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title: "A Laysan Albatross chick survives an attack by dogs to breed successfully five years later"
---

# A Laysan Albatross chick survives an attack by dogs to breed successfully five years later

On 22 June 2012 several dogs ran through two of the larger privately-owned Laysan Albatross *Phoebastria immutabilis* colonies on the Hawaiian island of Kauai and killed eight chicks and injured five more a few days before they were ready to fledge.  The dogs were probably domestic pets that had been allowed to run loose; the colonies attacked were not fenced ([click here](https://www.acap.aq/index.php/news/news-archive/57-2012-news-archive/40-the-perils-of-nesting-on-private-property-domestic-dogs-run-wild-and-kill-laysan-albatrosses-on-kauai?lang=en)).

 The five injured chicks were taken into care by [Save Our Shearwaters](http://kauaihumane.org/programs-services/save-our-shearwaters/), a multispecies rehabilitation effort of the [Kauai Humane Society](http://kauaihumane.org).  Four of the birds were eventually released.  Two (A432 - which required anaesthesia and suturing of its wounds - and A441) have since been re-sighted on Kauai ([click here](https://www.acap.aq/en/14-news/latest-news/2917-a-laysan-albatross-fledgling-attacked-by-a-dog-survives-to-breed-five-years-later-after-rehabilitation?highlight=WyJhNDMyIl0=)).  A432 (thought to be a female) as a four-year old found a partner (K855) during the 2016/2017 breeding season and laid an egg during the 2017/2018 season – in a fenced site.  The chick (H679) hatched from this egg has now successfully fledged.

 ![](https://www.acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Birds/Albatrosses/L/Laysan/A432-SOS-.jpg)

 A432 under rehabilitation as a chick after being attacked by dogs in 2012, photograph by Save our Shearwaters

 ![](https://www.acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Birds/Albatrosses/L/Laysan/A432-1-Dec-2017-Hob-Osterland.jpg)

 A432 checks its first egg in the2017/08 breeding season, photograph by Hob Osterlund

 ![](https://www.acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Birds/Albatrosses/B/Black_footed/A432-chick-Jeanne-Myers.jpg)

 A432's first chick (H679) shortly before fledging, 13 July 2018, photograph from Jeanine Myers/Save our Shearwaters

 Information from the Save our Shearwater’s [Facebook page](https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=save%20our%20shearwaters) and previous postings.

 Read more about attacks by dogs on Laysan Albatrosses, and other seabirds, on Kauai [here](https://www.acap.aq/en/search14?q=dogs+Laysan+Kauai).

 *John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 24 July 2018*