Crying Wolf: Should Hybrids be Banned?
10 December 2009
by Stephanie Feldstein, Contributing Writer for Change.org
AnaiRhoads.org -- Wolf hybrids combine the wild mystique of wolves with the domesticated nature of dogs, creating an animal that doesn't belong in either the wilderness or in the home. Nonetheless, the Telegraph recently reported that wolfdogs are growing in popularity in the UK and, despite a number of laws that ban them as pets, wolfdog breeding is still going strong in the U.S. Both wolf and dog experts find this trend disturbing, but what's the best way to stop it?
Since wolves and dogs belong to the same species, regulating wolfdogs technically falls into the category of breed specific legislation. Other breeds targeted by breed specific legislation, like pit bulls, are domestic dogs who have the same long history of living with humans as any other breed. Wolfdogs, on the other hand, come from a parent with no history of domestication. However, enforcing hybrid bans faces the same problem as any other breed ban: there's no reliable way of distinguishing wolf hybrids from wolfy-looking dogs and it's costly to try. In addition, any regulations could end up opening the door to legislation against other breeds, too. Banning wolf hybrids could end up affecting a lot of dogs from purely domestic stock.
Another concern over regulating wolf hybrids is that it could force wolfdog breeders underground and reduce public awareness about the realities and responsibilities of bringing a hybrid into your home. It's important not to forget that wolves are wild animals. Combining them with domestic dogs (most often using strong-willed breeds such as malamutes, huskies, and shepherds) does not domesticate them.
Many wolfdog advocates claim that hybrids don't pose any more of a threat than other dogs. That's debatable, considering the number of bite cases relative to the number of wolfdogs in the population, but bite statistics are notoriously unreliable. Even if you put aside whether or not they are more dangerous, a lot of people don't understand that wolves behave differently than dogs. Many people learn this the hard way, and what happens when they no longer want to live with their wolfdog? There are a handful of rescues and sanctuaries, but many shelters won't take them, and releasing them into the wild would dilute the wolf population (if the wolfdog survived to be accepted into a pack).
What's the solution? Education. Make sure people understand that wolfdogs are not just dogs with feral beauty. If they're interested in that appearance, animal shelters are full of huskies, malamutes, and shepherd mixes that look quite a bit like their lupine ancestors. If people insist on owning a wolfdog, they should do their research to fully understand the behavioral, housing, and dietary needs. They should also be sure not to support fly-by-night breeders who create hybrids because they think it's cool rather than because of a dedication to the animals.
Personally, I'd prefer if everyone stuck with adopting domestic dogs from shelters and left wolves in the wild. Just because they can be interbred, doesn't mean they should. People who are passionate about wolves appreciate them for the animals that they are -- amazing, intelligent animals who belong in nature, not in our living rooms.
Stephanie Feldstein has been speaking out for animals since she first learned to talk and could protest fur coats and beg for a dog. She currently works for a non-profit environmental organization and runs an in-home training and behavior consultation business, specializing in behavior issues common to rescued dogs.
She also volunteers for Pit Bull Rescue Central and several other animal welfare groups. In her spare time, Stephanie writes novels that explore the human-animal bond. Her current pack consists of two pit bulls (Turtle and Moby), two German Shepherd mixes (Juno and Sierra), two cats (Ophelia and Enigma).
| 
