Beloved African Painted Dog Passes Away at Sioux Falls Zoo

It's been a tough week for the Sioux Falls Great Plains Zoo staff. They are currently grieving the loss of a cherished member of their pack.

In a heartbreaking Facebook post late last week, the staff at the Great Plains Zoo made the sad announcement that one of their beloved African-painted dogs has passed away. His name was Seahorse.

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Staff at the Great Plains Zoo describe Seahorse as a "gentle soul" and "curious." He loved snacking on beef liver and cuddling with his brothers. But towards the end of Seahorse's life, his vision was deteriorating rapidly. Eventually, Seahorse's condition led to severe seizures that truly impacted his quality of life.

Seahorse was suffering, so the staff at the Great Plains Zoo made the difficult decision to humanely euthanize him. The Great Plains Zoo explained Seahorse's condition in an extensive Facebook post:

During the last months of this life, Seahorse’s keepers noticed that he was experiencing progressive vision loss, which was confirmed by a veterinary ophthalmologist. Although blind, Seahorse’s quality of life was quite good.

Veterinary and Animal Care teams worked together to make sure he could navigate his surroundings, receive his medications, and remain safe in a pack setting. His brothers ensured he was included in all pack activity, including feedings, enrichment, and regular patrols around their habitat.

However, Seahorse’s condition worsened, and he began experiencing severe seizures that negatively impacted his quality of life. At that time, the difficult decision was made to humanely euthanize him.

Seahorse and his brothers CJJ and Monkey Wrench were born in 2016 at the Oklahoma City Zoo. All the brothers moved to Sioux Falls and called the Great Plains Zoo in 2018. The staff and visitors loved watching their personalities grow.

Great Plains Zoo (via Facebook)

Seahorse really loved his keepers at the Great Plains Zoo. They will never forget him and they will keep Seahorse's memory alive at the zoo!

Gone But Not Forgotten - Iconic Sioux Falls: Whiffer's Sandwiches

The Merriam-Webster definition of iconic is "widely recognized and well-established." That would definitely describe Whiffer's Sandwiches which used to call North Minnesota Avenue home.

The gone but not forgotten sandwich shop was located in an old house at 1133 North Minnesota Avenue. It served sandwiches to Sioux Falls from November 1978 until the summer of 2020.

Gallery Credit: Karla Brown