In Memory of Shaka

Mornings are the hardest, now that our “Littlest Wolf” is no longer here. Making the bed has become a chore once again, instead of the joy it was when she was here. Shaka slept on the floor next to our bed, it was really hers’ but she allowed Frank and me to use it during the night. As the sun would rise, this golden ray of sunshine would wait impatiently; tail wagging so fast and furious her entire back end would wag with it. She was waiting for her humans to get up and off of her bed. After all, it was morning and the bed was hers again, you could see it in her eyes, “hurry up lazy humans, get up, get up!”

The anticipation would build as we attempted to pull up the sheets and covers. Shaka would run into the living room, smiling and knowing that she couldn't wait for us to finish this silly human process of bed making. Frank and I hardly ever completed making the bed before this happy, joyful bundle of love would be flying through the air and throw herself on it, demanding tummy rubs. “Shaka Boom, what are you doing?” Roll, growl, dig in the covers. “Silly Littlest Wolf”, rub the tummy, get wolf kisses, and play. “Shaka Boom, what are you?” “WOOF” she would answer. “What are you?’ we would ask again. “WOOF”, she would repeat, as she would dig and jump and roll over again. Shaka would continue this game and make us smile and laugh no matter what mood we humans were in.

Shaka is the reason Wolf exists, she was the first. At three months of age, she was going to be euthanized. Her owners, though well meaning, believed she would grow up to be a biter because of a particular behavior she exhibited. This behavior is what we call the lick, lick, bite or “Wolfie Kisses.” It is a wolf greeting, a way of saying “hello”, the way wolves would great each other in the wild. It would be like you and I meeting for the first time and shaking hands. Shaka was very good at saying hello when her humans returned home from work and school, too good. The humans became afraid, believing the fairy tales about wolves. They contacted us and asked us to take her so they would not have to destroy her. Take her we did and the rest as they say is history.

It is because of Shaka that we took the time to understand the plight of wolf dogs, to learn about the horrors that these sentient beings were experiencing. Shaka is the reason for our awakening, the reason we established Wolf, the reason we gave up life as we knew it to help these wonderful wild creatures. Even though Shaka did not look like a wolf as we know them, she had enough wolf genes to act like one.

We have lost many of our friends as their time grows to an end on this planet and people always ask us, “How do you handle loosing them?” We tell them, “we grieve as you would for a loved one, and then try to remember the life they had at Wolf and celebrate that life.”

Even though our mornings will never be the same, now that our “Littlest Wolf” is no longer with us, we will carry her memory with us for the remainder of our lives. Thank you Shaka, for teaching us what is truly important in life.

Shaka passed away from Gastric Adenocarcinoma, a form of stomach cancer, on April 20, 2004. Shaka was surrounded by people and wolves that loved her, she was eleven years young.

Shaka's Legacy
(A Volunteers Prospective)

My name is Shaka or, as I’m affectionately called by staff and many of the Volunteers who know me well, Shaka Boom. Mama Wolf calls me her littlest wolf. One of my new friends thinks of me as Shuku instead of Shaka, as Shuku means; the first one or the original. Here is my tail...errr...tale…

I was born in December of 1993 and once I was weaned from my mother, my new family came and took me home. Mind you, I am a wolf-dog though I really don’t look like one at first glance. Within a few short weeks, my new family began to fear me and that I would become a mean and vicious dog. They did not understand me. All I was trying to do was show them affection in the only way I knew how. I would race up to them and then lick, lick, bite on their chins. They mistook what would equate to hug and a kiss by another human as being a potentially dangerous animal. They were my Alpha’s and I only wanted to show them respect and affection. Because of this misunderstanding they were going to have me destroyed. All this by the time I was three months of age. Pat and Frank heard of this and made arrangements to save me and gave me a new home with other types of dogs they already had. I was to be their first wolf-dog and they began to learn all they could about those like me and pure wolves. Soon, they had more wolf-dogs in their care. Eventually, they became known as the ones to call for a home for unwanted wolves and wolf-dogs. In a way, I think my nickname is very appropriate as I caused a BOOM... for them with all the additional animals. They needed more room and purchased 180+ acres in order to provide us a better place to live, in a more natural setting in the mountains of Colorado, where they co-founded W.O.L.F. (Wolves Offered Life and Friendship). On a sad note, the county will only allow them to utilize 5 acres for us and have a maximum of 30 animals.

