Gene Hackman’s 2 Surviving Dogs Are Healthy and Safe, Boarder Says
The New York Times
A third dog that was found dead last week with the couple was an Australian Kelpie mix named Zinna, the boarder said.
Even those who knew very little about the lives of the retired actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, still knew that they loved their dogs.
Mr. Hackman and Ms. Arakawa, who were found dead last week in their home, had rarely been seen in public in recent years, but when they were spotted in their neighborhood they were often walking their dogs or driving with them in the back. Neighbors said the couple brightened up when they met a fellow dog lover.
So, amid the shock of their deaths, people who knew the couple have also been mourning that one of their three dogs was found dead in a crate in the home.
“Betsy and Gene were incredible dog parents,” Joey Padilla, the owner of Santa Fe Tails, which provides dog day care, training and boarding, said in a statement. “They knew the importance of good training, a healthy diet and socialization. There was nothing they wouldn’t do for the well-being of their dogs.”
Mr. Padilla said the dog that died was named Zinna and was an Australian Kelpie mix, a breed of dogs known for their loyalty. Zinna was once a returned shelter dog, Mr. Padilla said, but had turned into an “incredible companion under Betsy’s hand.”
Two other dogs, both German shepherds, were found alive on the property.
