Casey: A conservation canine love story

February 8, 2022 In News

While I was working on my book Conservation Canines: How Dogs Work for the Environment, I was lucky to meet extraordinary dogs and their human partners. One of the most profound experiences while spending time with the individuals who work alongside conservation canines was to witness the powerful, loving, long-lasting bond between them and the dogs.

Among many stories to share, is the one of Wirehaired Jack Russell Terrier Casey. He was rescued from the Kitsap Humane Society by the Conservation Canines Program of the University of Washington in 2008.

Casey’s story is not unique. Many of the conservation canines featured in my book are surrendered to shelters by their owners and do not have any hope of getting adopted. Yet, their intense energy, obsession with play, and ability to focus and communicate make them ideal conservation canines that assist in wildlife missions.

Julianne and Casey

Since he became a conservation canine, Casey has had many adventures, working for conservation with his human pack.

For example he helped researchers in San Diego locate the tiny, elusive Pacific pocket mouse that was once thought to be extinct. Casey also worked as an ambassador for the Conservation Canine Program, visiting classrooms and participating at speaking events.

Now, Casey is about 15 years old, or maybe a little older, and lives with Julianne Ubigau, his long-time human partner. Julianne recently shared with me a very beautiful message of love for her “little guy”:

Casey has had a very important role in our little team. He is like our tiny alter ego: a constant reminder that you don’t have to always do what you’re told. This little guy mastered the art of not giving a damn a long time ago. And still… we love him deeply. 

 

Casey’s way of life is simple and noble:

 

Julianne and Casey hiking together

He is stubborn: if you ask him to do something, you can trust he will only do it if he thinks he should. How can you not respect that?

 

He is confident: he doesn’t think he’s small, so he is not misled by the notion that he must protect himself or prove himself to anyone. 

 

He is chill: his fearlessness means he’s not going to get rattled by the world. Trust issues don’t exist here, so it’s always safe to nap. 🙂

 

Casey is totally blind and deaf now. He has been this way for about a year. With many dogs, you take sight and hearing away and they feel vulnerable, scared, and stressed. Casey doesn’t seem to mind at all. He still pops up and bumbles his way into the kitchen when he smells popcorn cooking, and he still takes off into the woods when he smells a deer.

 

The only difference now is that doesn’t get far before a cabinet or shrub gently redirects his line of travel. His grown-out wiry hair makes him look like an old toothbrush and his navigational techniques resemble a slow-moving rumba. But he doesn’t seem to care. He’s still set in his old ways and he still seems to know exactly where he wants to go. 🙂

 

I am truly grateful that I got to meet this little guy and celebrate all the great things he did for conservation. Thank you Julianne for sharing your love for Casey. It is a gift for all of us, and a real celebration of the profound and ancestral bond that exists between people and dogs.

 

Conservation Canines: How Dogs Work for the Environment is available for purchase from Orca Books, your favourite independent bookstore, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and any other online bookseller wherever you are in the world.

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