Isis-A Constant Reminder of a Wild Spirit

Yesterday morning, Isis passed away. As one of our founding animals, Isis has been a staple of the Sanctuary for many years. At almost 18 years old, she has surpassed the normal life span of a wolf-dog by many, many years. Her spunk and feistiness was with her to the end.

Only a year ago, Isis displayed herself as the only animal at the Sanctuary to ever tair through a capture net. While normally easily leashed and walked, when Isis realized an examination was in order, her stubborness came out, and she made it perfectly clear she was not going easily. With the only answer being netting, Isis proved us incapable of stifling her nature once again. Her wild spirit may have been tamed by domestication enough to keep her in captivity, but it was never dulled enough that she became accepting of our human ideas. Isis was a constant reminder to everyone at the Sanctuary, visitors, friends, volunteers and staff members, that a wild animal can not be tamed, not even with time and age.

As Isis aged and became physically defeated, her mate, Napi, became more food aggressive. A couple of months ago, he began to eat her food as well as his own. Seeing this, caretakers, knowing Napi is people-shy, would stand over Isis's food to protect her as she ate. Although previously Napi had come up to me for attention on a regular basis, after only one day of standing guard over Isis, he made it perfectly clear that he was upset with me. It was as if he was saying, "Come on, I've waited all these years for just a piece of control, and now you come in and take it away?" After only a few days of guarded eating, Isis was rejuvenated and returned to her alpha position, eating in peace without disturbances from Napi, after re-establishing her dominance. Honestly, I believe this event is what gave Isis her last good weeks... Living as a dominant animal, full of spunk and filled with pride, when this position was taken away, it left Isis without herself. When she was reestablished, it seemed that her inner-spirit was replenished and she was given life again.

Toward the end, we all became sorrowfully aware that Isis's spice was all that was keeping her alive as her health depleted and body began to cause her more and more pain. It seemed that her relationship with Napi was all that was keeping her, and the life that she was giving herself because of this was not fulfilling. We moved Napi next door with Shunka, allowing Isis to leave us in peace. We all took some time to discuss things with Isis. And each of us in our own way told her that it was okay to let go now. Two days after Napi's move, after much pampering and attention, Isis passed away peacefully in the night.

Canine deaths are not always a pretty sight. In my work at other shelters, with my own animals, and my experiences I've seen here, I've seen that the last moments of an animal's life can often leave them with aneurysms, convulsions, or other not-so-pleasant side effects. Isis was found with a peaceful smile on her face.. As though she simply laid down, let one breath out and said goodbye, completely sure of herself, and her time being well spent.

There are many, many stories that Isis has left behind, filled with the passion and wild spirit that these animals cannot help but express. Although we have all shed tears at her loss, one thing is always true when one of our animals pass away: Only in death can these animals, forced into captivity, let their wild spirits roam freely.