Jess
In Colville, Washington, packs of feral dogs are not unheard of; add a few wolves and coyotes to the mix and you have a recipe for trouble. Jess belonged to a pack of forty, abandoned on a rural property after their 'owner' was evicted. Starving, the dogs killed a young horse to feed themselves, and in accordance with state law, Sheriff's deputies, with the help of some local ranchers, took on the task of shooting as many of the dogs as they could. As the days went by, all of the dogs were shot, with the exception of those who didn't first die of starvation. Pregnant Jess was shot in a hind leg, but survived.
With her puppies coming any day, and a life-threatening infection spreading fast, local rescuers were able to capture her. Her leg was too far gone to be saved, so Jess underwent an amputation. She moved into the basement of a rescuer's home, where she refused to be touched, threatening to bite anyone who came near. Her puppies were born, weaned, and moved into foster homes, but Jess continued to be difficult. The man of the house had lost his TV room to a three-legged dog; she did not tolerate his presence. Her female caregiver was able to barely brush the tips of Jess's fur without suffering retribution, but that was the extent of their physical contact.
Desperate, the rescuers called Best Friends Animal Society in Utah, and Best Friends called Steve. He agreed to make the drive to Colville to assess the dog, and took along a large transport carrier, just in case. When Steve arrived at the house, he could hear Jess barking in the basement. As soon as he laid eyes on her, he knew there was a problem - Jess wasn't exactly a dog, she was a coyote hybrid. That meant that the rules were different. Her behavior would not be quite the same as a feral dog's, and in some communities she would be illegal to possess. When Steve broke the news to the foster, she began to cry, thinking Jess would have to be destroyed.
Steve quickly explained that he wouldn't hear of it. With the foster's help, he maneuvered Jess into a plastic airline crate, and the two of them carried her upstairs, where Steve transferred her into the larger carrier for the drive back to Forks. They made a stop at Greywolf Veterinary Hospital on the way; Jess had to be heavily sedated in order to be vaccinated.
At the Sanctuary, Steve transferred her back into an airline crate and carried her inside; he introduced her to a group of feral dogs, and she settled right into the new pack. With three legs, she had no trouble keeping pace with her four-legged counterparts. She even proved to be a strong swimmer.
Steve had converted one of the kennels into his own living quarters specifically for dogs like Jess; he moved Jess into his room, where she hid under the bed at first, but eventually began sleeping next to him, allowing him to pet her. They bonded more and more, and when Jess reached the point at which Steve could pick her up and carry her, it was time for leash training. She was resistant at first, trying to bite through the leash, but she picked it up quickly. Somewhat counter-intuitively, wild dogs and dogs who don't learn to walk with a leash as puppies tend to have the best leash manners when they finally are trained, because the feeling of tension on the leash is so foreign and uncomfortable for them; Jess was no exception.
When it was time for her to be spayed, Jess was able to walk into the clinic on leash. She continued to make progress, and started to reach out and initiate contact with new people. Steve took her with him on outings, and even on a road trip to southern California. She began to go to fundraising events, where she stole the show. Today, Jess is outgoings and affectionate, she enjoys meeting new people, and she often helps more fearful dogs come out of their shells. She is still a coyote hybrid with a checkered past, but she has come a long way from her days as a stray dog in Colville.
We cannot continue to rescue and care for Jess and others like her without your help. Our animals depend on your support. Please click here to make a tax-deductible donation.
Posted on December 27, 2012