Wolfdog owners hear good news, bad news
By Norma Bennett Woolf
Owners of wolfdogs received good news from the US Department of Agriculture
and bad news from animal rights activists in Michigan, all in a few short weeks
at the end of summer.
After reviewing evidence that rabies and other vaccines work in wolfdogs,
USDA has decided to add these canines to its vaccination regulations, a move
that will make it more difficult to ban or regulate the animals based on lack
of vaccine approval. The agency is accepting comments on its proposal to include
wolfdogs in its definition of canines that can be protected by current vaccination
protocols.
At the same time, Michigan Senate Bill 705 proposed to eliminate wolfdogs
from the state by banning purchase of new animals, prohibiting breeding, and
requiring licenses, sterilization, and confinement for animals in residence
on the date the law takes effect. Maximum penalties for violations include a
fine of $1000, 1000 hours community service, 93 days in jail, and "loss of canid
ownership privileges."
Introduced in late September, the Michigan bill echoes breed-specific legislation
in other jurisdictions and is backed by the Humane Society of the US, the Michigan
Humane Society, and other groups. It is opposed by the Michigan Association
of Animal Owners and a coalition of wolfdog owners and fanciers. HSUS has long
opposed the breeding and keeping of wolfdogs as pets. In 1992, HSUS vice president
Randal Lockwood wrote: "The HSUS believes the ownership of wolf hybrids must
be strongly discouraged, and through attrition, eliminated. This can be accomplished
by restricting the sale, trade, release, import, or export of animals across
state or local boundaries. . Governments should impose licensing fees adequate
to cover the costs of inspecting containment facilities and other expenses associated
with implementing regulations. Existing animals should be spayed or neutered."
Lockwood was outdone by Michigan resident Beth Duman, a proponent of wolfdog
elimination, who has suggested that veterinarians offer free euthanasia to wolfdog
owners who bring their pets into the clinic for exams or treatment.
Is it a wolfdog?
Since there is no genetic test to determine whether an animal is a dog or
a wolfdog, Duman suggested that appearance be the guide, stating that "I saw
a picture that was taken in Idaho, by a surveyor, of a wolf. I looked at that
picture and I think if Randy had looked at it too, we would have said 'ahhh,
it's a hybrid.'"
Acknowledging that no genetic tests can determine whether an animal is a wolf,
a dog, or a wolfdog, Lockwood agreed in an interview: "There is something in
the bearing of these animals. What I see in looking at these animals is quite
different than dealing with a lot of dogs. . They are incredibly intelligent
and alert, almost to a pathological degree."
Lockwood and Duman also said that wolfdog ownership is bad for wolf conservation
and reintroduction programs because the dogs can escape and interbreed with
wolves, thus diluting the gene pool, and because fear of wolfdogs can influence
public opinion about wolves.
Wolf Park on wolfdogs
Wolf Park, a conservation and education foundation in Battleground, Indiana,
conducts public education programs about wolves and wolfdogs. Duman has claimed
to represent Wolf Park as its regional coordinator in Michigan, but her position
that wolfdogs should be killed is at odds with the organization's policy statement
on these animals. The foundation's 14-point policy document begins with a definitive
statement: "We are NOT against anyone possessing captive wolves or hybrids.
Nor do we advocate legislation that would make it illegal to possess such animals."
Wolf Park appears anxious that the animals be confined properly for their
benefit and for the safety of the community. To this end, they enlisted the
aid of hybrid breeders, owners, behavioral scientists, and a USDA inspector
to devise a set of guidelines for safe keeping of wolfdog pets. They emphasize
responsible ownership and base expert testimony in court cases and legislative
hearings on the need for animal owners to properly confine and socialize their
animals.
The last point in the Wolf Park policy echoes Lockwood and Duman in one respect
- the concern that incidents involving wolfdogs will impact the image of the
wolf in the wild, but the conclusion differs from that of the anti-wolfdog brigade:
instead of banning the animals, Wolf Park practices and preaches responsible
ownership.
Rabies vaccine
The September 28 Federal Register carries the proposal from USDA to amend
the drug regulations by defining "dog" as "all members of the species Canis
familiaris, Canis lupus, or any dog-wolf cross."
Wolfdog owners and fanciers have long pushed for acknowledgement that rabies
vaccines are effective in their animals, but USDA has been reluctant to add
wolfdogs to the canine vaccine protocol because this and other vaccines have
not been tested in these animals.
Complicating matters was the designation of wolves and dogs as separate species
until 1993 when the American Society of Mammalogists reclassified them as the
same species. Wolfdog owners asked again for government approval of vaccination
in their animals, but they were again turned down pending collection of data
to show that the vaccines are safe for wolf-dog crosses.
Now the evidence has been presented, USDA said in its background document.
Data indicating that 216 wolves and 460 dog-wolf crosses were successfully vaccinated
with various modified live vaccines was turned in by wolfdog owners, and drug
manufacturers reported that their products have been used extensively in wolves
and wolf-dog crosses with no reported reactions.
If the proposal is approved, vaccine manufacturers will be allowed to recommend
their products for use in wolves and wolfdogs without further testing. However,
if they wish to add this information to product labels, USDA must approve the
new label.
Comments will be accepted on the proposal until November 29. Please send your
comment and three copies to Docket No. 99-040-1, Regulatory Analysis and Development,
PPD, APHIS, Suite 3C03, 4700 River Road, Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238.
Please state that your comment refers to Docket Number 99-040-1.
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