Avalanche Happy Tail Page

UPDATE June 05, 2005: It is with extreme sadness that we report that our beautiful Avalanche has been shot & killed by a neighbor in Jack County. Avalanche made the mistake of straying on to the this person's property while working his self-appointed sweep for predators one evening. This magnificent dog, who loved all other animals & guarded the cats & other livestock against predators, strayed on to the property of a man who has no livestock or animals of his own. This person exercised his lawful right to shoot him as he stood on his property. We have no recourse against this person under Texas law - only God can pass judgment & exact a penalty from this person who deliberately shot & killed this innocent animal as he stood in his field.

Avalanche no doubt now has a large group of God's creatures to ride herd over as he awaits those of us who loved him. We can only pray that his passing to the Bridge was quick & without suffering.

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UPDATE 3-29-2005: Avalanche has been ADOPTED!! Avalanche & Teddy, another young Great White who has now recovered from a gunshot wound, have been adopted as brothers. They have joined the security team at Kitty Haven, patrolling the property at night & keeping the coyotes & other predators away from the 300 or so cats & other live stock that live there. Avalanche is now happy & is at "home".

He was on a chain that was attached to the piers of a double wide structure. He had probably been there for most of his life. The chain had been twisted and he only had enough room to get under the trailer and the length of his body out. If it rained he could get under the trailer but he had to lie in water. He was very protective and could not be approached. It was necessary to get sedatives into him via a pole syringe in order to be able to approach him. We had to cut the rusted chain with bolt cutters & cut a harness off to free him.

Avalanche has been treated for whipworms & hookworms & neutered by our vet, Dr. Paul Lillard, DVM in Jacksboro, Texas. He tested Heartworm Positive & has now been treated for them.

Avalanche will need time & lots of TLC in addition to his medical treatment before he is once again the loving, trusting animal that his breed is by nature. He is young and strong so his prognosis for a full recovery is good.