Farewell Midnight

Far too much grief has plagued our Northerner’s pack during their lives. In January 2024, our hearts were broken as we lost another beautiful member of their family: Midnight. She had weathered so much at an early age and we were just beginning to really get to know her when heart failure stole her from us. Midnight was gorgeous, curious, and confident, and it is still hard to believe that she is no longer with us.

In 2019, we rescued a family of gray wolves from a zoo in Quebec that was being investigated for cruelty and neglect of their animals. We called them the Northerners. When they arrived, they were in rough shape – they were malnourished and had parasites, but the biggest concern was their mental state. They were clearly traumatized. We spent countless hours slowly bringing them back to health. Over time, they began to feel better and after several months of treatments and gentle care, they finally began to recover. It was then that we began to truly get to know them.

Midnight was one of the first of the four to start to feel more comfortable. She would move around the enclosure when we came in to bring their supper or clean their area. She never came close but would clack her teeth in warning. When the family was finally well enough to move to their own forest territory, Midnight immediately took charge. She was strong and brave and she would come close to the fence to investigate if any caretakers or groundskeepers came near. She was the first to come over at mealtimes and she was always the most confident when investigating any human activity nearby. In the afternoons, she would often lay atop her hill with her family close by. Mazikeen will miss her greatly, as will all who had the privilege of knowing her.

Midnight showed no signs of illness or injury prior to her passing. Since she was fairly young and appeared healthy, we requested a necropsy to determine what may have caused her sudden death. The report indicated that the cause of death was congestive heart failure due to chronic degenerative valve disease. While a disease like this is typically found in more senior animals, Midnight may have been genetically predisposed to such a condition. Fate unfairly stole her from us at far too young an age and we continue to miss her inquisitive gaze as we pass by her enclosure.

It was an honor to get to know Midnight and her family for the past four years. Though it was far too short a time, we were grateful to have had an opportunity to truly see Midnight thrive during her time with us. She was so strong to have overcome such hard circumstances early in her life and to grow into such a brave, confident wolf. We mourn her passing, but we know that she found joy and peace here among her family.

Farewell Midnight. We will greatly miss your steady, strong spirit and we will hold the memory of your elegant soul forever in our hearts.

IN LOVING MEMORY MIDNIGHT OF SPEEDWELL
Born EST. 2017, Rescued July 2019, Died January 18, 2024