Dog attacks still a problem in Taos
A violent dog attack occurred earlier this month as two tourists returned to their lodging at the Mabel Dodge Luhan House around 2:30 p.m. Nov. 5.
Scottsdale, Ariz. artist Madeline Smidt, 80, said she and her husband were walking down Morada Lane when a dog, which she identified as a pit bull, charged them. The animal circled the couple and bit Smidt’s leg, she said. She added that the dog came from a nearby resident’s front yard, where more dogs were gathered, noting that the dog that attacked her was not bound by a leash.
The couple returned to their lodging, dialed 911, and Smidt was subsequently admitted to Holy Cross Medical Center. Because the dog’s rabies vaccination status was not known, Smidt had to undergo rabies treatment immediately; physicians told her the wound could not immediately be sutured due to risk of infection.
Smidt eventually returned to Scottsdale, where she underwent further medical treatment for her injuries, and is due to receive vacuum assisted closure (VAC) treatment to close the wound.
Taos police investigated the incident and determined the dog was not a stray, according to Smidt, who said it had been two years since the animal’s owner had kept up with the dog’s annual rabies vaccinations. Because of this, the victim was required to receive four additional rabies shots. As of this week, Smidt had undergone the full course of her rabies treatment.
Smidt is known by her family to be an athlete. A marathon runner and avid tennis player, Smidt was described as being in top physical condition for her age. Now she fears her days of 5K runs and lap swimming have come to an end.
“I feel like my life is over,” Smidt said. “I’m a very healthy person, and that all changed from one minute to the next.”
According to Smidt’s daughter, Stephanie Sherman, it will take at least three months for her mother’s leg to fully heal. Sherman said that, while the attack was reported to the authorities (a dispatch log received by the Taos News confirmed the report), she felt little action was taken. The dog is currently with its owner and not allowed to leave the property, Sherman said, adding that the owner was unaware of the situation when it occurred.
Taos Police Chief John Wentz had not responded to requests for comment for this story as of press time Wednesday (Nov. 16), nor did Taos County Animal Control.
Taos County has had a string of dog attacks in recent years, but unlike the animal that attacked Smidt, most incidents have been related to stray dogs. According to Liam Hughes, executive director at Stray Hearts in Taos, the local stray dog population is out of control, with its numbers rising rapidly.
According to Hughes, one reason for the rise in Taos County’s stray population is related to the COVID-19 pandemic, when many spay and neuter clinics halted their services, leading to an increase in feral animals which quickly went beyond the control of organizations like Stray Hearts. Not only did clinics pause their services, but like other industries, shelters are still experiencing scarcity in resources and staff.
Hughes added that there is a lack of education surrounding topics of neutering and feral animals.
“There is a big problem here in the county,” Hughes said, “and it’s going to take a large effort and multiple agencies to figure out a solution.”
For many in Taos, the mention of dog attacks brings to mind Kay Torres, who was killed by a pack of dogs near Taos Pueblo in 2020. According to Hughes, dog packs can be particularly unpredictable. Some may be harmless, but others can be hostile. Taos Pueblo is working with Stray Hearts to crack down on its stray dog population, and a two-dog-per-household ordinance was established for Pueblo residents in an effort to increase public safety.
Taos’s specific procedures for handling dog attacks is unclear, and it is one of the many New Mexico municipalities without a leash law.