Over the years, my Alpha's, Pat and Frank rescued unknown numbers of wolves and wolf-dogs, either taking them to Wolf, placing them in foster homes until proper permanent homes could be found and aiding other sanctuaries and rescues. Many of these wolves and wolf-dogs were either abandoned, abused, starved, owner surrendered or in need of a new home from another sanctuary. I would see many wolves making their home in the numerous enclosures around me and within my own house pack and see many of them die due to old age, disease or other natural causes.

Thanks to my Alpha's love and dedication to all of the wolves and wolf-dogs everywhere, countless numbers have been saved and have been able to live out a full life in a good home with love and friendship. Although I have never had any pups of my own, in a way, I have given life to countless wolves and wolf-dogs through the work of my Alpha's which might never have occurred if not for their rescuing me.

I have a very sweet and loving disposition, always ready to give kisses and snuggle. I would become one of the house pack and spend my life very happily in the mountains in a beautiful valley. One of my duties, which I very much enjoyed doing, was being an ambassador wolf for some of the educational programs which Wolf sponsors. Through me, many people now have a better idea of the many problems facing both wolves and wolf-dogs and what they can do to help us all. Fewer people will misunderstand us and know why we are so rarely seen in the wild as we have learned humans are dangerous to us even more than bears and big cats.

I lived with few problems until the last month of my life when I began to vomit a lot. My Alpha's tried everything they could to find out what was wrong but nothing showed up in any tests and none of the treatments worked. An endoscope was done, to figure out the problem. I had developed stomach cancer and was now unable to eat. I was ready to move on to my next life. I knew that soon, I would be running with those who had left this life and be there to help guide those which pass early in their life, such as Ozzie who passed away unexpectedly mere hours before me on the same day.

Many people, in their own ways let me know what was to come. Many of my human friends came to see me and spend time with me on the day of my passing. Some stopped by briefly and others remained beside or on the bed surrounding me, touching me, letting me feel their love and sorrow. My vet, Jim, who always took the time to make me feel good and special, made my final letting go of this life a gentle and peaceful one on April 20th, 2004. Just as I drew in my last breathe of this life all of my wolf friends here at the Wolf sanctuary said good-bye to me with a brief howl in unison. It was the last sound I heard…AAAARRRRRROOOOOOOOO

Please do not mourn my passing, but instead, mourn for all the wolf-dogs who can not be saved to have a safe, happy and loving home as I did for eleven years. By the way, few believe that I was eleven, instead thinking me to be 5-7 for my looks and attitudes.

My love to all of the staff and volunteers and friends I met at the programs and seminars I attended. My deepest love to Pat and Frank for making this all possible by saving my life when I was a small, helpless puppy. Without your love and friendship, I would not have had all the wonderful years I did.

The Author’s Comments:
Shaka is a very special wolf deserving of the highest respect we all can give her. Because of her, untold numbers of wolves and wolf-dogs are being saved annually. Thanks to her inspiration, everyone from small children to adults learn the truth about wolves and why there should be no breeding by humans of wolf-dogs and captive pure wolves, and about the harm done to the environment by not stopping the hunting of wolves and about helping wild born wolves to live wild and free as wolves are meant to be. The biggest number of wolves and wolf-dogs saved are all the future individuals who will never be born into this world thanks to the work done and the education and information made available by Pat and Frank and all the countless individuals and businesses who donate their money, time and energies to Wolf and other sanctuaries everywhere.

Written for Shaka by D. Turner

A personal note from Pat, Frank, Staff and Volunteers:
We have dedicated this newsletter to Shaka because her loss has had a profound effect on us all. We will return to our normal format with the Summer Newsletter.