Ignore the Loose Dog Roaming Fort Collins, He’s in ‘Survival Mode’
A few days ago he was sighted in the parking lot at the Foothills Mall. Last night he was spotted at Magnolia and Canyon in Old Town. This poor black and white cattle dog is powering through his second severely cold snowstorm on the streets of Fort Collins.
If you follow Fort Collins neighborhood social media posts, then you have seen lots of mentions about the loose black and white dog in the last 2 weeks. Somewhere in the comments, you will see a poster that says "do not chase, in survival mode". Lots of questions come up. However, there are few answers.
Let me start off by saying no one has reported this dog missing. Therefore, no one knows where it came from, what its name is, or what's its history is. He is not wearing a collar and runs in the opposite direction of any human trying to approach him.
A volunteer group called Redneck Rescue Animal Recovery Service, easier referred to as RRARS, has stepped up to try and get this dog to safety. They are tracking all the sightings.
I spoke with the people at RRARS and they said "unfortunately, this dog has gone into what is called “survival mode,” when a dog resorts to its primal instincts and feels that all humans, even his owner, are a threat. The dog feels he must go into “flight” mode and rely only on himself for survival. A dog in survival mode is so wary and fearful of humans that he will not approach a person, and 99% of the time, the only way the dog can be safely caught is in a humane trap."
When a dog is in survival mode you are literally supposed to ignore him, otherwise, he will change his travel patterns which makes it hard to determine good locations for traps. So, how can you help? Spread the word about this dog's situation and this post with the numbers to call/text.
If anyone sees this dog, they are asked to ignore him and call Larimer Humane Society at 970-226-3647 ext. 7 and text or call Mala of RRARS at 970-391-4821 to report the sighting.