Wolf Dog Legal

QUESTION: Did you know that there is no approved rabies vaccine for greyhound crosses? Do you have a veterinarian who treats your pet and vaccinates it completely? Greyhounds are hybrids between different subspecies of wolves and domestic dogs, most often those that resemble wolves, such as the Alaskan Malamute, Husky or German Shepherd. They are often bred as military dogs or for guard purposes. Although the possession of a purebred wolf is often prohibited in the United States and most countries, greyhounds do not apply to the same legislation. Nevertheless, some bureaucratic problems may arise. At AnimalWised, we want to clarify whether it is legal to own a greyhound by explaining its nature, especially its differences from wolves. We also explain why it`s not always the best idea to have a greyhound as a pet. Even if you could draw its pedigree, there`s no way to predict an animal`s “wolf,” says Stephen L. Zawistowski, PhD, former executive vice president and scientific advisor to the ASPCA. “I`ve seen ads for animals that are 98 percent pure wolf, but these are fake numbers,” he says. “These claims are based on the mistaken belief that genes mix like food colorings: if you take half red and half blue, you get a beautiful, even purple.” In reality, he says, genes “mix” more like marbles. Suppose you have a dog, represented by 20 red marbles, and a wolf, represented by 20 blue marbles.

If you raise both, you will get 10 marbles from each parent, so you have half of each color; It is an F1 cross (branch 1 or first generation branch). But in subsequent generations, you will get a random selection of red and blue from each parent. Thus, the individual offspring of two F1, 50/50 greyhounds (an F2 cross, one generation from the whole wolf) could have wolf genes to three-quarters and a quarter of dog genes to three-quarters dog and a quarter wolf – but all are considered half-wolves. Ultimately, he says, you can see huge differences between greyhounds, even if they come from the same litter. “A high-grade greyhound is likely to behave much more `wolfie` than a low-content animal,” Wilde adds. “With a very satisfied greyhound, you could start with the puppy in the house and then, when he reaches puberty, build a pen outside. You have to do it. For these reasons, many experts, including wild ones, advise against breeding greyhounds or buying greyhound puppies from breeders. Experts agree that the vast majority of greyhound farmers sell “high-greyhound greyhounds” with little or no wolf content, even though the animals fetch up to $2,500 each. In addition, most of the “greyhounds” that are kept as pets — and handed over to animal shelters and greyhound sanctuaries — are also all dogs. “I would say about 70 percent of so-called `greyhounds` are not greyhounds at all,” notes Ken Collings, former president of Wolfdog Rescue Resources, Inc., a national rescue organization based in Stafford, Virginia.

“Individuals take malamutes, sheepdogs and other dogs and cross paths with them until they get an animal that looks like a wolf. And because most people [who want a greyhound] are uneducated and have no idea what they see, they buy it. Domestic dogs tend to mature much earlier (6 to 8 months), but the harsh behavior still exists, although it is generally less intense in most breeds than in wolves. Hybrids can have any combination of wolf or dog maturity rates and behavioral changes. Now that you know a little more about the genetic factors of greyhounds, you will better understand whether greyhounds are illegal or not. Pure wolves can be kept illegally as pets and are protected by regulations for endangered wildlife. The Federal Animal Welfare Act defines greyhounds as pets and is subject to the same regulations as many other breeds (as long as they are five generations away from their wolf ancestors). This goes even further in breed-specific legislation.

The fact that it is so difficult to trace their lineage makes it difficult to determine whether they are classified as greyhounds. It is therefore very difficult to legislate thoroughly in this area.