UNION, Ore. — Lance Shoemaker suspected that something was wrong late Saturday afternoon when he drove up with his family to their home on Highway 203, 2 1/2 miles east of Union.
His family’s 7-year-old female border collie, Ruby, didn’t come out to greet the Shoemakers.
“She always runs out to see us,” Shoemaker said.
The family was mystified, but not for long. The Shoemakers found Ruby on their front doorstep bleeding and badly injured.
“I have never seen a dog that badly torn up in my life,” Lance Shoemaker said.
The family immediately took Ruby to a veterinarian in La Grande. The border collie appeared to be recovering but died Monday. Shoemaker believes it is very likely that an attack by wolves was responsible for the death of his family’s dog.
Shoemaker said he does not know of any other way to explain why his family’s border collie was so badly injured. He has considered the possibility that she was attacked by coyotes but believes this is unlikely. Shoemaker noted that he grew up in the Tri Cities area, where he said there are many more coyotes than in Union County. He has seen many dogs who had been attacked by coyotes as a result.
“I honestly had never seen a dog who that was that beat up,” Shoemaker said of Ruby.
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is now investigating the attack. It plans to soon release a report on the attack, said ODFW biologist Leonard Erickson.
Shoemaker believes that had Ruby been pursued by coyotes, she would have been able to outrun them.
“She was the fastest dog I have ever owned. She could have easily out-run coyotes, but I don’t think she could have outrun a pack of wolves,” Shoemaker said.
Shoemaker said the type of bites Ruby received indicates that the border collie was attacked by more than one animal.
Shoemaker does not believe that any dogs near his home attacked Ruby. He noted that all of the dogs near his home are friendly with one another.
Shoemaker said that, unlike many border collies, Ruby had a relaxed, calm demeanor. She was a loving dog who was not easily irritated.
Lance Shoemaker and his wife, Stephanie, are the parents of five children, ages 4 to 12. Lance said he is worried about the safety of his children following the attack on the family dog.
