Demand for wolf dogs leaves wolf conservationists howling

Demand for wolf dog hybrids is surging, raising concerns among conservationists who say the phenomenon threatens the lives of not only wolves but humans as well. While there are reputable breeders, some customers have turned to the black market to fulfill their desire to own a wolfdog, as reported by National Geographic.

The practice has led to the culling of some hybrids in Europe as wildlife officials warn that dogs are now encroaching on the habitat of some threatened wolf populations amid conservation efforts. 

In Italy, one breeder estimates the demand for wolf dogs has gone from hundreds to thousands of requests for his dogs. While the exact numbers are unclear, one thing is clear: there is a sizable market for the animals.

Illegal breeding

In 2017, Italian authorities seized more than 200 illegally mixed hybrids smuggled in from the Balkans, Scandinavia and North America. 

In Italy, the legality of owning a wolf dog is nuanced. While there are no specific breed bans, people may face certain restrictions or ownership requirements if their animal is too closely related to a wolf. Breeders must collect DNA samples from each litter and enter the identities of the parents into a national registry.

Additionally, according to Italian and international requirements, wolfdogs can only become domestic pets once they are interbred in captivity for at least four generations. 

Deadly wolf dog attacks

But that hasn’t stopped some from obtaining wolf hybrids and the results can sometimes be deadly. 

In 2018, five wolf dogs mauled a 74-year-old woman to death in northwest Italy, as reported by Italian publication Corriere della Sera. The woman’s daughter owned the five wolf dogs.

In the United States, there have been reportedly more than 20 documented fatal wolf dog attacks between 1978 and 2023. 

According to Deseret News, wolf conservationists estimate there are more than 500,000 wolf dogs in the U.S. alone.

Wildlife officials say while deadly attacks are rare, hybrid owners often don’t know how to care for wolf dogs and many end up trying to rehome the animals. Wildlife officials warn that wolfdogs aren’t suitable as pets because they often feel cooped up in a home, requiring the freedom to roam. They say the inability to care for the animals has led to the abandonment and euthanization of many wolf dogs.

In the case of the 74-year-old woman killed, the owner of those wolf dogs kept them in a small two-bedroom apartment. The owner has since sent them to a rehabilitation center. Authorities initially charged the daughter with manslaughter, but a judge later acquitted her.

US laws

In the United States, laws on wolf dog ownership vary and there is no federal ban on owning them. Multiple states have bans on hybrid ownership, while others require a permit. However, in many states it is legal to own a wolf hybrid without a permit, according to World Population Review, a tracking site for wolf dog ownership laws in the U.S.

Reputable breeders maintain that the animals are safe to have if trained properly. One breeder told National Geographic that he goes with about 30% wolf in his hybrids to maintain the aesthetic look of a wolf while featuring a personality fit for a domestic habitat.

Criticism of ‘hybridization’

Conservationists have also raised concerns with wolf hybrids in the wild being killed. They note that researchers have found dog DNA in more wild wolves, which could potentially be a problem for reestablishing threatened wolf populations across Europe. 

In some regions of Italy, for instance, it is estimated that more than 70% of wolves have dog DNA, according to a study from Sapienza University in Rome.

Some also say there’s an ethical debate on what truly constitutes a wolf, which has led to ambiguous enforcement of laws. 

According to National Geographic, in Italy, an animal that is 96% wolf can be returned to its owner, while that same hybrid in the wild could be killed due to the potential threat it poses to humans. Researchers also warn that hybridization crosses the line between wildlife and human interaction — potentially threatening the lives of wolves, who are often euthanized when too close to human populations due to safety concerns.

Wildlife officials are tracking wolf packs in Europe and have learned to spot the signs of pack hybridization. They use tracking devices to monitor the wolves movements and said behavior or changes in movement patterns can be signs of hybridization. Researchers note that incidental interactions between dogs and wolves lead to some hybridization, while illegal capture of wild wolves drives other instances of hybridization.