Loki (pronounced Lo-Kai) is a 3-year-old, hybrid wolf/dog cross, that has lived in the Northern Canadian wilderness for three years. Loki survived extreme winters, and thanks to those that love and cared for him, he has been rescued. He now lives with a loving owner in Hay River, Canada.
Those who know Loki’s story know him as the lone survivor of hoarding. Loki is one of 23 puppies seized in the Hay River Hoarding case of 2010. All pups were destined to be destroyed but Loki escaped the shelter twice avoiding being euthanized. After his first escapade he was captured and brought back to the shelter, but since his second successful shelter break, Loki lived free in the wilderness.
Bonnie Dawson, who has documented Loki’s life in the blog “Loki’s Gift,” and updates Loki’s Facebook page, said the other puppies were destroyed in August 2010.
“Means of destruction is a big secret but I do know that no vet was present,” Dawson wrote in her blog.
Dawson and other Hay River animal lovers have cared for Loki in the wilderness. They describe the hybrid dog as a “gentle giant” with a “beautiful spirit.” Loki’s followers say he has never been aggressive and in many occasions he has “protected many of his human and animal friends from danger and dog attacks by lesser animals.”
This past September, after town authorities received complaints from Hay River residents, officials informed Dawson she had until the end of the month to finally capture, re-home, and rehabilitate Loki, or they will have to take measures against him. In other words authorities told Dawson that Loki’s days were counted.
Immediately Loki’s followers started networking and asking for help to capture the dog before the deadline. Dawson had worked with professionals before trying to dart Loki and capture him, but all three darting attempts failed. A petition was also started, asking Hay River officials to stop their attempts to destroy the dog, and more than 3,500 people signed the petition.
With options running out, Loki’s followers contacted known animal rescuer Eldad Hagar and with his help Loki was rescued three days before the Hay River deadline was up.
It took Hagar eight hours to capture Loki. When Hagar was first contacted, he instructed Dawson to modify Loki’s behaviors, and with the help of one of Dawson’s friend (Bonnie C) Loki learned to receive his meals inside Bonnie C’s garage. It was there where Hagar was able to secure the dog and capture him.
Hagar spent the first night with Loki in the garage. Dawson took over the second night, and meanwhile a team of Loki’s followers worked tirelessly building a secure dog run in Dawson’s back yard.
Dawson is now Loki’s legal owner and the idea is to rehabilitate him and slowly introduce him to Dawson’s other pets. Eventually he will be taught how to be an indoor dog and he will live with Dawson in her house.
The dog run is just temporary housing. Dawson hopes to bring Loki into her garage before it starts snowing – which could start as early as this month – and she hopes to have him roaming freely inside her home by Christmas.
Loki will soon be seen by a veterinarian and in time he will learn how to walk on a leash. He will enjoy many walks in Canada’s wilderness, and he will have the opportunity to meet again and play with his other pets and friends – the ones he frequented and played with while he lived a lonely life in the wilderness.
To learn more about Loki read his blog, follow his Facebook page and see pictures from his rescue on Hagar’s Flickr page.
