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Date:         Tue, 3 Sep 2002 21:39:45 -0500
Reply-To:     John Rodgers <j_rodgers@CHARTER.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Rodgers <j_rodgers@CHARTER.NET>
Subject:      Re: dogs to alaska?
Comments: To: Zapvw@AOL.COM
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

If your dog is a small lap-yap (of course you have labs - but this is for the benefit of the small dog folk) you have to be careful of the large birds in certain areas. Really tiny dogs are in danger from owls and eagles. If you get down to Homer, Alaska you are bound to hear the story of the lady tourister that let her white toy poodle out of the car for just a moment to take a pee, when an eagle swooped, drove sharp talons through the dog killing it almost instantly and flew away with it. She could only watch horrified as the bird went to dinner.

I didn't have dogs when I lived on the Kenai, but I did have cants, and I can't begin to tell how many cats I have lost to the owls. I had one lucky cat, though. Late one afternoon I was out and the cat was just following a bit like they are wont to do sometimes, when an owl swoops and nails him. Got about 15 feet in the air before I could find cut loose with a rock at the owl. Got close enough with the rock to startle the owl enough to drop the cat. That cat hit the ground running for the house, and would not go back outside, no matter what. Pretty sick cat for a time. Nasty puncture wounds. But they did heal evenutally. Cat finally did disappear one night. Figure an owl finally got him.

So, Folk, when in Alaska, enjoy The Great Land, but pay attention to what is going on around you. When driving, especially down on the Kenai Peninsuala, watch out for moose. They can be in the road in an instant. And if you see a cow moose (the big ones WITHOUT the horns) trot across the road .... slow way down for Petes sake. She most likely has one calf and in many cases two. And when it comes to road crossing they seem to always wait in the brush until Mama gets completely across the road, then as soon as they lose sight of her in the pucker brush, they get all nervous and bolt out on the highway to get across and catchup with mom. Thats when a lot of calves are killed and cars wrecked up. Touristers don't realize that aspect of moose behavior. And a two - year old calf is almost as big as Mama. Remember, thse things are as big at least as cattle, but on taller legs, and because of those taller legs they tend to go through windshields. Can you imagine a domesticated cow coming through your windshield???

Also, people get into as much trouble with moose as bears. A cow moose with a calf is a dangerous animal, and she can trample you to death in a heart beat. There is no way you can stand up to her, so DO NOT attempt to get close to one of the critters. They may resemble the domestic horse in someways but they are a long way from it. They are big wild animals.

And of course everybody knows to give bears a wide berth.

John Rodgers 88 GL Driver Former Kenai Peninsula Resident

Andy Zappe wrote:

> anyone have input on whether to take the dogs to ak? two labs, just didn't > know if i would be asking for trouble while camping, ie, other animals coming > around, etc. > > andy > 80 vanagon L > 85 westy


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