Dogs abandoned near Doris Creek up for adoption
Rob Berryhill, a Flathead County Animal Shelter Keeper, visits with some of the husky-mix pups that were abandoned up the Hungry Horse Reservoir last month. (Chris Peterson photo)
Several of the dogs left abandoned up the Hungry Horse Reservoir a few weeks ago are now up for adoption.
Five of the dogs are currently available for new homes, including four 7-month-old pups. The pups are a rambunctious, but friendly lot and are currently biding their time at the Flathead County Animal Shelter.
The father of the pups also is up for adoption, said Cliff Bennett, shelter director.
The remaining 12 dogs are still in quarantine and being held as evidence. Flathead County Sheriff's Office detectives continue to track down who abandoned the dogs on or about Sept. 24.
All told, 18 dogs — all of them husky or husky mixes — were left near Doris Creek. A woman shot one of the dogs, claiming on social media that she thought it was a wolf.
The killing sparked national and international outcry. The story made the rounds on national networks like TMZ and overseas news outlets like the Daily Mail of London, many of which featured photographs of her posing with the skinned animal lifted from social media websites.
Bennett has been director of the animal shelter for 13 years. He said this is not the first case of animal abandonment in his tenure. He recalled one incident where 50 huskies were abandoned several years ago.
The animal shelter has been taking care of the Doris Creek dogs for the past several weeks.
The dogs are currently posted on the shelter’s website as being available, but Bennett noted that appointments to meet the animals already are being scheduled. During an appointment, the dog is taken into the yard so the prospective owner can play with it and see if it will get along with other pets in the household.
These dogs, being huskies, need large homes and lots of exercise. They’re brimming with energy.
“Huskies like to run,” Bennett noted. “You don’t want them for an apartment dog.”
As for the remaining dogs, Bennett said they hope to release them in a couple of weeks or so.
All adopted dogs come with all their vaccinations, are spayed or neutered and implanted with a microchip so that if they are lost, they can be tracked down and returned to the rightful owner.
There is a fee to adopt a dog.
For more information or to schedule an appointment go to: https://flathead.mt.gov/department-directory/animal. Then click on “adoptable pets.”