Wolf-Dog Returns Home After Florida Floods

When record rains pummeled the Tampa Bay area earlier this week, people weren’t the only ones displaced from their homes courtesy of rising flood waters.

Akela, a 3-year-old domestic dog and wolf mix breed, on Monday managed to escape his enclosure at the HorsePower for Kids petting zoo off Tampa’s Racetrack Road. Akela’s disappearance prompted a two-day search that left the farm’s staff “heart broken.”

The nonprofit organization took to its Facebook page asking fans to keep an eye out for the gentle giant.

“Yesterday our lake got flooded and washed the dirt from under our wolf enclosure,” the organization explained on Tuesday. “One of them escaped. We have spent the last two days looking for it.”

There was an urgency behind the plea for fans to share pictures of the missing wolf-dog on Facebook to assist in the critter’s recovery.

“If the shelter gets it, they will put him down,” the nonprofit noted. “They’re non-adoptable.”

Akela and his brother, Legend, came to live on the farm via a rescue about three years ago. He was a 6-month-old pup at the time.

“He is loved here and well taken care of,” the post continued.

Akela, it seems, agreed.

The critter strolled right back into his enclosure on Thursday morning, HorsePower reported. That was after another full night of looking for him. The nonprofit credits Steve Scanlon from Hillsborough County Animal Services for help in tracking him down.

As for the folks at the farm, they couldn’t be happier.

“It’s a great day at HorsePower for Kids. Akela is back in his enclosure with his brother,” the nonprofit’s Facebook page read Thursday morning.

Record rain fall was logged in the Tampa Bay area in June. More storms over the weekend led to flooding in some parts of the Bay with additional foul weather complicating matters on Monday.

For more information about HorsePower for Kids, visit its website.

Photo courtesy of HorsePower for Kids