Dakota has a truly remarkable story. He is from Morocco, a little town called Azemmour beside the Atlantic Ocean. In fact, that is where we found him in 2020, a tiny puppy abandoned without food or fresh water and utterly terrified. Below is a video of that very first encounter.
So how did a stray pup from Morocco end up living on a volcano in Costa Rica? Well, the core values instilled in us even when we are not operating a sanctuary would never, ever allow us to leave any animal behind. Especially in a place as hostile to strays and all animals as Azemmour, Morocco. After the pandemic, our Site Director and her partner arranged for the export of six dogs and ten cats from Morocco to the U.S. Some of them traveled on to Costa Rica, as they were not ideal candidates for adoption and needed expert care from the professionals who rescued them.
Street dogs in Morocco are nearly feral. They are very unlike the friendly, socialized street dogs of Costa Rica. In addition, the domestic dogs they descend from were bred for aggressive traits, and Dakota showed many of them. That is, until he escaped our yard here on the farm (before it was securely fenced) and chased a motorcycle. The motorcycle struck him and Dakota suffered a blunt force head injury. It blinded his right eye and damage to several cranial nerves causes a permanent droop in his right ear.
Still, Dakota seemed headed for recovery despite the new challenges…until two weeks after the accident, when he licked a cane toad.
Cane toads are an invasive species that are not only two or three times as large as “normal” toads, but two or three times as deadly. They secrete a toxin that, when it comes in contact with mucous membranes of the mouth, nose, and eyes, can disable a large dog in seconds, and depending on the amount ingested, can kill a dog within minutes.
Almost immediately after pawing and biting a cane toad on our doorstep, Dakoto began having grand mal seizures that lasted more than twenty-four hours, back to back, with scarcely a break between them. Veterinary intervention saved his life, but because of the oxygen deprivation caused by such violent and persistent seizure activity, his personality changed forever.
At the vet!
Gone are his aggressive tendencies, Instead, we’re having to rehabilitate a dog who is afraid of his own shadow, who sometimes forgets who he is and where he is. This means he may bite with cornered or provoked, so we must handle him with care. In spite of this, on his good days, Dakota lives a very happy life and plays well with his friends in the pack. He still barks at motorcycles from behind the safety of our fence and he chases butterflies. On his bad days, we give him space and let him sleep away the hours until he feels better. For all he’s been through, Dakota is a very good boy. We are very thankful that in spite of all the drama in his life, he is still here to enjoy the jungle life with us.