Alba – Death of an Ambassador
Alba – Death of an Ambassador
1999 – 2010
It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Alba our European alpha male who leaves two sisters Latea and Lunca behind. Over the past four and a half years Alba had coped with a severe disability due to an accident in which he fractured a vertebra in his neck and sustained other injuries while playing in the enclosure. This led to stresses and strains on his body not least the spondylosis in his spine which finally caused full paralysis in his hind legs. On the morning of Saturday 23rd January we found him unable to stand and his right hind leg, which until that day had been the stronger of the two hind legs, was not functioning. The vet was called and a decision was made by senior handlers that Alba had suffered enough and that it was kinder to let him go. Alba made that decision easy for us as all the spirit had gone out of him, he didn’t even growl at the vet as he approached but lay calmly, surrounded by those he loved in a quiet spot in the enclosure. His sisters sat close at hand just on the other side of the holding pen fence. He passed away quietly and we are thankful for that. Latea and Lunca were lead in to say their goodbyes. Lunca took some minutes sniffing her brother but Latea avoided his broken body and instead went seeking reassurance from the handlers, going from one to another before walking away.
Over the past year Alba’s hind left leg had become increasingly unstable due to partial paralysis. The arthritis in his spine had also advanced which affected his ability to move around more and more. To counteract this as much as possible his medication doses had been increased and he received anabolic steroid injections to maintain muscle mass. He was monitored closely by the UKWCT team and our vets. Even though Alba was entering his eleventh year and walked with a pronounced wobble due to his injury, he was still a very impressive wolf. At times when he was standing still, focused on a distant object, you could see glimmers of his former self. He was proud, strong minded and loyal to those he liked and intimidating to those he didn’t. Alba enjoyed life to the full and was always determined in the face of adversity. When out walking with the handlers, if he stumbled or tripped he would get back up and keep walking. Although he wasn’t as strong physically as he had been before the injury he made up for it in determination and spirit. Even though Alba was disabled he still loved to play. Early in the morning he and Latea were often seen leaping around, spinning and jumping away from each other. Even on the evening of the 22nd January at a howl night event he had impressed everyone with his show of dominance and soulful howl.
Alba was only the second captive wolf that we know of worldwide to have been successfully rehabilitated from a spinal injury. He was nursed for eight weeks by volunteers who used numerous methods to bring him back to health. As far as we know he is the only wolf to have received hydrotherapy for example. For the last four and a half years he has received every care we could possibly give him but we were always fighting a losing battle as there is no pill to rebuild a broken, worn out body. We are grateful that Alba didn’t suffer and that it was quick at the end. We always feared we would come in one day to find his hind quarters fully paralysed and that is exactly what happened. We are all grateful for the extra time we have had with Alba but he will be missed by all that knew him.
Article created on: 24 Jan 2010