Red River residents are watching a growing animal‑control dispute unfold just north of town. Six hybrid wolf‑dogs owned by Azlan White were discovered dead on NM 68 in early August, and security footage captured as many as 17 pack members running loose near Embudo Station. The incidents have prompted a group of neighbors to ask the Rio Arriba County Commission to intervene.
According to Taos News, roughly a dozen residents gathered at Embudo Station on Sept. 18 to discuss the “Emissary Wolf Pack,” a group of about 40 canines that White describes as descendants of wolves crossed with Newfoundland dogs. Resident Margaret Campos wrote a letter on behalf of the community, stating that the pack “is unsafe to the residents” and has “negatively impacted the quality of life of the community at large; the animals have been known to attack livestock, pets and emergency response personnel.”
The letter was submitted to the Rio Arriba County Commission at its Sept. 24 meeting. It asks the commission to enforce the county’s animal‑control ordinance, allow Campos to set traps on her property adjacent to the enclosure, investigate alleged attacks on pets and livestock, and impound the remaining animals.
White, who has cared for the pack for 14 years, says she is working to relocate the animals by the end of October. She rents a 40‑acre rocky plot from Mark Rendleman near Embudo Station. Court records show White faced nine petty misdemeanor counts in Rio Arriba County in 2022 for lacking rabies vaccinations, and she was cited in Taos County in September for “Animal Restrictions — Animals Running At Large.” She is scheduled to appear in Taos Magistrate Court on Oct. 26 at 9:30 a.m.
Witnesses at the community meeting described recent encounters with the pack. Former Taos High School principal J.P. Lujan recounted that a tenant saw roughly 15 wolf‑dogs near a donkey and sheep on Aug. 3, and another resident reported a wolf‑Malamute‑type animal attacking his terrier. The cause of the six deaths remains unknown. White initially thought vehicles struck the animals, but now suspects intentional killing and placement on the highway to appear accidental.
Genetic classification of the animals is still unresolved. White estimates the wolves’ ancestry at 60‑80 percent, while the county’s animal‑control ordinance treats wolves as “wild animals,” requiring registration and secure facilities. If the pack is classified as dogs, different licensing and rabies‑vaccination rules would apply.
What’s next: The Rio Arriba County Commission will consider the community’s petition at its next regular meeting on Sept. 24. White’s court appearance is set for Oct. 26, where a judge may order a deadline for relocating the pack. Residents say they will continue monitoring the enclosure and reporting any further incidents to county officials.
Sources: taosnews.com
