Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Owners, vet think coyotes killed dog in back yard

Clara Garcia News-Bulletin Staff Writer; cgarcia@news-bulletin.com

Los Lunas When Candelario and Jessica Gabaldon adopted Sophie, a small and friendly corgi, three years ago from a Florida rescue shelter, they saved her life. But last week, the couple couldn't save her from what they and their veterinarian believe was a pack of coyotes.

The Gabaldons, who live on Amistad Drive just off Sichler Road, had just returned home from dinner last Wednesday evening when they realized that 8-year-old Sophie, who was in their backyard with her playmate, a young boxer, had been brutally attacked. Jessica said when she opened the back door to the garage, the boxer pup ran in acting a little nervous.

"The boxer is a puppy and has a lot of energy, but it was a different type of energy," Jessica said. "Then I heard Sophie. I could hear her (dog tags) jingling, and I looked out and she was slowly moving."

Taking a closer look, Jessica said she saw Sophie stagger, almost as if she couldn't support herself. The dog walked about 10 feet toward Jessica before she just fell flat on her face.

"I called for him (Candelario) who was already inside and I turned on the light," Jessica said. "She was just covered in blood."

Candelario initially thought that the boxer had mauled Sophie, but when they took a closer look at the pup, she also had some puncture wounds and scratches. The couple believes the boxer was saved because she was wearing a spiked collar.

He said when they tried to pick up Sophie, she wouldn't let them. They put a board underneath her, picked her up, wrapped her in towels and rushed her to the Pet ER on N.M. 314.

"She was in mad pain," Candelario said. "Her right front leg was almost ripped right off. You could see muscles and tendons and bone."

"The best way I could describe it was someone ripping off the drumstick of a turkey on Thanksgiving," Jessica said. "We just couldn't believe it."

Doctors at the Pet ER stabilized Sophie for the night. The next morning, the Gabaldons picked her up and took her to their veterinarian, Randy Van Otten at the Animal Hospital of Los Lunas.

"It was in bad shape," Van Otten said of Sophie. "I was preparing for surgery to amputate the leg because it had almost been severed in the attack when I realized that the dog's condition was much more serious."

Van Otten said that, as he began to shave the dog for surgery, he found many more puncture wounds and actual tears on the animal's neck and back. He found that the dog's other leg had also sustained considerable damage. The ligaments holding the animal's elbow together were displaced and a bone was broken.

"Knowing that made me rethink it (the surgery) and realize the dog needed that other arm to survive ..." Van Otten said. "So I called the Gabaldons and showed them the extensive wounds."

Van Otten said, from what he observed of Sophie's wounds, it looked as if she was pulled apart from each limb. He said he felt that her injuries were beyond his capabilities to repair and he suggested that the Gabaldons put their beloved corgi to sleep. They agreed.

"The worst part wasn't putting her down," Jessica said. "The worst part was seeing this bloody body coming out of the dark. It was like a nightmare."

"Based on the teeth marks I saw, I do suspect coyotes, but I can't be 100 percent certain," Van Otten said. "I've never seen an arm torn off like that. These corgis don't back down; they're tenacious little dogs."

Van Otten, whose office is down the road from where the Gabaldons live, said he has seen coyotes in the area as recently as a month ago.

"We have rabbits in our back yard, and we think that's what they were going for," Candelario said. "We have fences, and there are no dig marks, so we think they jumped over. I had no idea coyotes were out there, but I guess they are."

"We just want people to know that they are around and hopefully, they'll take precautions," Jessica said. "We just don't want anyone to get hurt, especially kids."

Ross Morgan of New Mexico Game and Fish said because coyotes are not a protected game species, the department does not manage them. He did say that it's not unusual for coyotes to roam around in rural areas and said several have even been spotted in downtown Albuquerque.

"As we move into their territory, they'll move into ours," Morgan said. "A lot of animals, coyotes and bobcats, are prone to hang around drainage ditches searching for foods."

Morgan said while there have been only a few reports of coyotes attacking people in other states, they are very afraid of humans. He said people should realize that coyotes are wild animals, and he warned people to stay away from them.

"It's not very characteristic of coyotes to jump fences, but it does happen," he said. "They're always out looking for food, and they will do whatever they have to do to get it."

Jerome Chavez of Village of Los Lunas Animal Control said there have always been coyotes in the area. He said there have always been reports of livestock attacked by what people believe were coyotes.

"They are around and in fact, we do pick up dead carcasses on the side of the road," Chavez said. "I know that they do attack some of the livestock, but unless you see them, we don't know if they're coyotes or dogs."

Chavez said that he has lent out dog traps to residents in order to try and capture the coyotes, but he said it hasn't worked. He suggests that people who are afraid that coyotes may come onto their property to keep their small animals inside.

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