Patience and Love Equal Transition

So many of you have been following the story of LOKI. The Sole surviving pup, one of 23 seized in a 2010 hoarding case in Canada’s Arctic.

Many of you are also followers of Loki on his Face Book page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Friends-of-LOKI-Sole-Survivor/188340937903082

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Friends-of-LOKI-Sole-Survivor/188340937903082?id=188340937903082&sk=photos_stream

During the years that I spent with LOKI, on his terms, in his domain, you can only imagine the fear and anxiety I felt each day that I would venture out looking for him. The question always in the back of my mind (would this be the day that I could not find him, or that he would not come to me when I used our signal)? There were those days that my heart was in my throat, because I could not find him, because he did not come. The search would then be on and I would keep going out at all hours of that day to find him. There were times that he would totally disappear for days, and at those times my fears flourished in nightmarish visions of him suffering, laying perhaps in a leg trap, perhaps dying a slow death from poison or from a fatal gunshot.

The mind has a wonderful way of conjuring such images, removing sleep from ones agenda and instilling sheer panic…motivating one to go to extremes in their search attempts.

Three years, each and every day, no matter what time of day, no matter what weather conditions, that is the life I lead. Now that life has taken a term for the better and LOKI is home, safe, loved and protected with my family. Gone for me now, is the daily anxiety and fear as well as the horrible anger I carried for so long. Replaced with a calm and renewed commitment to ensure that LOKI remains healthy, happy and strong in his new life.

Despite him now living with my family, his new pack, diligence is on the agenda each and every day to ensure his safety. Multiple leashes are used when we go for our daily walks, a necessity to ensure that he remains connected to my person. No risks can ever be taken for him to break away as catching him again would be a monumental task if not impossible…and it could mean his death.

Some individuals have questioned as to why he has not been placed within a sanctuary…..to those who have asked…research was done by myself and my closest followers on just that. Did you know that there are approximately 250,000 + WD in sanctuaries across North America. That most of these sanctuaries are full. It is a sad commentary that they are, that they continue to have to rescue and save these beautiful creatures.

LOKI and I, through our three years of contact, on his terms, in his domain shared something very special…Patience….with each other. Through this Patience was born Trust, Respect and Understanding. Never, ever did I force him to do anything, all was by his own Choice and his Choice alone. From the very first time that he allowed me to approach him when he was a youngster, to his eventual responding to our secret signal, to his showing me the whereabouts of his secret hiding places, secret stashes of the many toys and blankets I would bring to him, even to taking me to and allowing me to enter into his winter dens…..all has been by his Choice.

It takes a great deal of time to win the Trust, Respect and Understanding of an animal, more so from one that had never known the kindness of a gentle touch. It takes a great deal of Patience and an unwavering Commitment from both parties to develop that form of relationship. LOKI took the time, offered his Patience and his Acceptance to me. The Bond that developed over those three years grew stronger each and every day, and it is that Bond born of Love that has allowed him to Transition as gracefully as he has to his new life.

From the moment that LOKI decided to and took that first step into my home, his life changed as did my own and that of my family. Admittedly it was difficult for him at first, new sights, new smells, new dogs and cats to get acquainted with and of course another human, my mother. His nervousness was evident and understandable, his Patience was again required. He did not fail in this. He tolerated ear scratches, nose rubs and gentle touching….now he looks for it and quite enjoys the attention….often coming silently up behind us and poking us with his nose to say ‘I am here’. He sleeps in front of the fire, on soft pet beds, after long evening walks on cold nights, he lounges where it is warm and safe and sleeps beside my Hemi on beds in my own bedroom. He no longer wonders where and when his next warm meal will come from, nor where he can find shelter from winter storms, freezing rain and powerful winds. I will never again find him huddled in a tiny ball, soaked to the skin and looking terribly cold and forlorn, pitiful in fact.

A Promise which I made to him over three years ago has been kept, and now through the Patience, Trust, Respect, Understanding, Bond and the Love we share, LOKI will live out his days without fear, without harassment, without the dangers that faced him each and every day of his life in his first years.

He is one of the lucky ones, and it breaks my hear to know that there remain so many others out there that are not so lucky…so despite the diminished anger, I still do get angry when I become aware of those that could not be helped in time.

We must all do our part to end the relentless suffering, both at home and around the world.