Editor’s Note: This story has been updated with new information on Monday regarding the placement of two of the wolf-dogs in a Colorado refuge.
Since last July, some Orange County residents have been closely following the story of ten wolf-dog hybrids. The animals, believed to be illegally bred and then released from an enclosure in the Cedar Grove area of the county, and their search captured the hearts of community members.
While Orange County Animal Services eventually captured eight of the nine wolf-dogs safely, the department is now struggling to find humane, safe and long-term solutions for their care.
On Monday, the department shared that two of the animals, 11-month-old littermates Taalai and Taa, have left the shelter for a nonprofit refuge for wolves and wolf/dogs in Colorado. Orange County Animal Services said it had “worked directly” with WolfWood Refuge for several months to complete the transfer of the canines, which happened on Sunday. In an update from animal services on Thursday, Orange County shared it was close to finalizing “appropriate sanctuary placement for some of the wolf-dogs housed at the shelter.”
The release also said, though, while the department aims to find safe placement for each remaining animal, humane euthanasia could be considered “the best option” if no solutions arise.
Orange County Animal Services says in August, a veterinarian who is board-certified in zoo medicine assessed the nine dogs held at a shelter. While a department spokesperson did not confirm to Chapelboro that DNA testing has been completed on the animals, this veterinarian confirmed their behavior, characteristics and traits are consistent with wolf and dog cross breeding. Wolf-dogs are illegal to own in Orange County and many areas, and the county has deemed it would additionally be “a public danger” to place the animals with anyone besides a licensed professional or sanctuary. WolfWood Refuge is one example of a licensed refuge, as they work to rescue and rehabilitate both wolves and wolf hybrids.
Finding such places, however, has proven difficult. Orange County Animal Services says it has been in contact with several organizations and experts across the country, as well as many sanctuaries directly contacting the department. But Thursday’s update said many have been unable to commit to long-term placement due to being full, not having the resources, or not having the credentials to take on large-breed animals described as needing “extensive socialization.”
“Sadly, these dogs were never properly socialized as pets,” said Dr. Sandra Strong, the director of Orange County Animal Services. “They are not able to be safely walked on a leash, and they cannot easily be handled for care or effective social interaction. We are trying to keep them as comfortable as possible during their stay with us, and we are providing them with enrichment that they will accept.”
The review of another board-certified veterinary behaviorist in December, though, indicates the wolf-dogs cannot just remain in OCAS care. The department said the behaviorist evaluated the canines and concluded long-term confinement in a shelter is stressful and inhumane for such animals.
“The unfortunate reality is that the remaining wolf-dogs cannot continue to stay in the shelter,” said Strong. “Shelter housing, especially for larger unsocialized animals like these wolf-dogs, does not provide an acceptable long-term quality of life and is not in line with good animal welfare practices.”
A spokesperson for Orange County Animal Services told Chapelboro there is no official deadline set for euthanizing any of the wolf-dogs who are unable to be placed in sanctuaries. They said the department is continuing to practice good animal welfare in the treatment of the canines.
A ninth wolf-dog was ultimately never captured by animal services. In November, residents reported finding the body of the canine off NC 86 in Hillsborough. Orange County Animal Services said based on the wolf-dog’s injuries, it was likely struck by a vehicle on the road. The county department also clarified that one of the dogs captured last summer was ultimately deemed to be only a German Shepard with no wolf traits.
Photo via Orange County Animal Services.
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