The mystery surrounding three wild ‘wolves’ prowling the streets of Lancashire the night before Halloween has finally been solved.
The dogs were found abandoned in Preston and their wolf-like features sent them viral, despite Preston City Council identifying them as a dirty German Shepherd-type breed.
The three siblings, Little Timmy, Boo and Brooke, were taken in by a rescue centre and then transferred to specialists at Wolves of Wiltshire.
DNA tests confirmed the dogs actually belonged to the wolfdog breed.
Oli Barrington, a Wolves of Wiltshire trustee, told Metro: ‘They’re incredibly fearful so they can’t be handled or touched.
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‘I think so far, one of them has taken food out of the hand, but even that has been in a very timid way.
‘We don’t know what they’ve been through, but what we do know is that for a period of time, they were living wild, off their survival instincts.’
Currently, the three dogs are being assessed to determine the next steps for them.
Oli continued: ‘What you need to bear in mind is that they’re recovering from this ordeal of surviving off their instincts.
‘Sometimes, that’s like letting a genie out of a bottle, so you’ll never be able to get rid of that.
‘Other times, they can be rehabilitated.’
Because all three of the dogs are still puppies, they are still developing, changing and growing into different individual animals with their own characteristics.
The legality of a wolfdog currently depends on the number of generations it is from the actual wolf.
So, for someone to own a first or second-generation cross, it is essentially legally the same as keeping a wolf, which requires a dangerous wild animal license.
Animals that are third generation or more are considered a domestic dog.
Oli told Metro: ‘You could essentially create an animal that’s 98% wolf but is perfectly legal to keep, and that’s obviously a big problem.
‘The law needs to change about this because anyone with the right type of wolfdogs can create these animals that look absolutely fantastic and spectacular, but are most people’s worst nightmare as a pet.’
A spokesperson from Preston City Council said: ‘When the dogs were initially collected from Myerscough vets, our kennelling contractor was informed they were a German Shepherd type.
‘As the council only has responsibility for the dogs for a short statutory period (typically seven days), we do not carry out DNA testing, so we relied on the description provided at that time.
‘After the dogs were unclaimed, they were transferred to 8 Below Husky Rescue, who have contacts experienced with wolfdogs, and subsequently moved to Wolves of Wiltshire for specialist care.’
The Little Zoo, home to the Wolves of Wiltshire, is a small exotic animal charity that serves as a sanctuary for exotic pets.
In recent years, the zoo has dedicated a significant amount of time and effort to creating a safe and humane environment for its pack of Eurasian wolves.
What is a wolfdog?
A wolfdog is a domestic breed of dog that has been bred with a wolf – most commonly by breeding a wolf with a German Shepherd, Husky or similar breed of domestic dog.
There are currently two breeds of wolfdog in the UK: the Saarloos Wolfdog and the Czechoslovakian Wolfdog.
In recent years, the breed has grown in popularity, but it is only legal to own in the UK as long as they are three generations away from the original parent wolf.
Owning a wolf dog is not like owning a Husky or German Shepherd, as they are much more challenging animals that aren’t really meant to be pets.
The breed of dog needs a lot of space, and often needs very experienced handlers.
Wolfdogs typically crave the company of a ‘pack’, meaning they are not a breed to be left home alone.
Source: PDSA
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