Wolf-Dogs Helped by Veterans

You may have heard about the wolf-dog hybrids that were chained so they could not run from a tourist attraction in Alaska. They were seized by authorities and were supposed to be killed, but a California animal center intervened. They had the animals spayed and neutered and then relocated to their facility about 90 miles north of LA, at the Lockwood Animal Rescue Center.

The job of trying to tame the wolf-hybrids now living in California has been given to three veterans who say they can relate to their status of being in transition to living in a less stressful way.

It has taken three months for the wolf-dogs to start running without limping due to muscle atrophy they experienced while chained for years in Alaska. The animal center where they are being cared for built large pens on their twenty acre property. Meat is given to them every day and is acquired from grocery stores that otherwise throw away their products that did not sell and have expired.

One of the veterans said working with the animals taught him he could help himself and has improved his relationships with his son and ex-wife.

Adding the hybrids has increased the animal center’s bills considerably. The people who bred the hybrids did not seem to have any intention to care for them properly. It is believed that when wolfs and dogs are bred together, the hybrids may be potentially unsafe as pets and have behavioral issues. Many states either ban or restrict owning them. There are already plenty of animals in shelters that need adopting.

Image Credit: Elżbieta Wojtko Orinek7

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Read more: Conscious Consumer, Wildlife

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
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Heidi H.

11:32AM PDT on Aug 7, 2012

This is a beautiful article.

August 7
send a green star

Shin T.

12:13AM PDT on Apr 27, 2012

Thanks for the post and appreciate to veterans who could help the wolf.

April 27
send a green star

Carrie-Anne B.

6:43AM PDT on Apr 11, 2012

thanks for sharing

April 11
send a green star

william r.

8:18PM PDT on Mar 24, 2012

Diane L

oops, my note must've been way too long--half of my responses to you vanished when I hit "add comment" and I haven't time to redo all that just now. Soon though.

March 24
send a green star

8:13PM PDT on Mar 24, 2012

Diane L
Thanks for your nudges. I definitely need to add proviso's to my first comment.
1) I agree that "high percentage" wolf mixes (say, over 60%) can indeed begin to be tricky to handle. Years ago I met someone who had a very high % hybrid that while friendly also clearly was not adjusting to town living and, desparate to be free, did indeed run away almost certainly to an ugly fate. 2) Regardless of %, some hybrids, already as cub/pups, clearly show a temperament so skittish and frightened it is not likely ever to become "domesticated." 3) I failed to mention that the first several hybrids we had were in the 25% range; breeders of hybrids are notoriously unreliable about knowing the real % and tend to exaggerate with a higher figure, assuming that's what the buyer wants to hear. Happy, the hybrid I described earlier, was born into the home of a human family with kids and other pets so he already had earlier positive socialization by the time I got him at 9 weeks or so. I specifically wanted that background in any higher % (over 25%, under 60) hybrid. I also waited until I had a sabbatical to buy my more than 25%, less than 60% wolfdog so I could spend the time with him I knew he'd need. And I did. I took him home and fed him and lay down in the grassy backyard where we slept with him in my arms for nearly 3 hours. That bonding took, for both of us. 4) Why create or buy wolf-dogs? For starters, bear in mind there were more wolf-dogs than dogs

Kathy P.

4:49PM PDT on Mar 24, 2012

im glad they were give a chance... they are beautiful and cant help what they are

Nora H.

7:17AM PDT on Mar 23, 2012

why do humans have to interbreed animals that would not interbreed in the wild?? why do humans have to breed animals to their liking?? our domestic dogs and cats were breed to be what they are.. humans should leave wildlife alone!!!!