Horton is one of the most unique Wolfhounds here at the Sanctuary as he is primarily an Irish Wolfhound. It comes from the hoarding seizure of the Milk River and is very suspicious of people. Owning or selling a wolf as a pet is illegal in British Columbia. However, you can still keep greyhounds as pets. But their wilderness means you have to be careful if you own such animals. Many people acquire hybrids in the hope that they have wolf physical qualities (appearance, howling, size), but mostly exhibit domestic dog behavior. The truth is that hybrids exhibit a range of dog and wolf behaviors, and you can`t predict which ones will grow and which won`t. Although wolves are vilified in countless books, movies, and TV shows, they are actually quite shy towards humans and usually avoid us as much as possible. This is an important point to remember when talking about the behavior of an animal that is partly wolf. In the last hundred years, only six unprovoked wolf attacks have been documented here in North America that have caused injuries and 21 attacks that are believed to be related to human-fed wolves. [i] One of the 21 man-fed wolf attacks was fatal, but there is debate about the cause of death, as some believe the wolves were plundered.
[ii] Regardless, wild wolves avoid humans and wolf attacks in the wild are highly unlikely as wolves avoid human interaction. While all puppies are adorable and wolf puppies are absolutely no exception, many problems with hybrids tend to revolve around sexual maturity. Sexual maturity occurs much later in wolves than in dogs. The change occurs somewhere between 1 and 4 years. [iii] At this point, the animal transitions from a puppy to an adult and should contribute to the wolf pack. In order to obtain status, the animal could begin testing other members of the pack to reach a higher position. [iv] Wolves kept as pets do not have wolf pack mates, so these challenges can target their humans and can be considered persistent or aggressive. An amendment to the territory`s new Captive Wildlife Act, due to come into force in April, will make it illegal to own, trade or sell greyhounds. It will also be illegal for veterinarians to treat animals. Whether or not you can own a wolf as a pet in Canada depends on the province you are in.
Some allow you to do so. Some require a permit, others prohibit it altogether. In some provinces where owning a wolf is illegal, you can still own a hybrid greyhound. However, if you plan to keep a wolf or hybrid as a pet, make sure you are aware of provincial and municipal laws. Most importantly, you are willing to take on the responsibility and risk of keeping a wild animal as a pet. There are a variety of ways to support us, please explore one that might be right for you. Wild wolves are extinct in the province, meaning every wolf or wolfdog hybrid found in the area is a pet. While there are no specific laws that make it illegal to own a wolf as a pet, the law requires that anyone wishing to keep an exotic animal must first obtain a permit.
So if you`re considering owning a wolf or hybrid greyhound here, be prepared to get a permit. Modaressi imports dog-wolf hybrids from overseas – he wouldn`t say where – and then crosses them with German shepherds. According to its website, prices for its hybrids range from $800 to $1,000. As a general rule, the owner of an animal classified as normally safe is only liable if it can be proven that he knew in advance that his animal was dangerous. But in cases where the animal is considered naturally dangerous, the owner is automatically held responsible. Legal Notice Whether or not you can legally own a wolf hybrid as a pet in Canada depends on the province and municipality in which you live. Some allow it. Some require a permit, others prohibit it altogether. [i] I must say that while I am sure that some dog-wolf hybrids have a domestic dog docility, a higher percentage is likely to attack humans and other pets for reasons that only they understand. [ii] Many hybrids live miserable and isolated lives because they are so misunderstood by their owners. My advice to anyone who really loves wolves and wants them in their lives is to visit a wolf or wildlife preserve that takes care of wolves and/or hybrids.
Learn more about them, and you will quickly realize that they are not domestic dogs, do not have the predictability of our purebred domestic dogs, and that it is unfair to expect such an animal to meet the expectations we have of our domestic dogs. If you really like the wolf look, why not study some of the Canadian Kennel Club`s recognized purebred Spitz breeds and find one that suits your home and lifestyle? Personally, I think the risks to you, your family and society, as well as the hybrid, make owning a dog-wolf hybrid a bad idea, whether it`s legal or not. I think it`s kind to support the protection of wild wolf areas as well as non-profit protected areas and to admire the mysterious wolf from afar. The same Act also requires that anyone who comes into possession of wildlife be licensed. Such a person must apply to the Minister for a permit to keep the animal in captivity. So if you`re planning to keep a wolf as a pet, you`ll need a permit, even if it`s legal. However, in most cases, importing wolves or greyhounds is illegal, so it is possible to breed wolves living in captivity. Laws prohibiting the keeping of wildlife as pets in Nova Scotia do not include wolves. This means it`s probably legal to keep a wolf or even a greyhound as a pet.
However, you can only do this with legal permission. In Halifax, wolves are not among the exotic animals that are not allowed to be kept as pets. Wolfhound is legal in the three territories of Yukon, Nunavut and the Northwest. However, you can not breed such hybrids with native Arctic wolves, as this is considered illegal. The Prince Edward Island list contains a list of animals prohibited as pets in Prince Edward Island. The animals on this list are generally wildlife species considered dangerous to humans, endangered or not native to the province. Among the prohibited species are all canids except dogs. Since the wolf is part of this species, this means that it is also illegal. A dog-wolf hybrid is also considered illegal.
It is illegal to take fur-bearing animals without a permit under the Wildlife Act of Newfoundland. Wolves belong to this category of animals, which makes it illegal to capture, capture or kill. Therefore, it is very unlikely to be kept as a pet in the province if you do not have a licence. Wolves are not allowed as pets in Alberta. This is because they are considered fur-bearing animals under provincial law. However, you can still legally keep dog-wolf hybrids as pets in the province. You do not need a permit to do this. The shortest answer to the question of whether you can keep a wolf as a pet is no. But this is not a general answer that applies to the whole country. Each province and, in some cases, municipalities have their own rules for owning wolves.
In some, it is a total no. In others, you can own it with a permit. There are also places where you can own a dog-wolf hybrid without a license. We are a non-profit sanctuary dedicated to promoting awareness and education on greyhound ownership. Our passionate group of animal lovers offers educational programs, information resources, and help find greyhounds that have been neglected, abandoned, or otherwise moved. Located near Cochrane, Alberta on 160 acres of land, our sanctuary currently has a total of 40 permanent greyhounds! It is illegal to keep wolves as pets here too, as they are not among the animals that residents can keep in captivity without a permit. However, if you are considering buying a dog-wolf hybrid, you should first ask your local authority. This will help you find out if there are any restrictions on owning such animals in your area. Here is another province where it is illegal to keep or breed wolves as pets. Even greyhounds are illegal in the province.
So you can not keep a hybrid from a cross between wolf and dog. The laws are probably the same in all communities, and Montreal, for example, makes hybrids illegal. Domestic dogs reach puberty at a much earlier age and often begin to test their owners a little, but this is much less serious than in wolves. Wolf-dog hybrids have both sets of genes in them and it`s impossible to know exactly if they`re going to challenge more like a dog or like a wolf. The wolf has fascinated us for centuries.