ohmidog!

Buying a wolf hybrid has become illegal in Maine, but it’s going to take a while for them to disappear from the state, if they do at all.

The law requires current owners to have the animals neutered and prohibits the purchase of dog-wolf mixes, except by those with special wildlife-in-captivity permits.

The law was passed after concerns arose about a wolf hybrid refuge in Bristol.

“Wolf hybrids are not pets,” said Sen. David Trahan, the bill’s sponsor. “Would people consider bringing a coyote or mountain lion into their home crossed with another cat or another dog?”

Jim Doughty, who operates the Wolf Ledge Refuge in Bristol,  says the law is misguided and unfairly brands the animals.

“Any animal, no matter whether it’s a pure wolf or a Chihuahua or a pug or anything else, depends on the person and how they raise it,” he said. “It’s the same thing with your kids. If you’re abusive toward your kids, they’re not going to be so good. If you work with them, they’ll be great.”

According to an Associated Press article, forty states forbid the ownership, breeding and importation of wolf dogs, while others impose some form of regulation upon ownership.

The law doesn’t prevent Doughty from continuing to take in wolf hybrids from people who no longer want them.

Last month, one of Doughty’s animals, Luna, escaped and attacked a chicken next door.

Doughty doesn’t consider wolf hybrids to be dangerous, but said he wouldn’t recommend them for families with small children. He doesn’t think the law will eliminate wolf dogs from Maine.

“Owners are going to list it as another dog,” he said. “The vet might know it and everybody else might know it, but nobody’s going to say a word.”

(Photo: Jim Doughty and a wolf hybrid named Koda; by Kate Collins / Bangor Daily News)