Wolfdog ‘deserves a chance’ at home after six months in shelter

A dog at a New York shelter is looking for a home, but there’s one difference – he’s part wolf.

Bear, a wolfdog currently housed at the Islip Animal Shelter and Pet Adoption Center in Long Island, New York, is struggling to find a forever home, highlighting the challenges facing wolfdog hybrids.

Adam Cottrell, manager of the Medfield, Massachusetts animal shelter and wolfhound advocate, is campaigning to help Bear.

The bear was taken to the shelter due to severe separation anxiety, which Cottrell said makes it difficult for him to be alone. “The bear is very destructive if left unattended and can break out of a standard box,” Cottrell said. Newsweek.

“He needs someone who can be home often or have a safe, escape-proof enclosure,” he said.

Despite his problems, Bear is great with children and other dogs and was a well-adjusted family pet before arriving at the shelter.

Cottrell has spent the last decade finding homes or sanctuaries for wolves and wolf dogs through his nonprofit Northeast Wolf Refuge, and is now partnering with the Islip sanctuary to help Bear find a suitable home.

Relocating wolf-dogs like Bear is difficult because many states prohibit owning wolves or wolf-dog hybrids. For example, New York classifies wolfdogs as wild animals, making them illegal to own or adopt as pets. This classification often forces wolfhounds to live in shelters rather than family homes, even though they exhibit little to no “wild” traits.

“The bear has a low percentage of wolf DNA in its DNA and behaves essentially like a dog,” Cottrell said. “He deserves the opportunity to live as a pet, just like any other dog suffering from separation anxiety.”

Laws regarding wolf dog ownership vary widely across the United States. While places like Alaska impose a complete ban on owning wolf dogs, states like Florida allow it with restrictions, while Nebraska has no rules at all. This legal inconsistency often leads to confusion and limits the ability to accommodate wolfdogs in need.

The Islip Animal Shelter is open to placing Bear in a home in a state that allows wolf dogs or transferring him to a wolf dog shelter that can help find him a suitable home. “It’s disappointing that a dog with such a low percentage of wolf content is still considered a wolf dog,” Cottrell said. “The shelter is willing to work with us, but they are limited by the law and Bear’s classification as a wolf dog.”

“The bear is a magnificent animal and deserves a chance,” he added. “Just because there’s something wolfish about him doesn’t mean he can’t be a loving companion.”