposedly destructive in a house…yet she was a “house dog”. These are the situations people create when they get a puppy and don’t do the work to socialize and train it…or the puppy just doesn’t have the temperament to be “pet quality” in the sense it can be leash walked, boarded or even left alone in a house. We encourage people to do extensive research prior to getting any pet and to be prepared to do whatever is needed to keep the animal safe, healthy and happy for the duration of its life.