While movie fans continue to mourn the sudden and mysterious deaths of Hollywood legend Gene Hackman and his wife, animal lovers near their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, can’t help but feel sad and perplexed by the circumstances surrounding the death of their beloved 12-year-old dog Zinna.
Zinna was found dead in a dog crate in the couple’s home on Feb. 26, about 10 to 15 feet away from the body of Hackman’s wife, Betsy Arakawa, 65, to whom Zinna was especially loyal, according to the dog’s trainer.
Arakawa’s body was found on the bathroom floor, beside a counter with pills scattered about, while the 95-year-old Hackman was found collapsed on the floor of another room in the house. Given the couple’s partially mummified remains and other clues, investigators theorize that they had been dead for up to nine days before their bodies were found. Investigators are still trying to determine the cause of Hackman and Arakawa’s deaths, and probably won’t know anything until toxicology tests are completed.
The cause of Zinna’s death also is not known, and it’s been reported that no necropsy was performed, according to CNN. But the door of her crate, or kennel, was closed, according to a statement from Joey Padilla, the owner of Santa Fe Tails, who worked with the couple on training all three of their dogs. The couple’s two other dogs, German Shepherd rescues named Bear and Nikita, were found wandering the property, “hungry” but healthy, Padilla told Fox News.
This closed door on the crate raises the upsetting possibility that Zinna, a reddish Australian Kelpie mix, was trapped in the kennel, possibly for days after her owners died. It’s not clear how big the crate was or whether the dog had access to food or water, the New York Times reported.
Actor Gene Hackman and his wife, classical pianist Betsy Arakawa, leave a restaurant in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on March 28, 2024. (Imago/Zuma Press/TNS)
Veterinarians say that dogs generally cannot survive more than three days without water and five days without food, The Times also reported. Denise Womack-Avila, a spokesperson for the Santa Fe Sheriff’s Office said it wasn’t known how long Zinna had been dead before Feb. 26.
The American Kennel Association said that dogs should never be keep in their crates all day. The association otherwise promotes the idea that dogs of all ages benefit from having time to spend in crates, saying that these enclosed spaces give them a place to feel safe and to rest and relax.
Most veterinarians, trainers, and breeders view “crate training” as an essential part of housebreaking puppies, as it helps them learn to control their bladders, the association said. Meanwhile, older dogs might need a break from a bustling household or might be dealing with health issues. A crate provides a familiar place where they can rest and “self-soothe.”
Arakawa or Hackman likely placed Zinna in a crate for her benefit, given Padilla’s statement that they were loving “dog parents.” Padilla told the New York Times: “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.”
Other animal advocates in the area similarly told the Daily Mail that Hackman was a “softy” for his dogs and that he and his wife “would never, ever put them in harm’s way.”
The Times and other outlets reported that Hackman and Arakawa had become reclusive in recent years, rarely seen out in public. Padilla told Fox News that Arakawa had become especially protective of her husband’s health after COVID-19. But when they were spotted in their neighborhood, they were often seen walking their dogs or driving with them in the back of their vehicles.
“It’s hard to explain and encompass how much these dogs meant to these people,” Padilla told Fox News.
Padilla told Fox News that Zinna was especially attached to Arakawa. The dog had gone “from being a returned shelter dog to this incredible companion under Betsy’s hand.” He said: “She was always attached to Betsy at the hip and it was a beautiful relationship to watch flourish over the years.”
Given this relationship, it’s reasonable to assume that Arakawa wouldn’t have left Zinna in her crate longer than necessary and that she and her husband died before they could let her out. From Padilla’s statement that the door was closed, it definitely sounds like Zinna wasn’t able to leave her on her own, though he wouldn’t clarify to HuffPost whether the door also was locked, BuzzFeed News also reported.
It’s also possible that Arakawa or Hackman left Zinna with a meal or some treats, as the kennel association recommends that owners feed dogs in their crates so that crate time feels like a reward.
An affidavit to search the couple’s home as part of the investigation reported that Bear and Nikita were found healthy, though the document misidentified which of their dogs had died, according to CNN. It appeared that Bear and Nikita had access to a doggy door to go in and out of the house, ABC News reported. One of the German Shepherds was found near Arakawa in the bathroom and the other was located outside.
Padilla told the media that Bear and Nikita are “receiving the best care in a familiar environment.” He is waiting to hear from Arakawa’s lawyers about what do to do with them.
