08/09/2022
Yesterday, we lost an icon, and I can’t believe I have to write a eulogy now for my big special oaf as well, but I had to say goodbye to Dowa. He was eleven years young, gone way too soon. Yaks are supposed to live up to 30 years in a domesticated environment. Now there is yak sized hole in my heart and there will be soon to be in your hearts too I’m afraid.
The first time I saw Dowa was before I even knew his name and the rest of the herd’s names, it was on a beautiful day on May 28th, 2011. Only later we met the Holders who recently bought the property next door to my father’s house in Crawford. I was in such awe seeing these majestic large animals, with high arching horns, and long flowing hair. Their devotion to each other and how different they behaved compared to everyday cows.
That first encounter with that special white calf would take me on a journey I would never forget and learned that the beauty of the yak goes beyond its exotic appearance.
When I spent more time with Dowa and his herd, he grew and grew. During his eight years on the Holder ranch, he became a giant, both in body and in presence. Just like what his name meant in Tibetan, Moon. Though I never got to weigh him, I believe that in his prime, he probably weighed over 1,000 pounds, but it was his personality that made the biggest impression.
When he was weaned from his wild and dangerous mom he could finally connect with his human friends, and from then on Dowa and I had a special bond that was beginning to form. So much so that twice we were invited to compete at the National Western Stock Show. Though we didn’t win any trophies or ribbons…the best award was yet to come.
On May 14, 2014, I got a college graduation card from the Holders in the mail, after graduated from Colorado Mountain College. Inside the card it read “For a graduation gift, Jack and I have decided to give you our very special yak, Dowa, with the belief that you will take good care of him and will continue to share with him with us as well.” As you can imagine the excitement, during that time a pledge came into my head “I, Carter Keegan, promise to you Dowa, to use my continuing wisdom about animals in the direction of love and balance taking care of your physical needs. While at the same time respect that you are a thinking feeling being that is connected to the WHOLE circle of life and energy on this Earth.” This was the best college graduation gift I could have ever received! This is the same iconic picture everyone is familiar with I have shared and told people I have a pet yak time and time again.
I got into thinking of wanting to share the message and meeting of yaks with others, I started a side business called YAKS 101 TOURS. People would come up, sign liability forms, and join me and meet Dowa as well as the rest of his herd what yaks are. These tours touched so many lives. So much so that some tour guests even bought yaks and started raising their own herds. Dowa always enjoyed his alone time in the yak herd. He liked his human friends most of all, preferring their company over his fellow yak family members, though I know he enjoyed his yak time too when humans weren’t around. At the sound of his name, he would come meander over, this massive beast yet so gentle would want to get his silky white hair brushed by new and old visitors alike.
Then on June 10, 2019, due to a totally unexpected unfortunate falling-out circumstance from Shannon, told me that Dowa couldn’t stay any longer at his home, Butte Pasture. Despite everything, I had done for him, his herd, the ranch, and the Holder family for almost a decade. This was the home he had known since birth and he was ordered and had to find a new place to live…immediately! This was right before I was heading back to Canisius for another fall semester. Much to Dowa and I’s dismay, quickly I sprang into action and reached out for help from neighboring ranches in the North Fork Valley.
Unfortunately, ranches and or farms with herds of yaks are not very numerous. Just when I had almost given up as no one even bothered to answer my email plea for help. I am still surprised that I never got a response from a different yak ranch in Paonia or even a much larger one in Montrose. Finally, I got an email confirmation from one ranch, this one by the name of Princess Beef, a centennial 100% grass-fed beef operation. The ranch has very high standards and it is both certified by The American Grassfed Association and Animal Welfare Approved. The Housewearts were the first to respond and said, “We would be happy to board him.”
For two years Dowa lived at the Housewearts beef cattle herd. At first, the humans and cattle were a little hesitant to welcome home such a massive creature that had large horns. That quickly changed once I helped introduce him and saw his gentle demeanor. From then on, the Housewearts soon taught him the ropes of everything at Princess Beef. People visiting the ranch or driving by would stop to ooh and ahh seeing this big white animal amongst black and red Angus cattle, wondering what in the world is a white yak doing there. Dowa got to hang out with the beef animals in the summer and the mama cows in the winter until they started calving the spring. Dowa’s publicity got so much attention that he even was the cover boy for the North Fork Visitors Guide too!
However, deep down we all knew that Dowa needed to live with others of his kind. That is when our friend Erin, said that she would be willing to have this special big oaf live with her herd of 8 yaks. Which wasn’t too far from the Houseweart’s ranch, outside the town of Hotchkiss and so finally he did at last.
Tears of joy and hugs were given in celebration on that special day on May 17, 2021, witnessing yak reunion when we watched him unload from that trailer into his new digs. Even though he could hear the grunts of unfamiliar yaks, all was calm when he got out, while the humans gave him plenty of space. Then what blew everyone’s mind next was that right after Dowa and the other 8 yaks introduced each other, the eight started following him right away! He was large and in charge already after he got accepted by the herd’s matriarch. Dowa was finally home with his own kind, a pond to cool off in, and more humans that loved him too. That lasted until yesterday…
I got a text from Erin Wednesday morning saying that they couldn’t find Dowa. Didn’t think much of it because I thought she was asking if I found someone to buy hay from as that was part of my contribution to his winter care. However, she said they couldn’t find him this morning. Right away I knew that isn’t like him at all but how in the world can a creature of his sheer size just disappear? As soon as I got home from work at Western Culture, my father and my dear friend Sabrina blasted down to Hotchkiss for a potential wild yak chase. Despite that, I got a phone call from Teighlor just as we were pulling into town, with the heartbreaking news. Sadly, it was determined before we arrived at their farm that my special beast had found his final rest the night before in a grove of some willows.
Dowa was magnificent, powerful, calm, silly, and kind. I have so many memories of him, from our first days in the world to the very last moments I spent time with him. Very much like his owner, Dowa made everyone smile. I know everyone who met him in person, through my posts or stories about him and also cherished Dowa memories of their own.
He will live forever in our hearts. If anyone wants to comment below and share your own personal experiences of Dowa, I would so appreciate that.
