volunteers in the Red Hood Rescue Projecta wolfdog sanctuary in Ohio, spent Saturday digging, hammering and building a home for a pair of soon-to-arrive Rhode Islanders.
It will be called the “401 Run” as a tribute to the apparent wolf dogs Bella and Libby and to the people of Rhode Island who have supported their rescue efforts, donating money to transport the animals and build the run, said Susan Vogt, co-founder and Chairman of the rescue board.
Initially believed to be black coyotes, Bella and Libby induced fascination and some fear when they were spotted roaming Warwick for several days in April. Warwick Mayor Frank Picozzi posted on social media, advising residents to keep their distance.
It turned out that the pair had been kept as pets, with their owner telling officials that they were wolf hybrids, which are illegal in Rhode Island. Now kept at the Warwick Animal Shelter, they will soon join 18 wolfhounds at the 20-acre Ohio facility, which opened 15 months ago.
“We expected to have eight animals right now, and they keep showing up,” Vogt said.
Wolf-dog hybrids, a growing problem
Finding suitable homes for wolf dogs can be challenging. There are an estimated 250,000 to 500,000 wolfdogs in the United States, according to Mission: Wolf, a Colorado sanctuary. Experts say many of them are traumatized by being kept in inadequate conditions.
A combination of unethical breeding and owners ill-intentioned or ignorant of wolfdog challenges has left sanctuaries like Vogt’s trying to heal the dogs and give them a better life, experts say.
In separate cases earlier this year, Rhode Island rescuers found new homes for two wolfdogs that had been in the state illegally. A dog was adopted by an experienced owner in Vermont; another was sent to live in a sanctuary in Kansas.
The sanctuary in Middletown, Ohio, was full, or so Vogt thought, when the director of the Warwick animal shelter, Ann Corvin, called her to take Bella and Libby away. After Corvin introduced her, the sanctuary decided, “Let’s build. It costs money, but we can build,” Vogt said.
Further:How RI’s wolf-dog hybrid will help bring magic to Kansas vets
Your new home will meet US Department of Agriculture standards and include a dog kennel, 8-foot fence, dig guards, umbrellas, and a pool. The enclosure will be 100 feet by 30 feet.
“We like it long enough for them to run,” Vogt said.
Bella and Libby face an uphill battle, but they could be adopted
DNA evidence hasn’t come back, but Vogt says that Bella and Libby, who are believed to be about six months old, look and act like they’re part wolves. They will be kept together, separate from the other wolfhounds, at least initially, he said. They will need a lot of work. “They are not socialized. They are not animals that you can go up to and touch,” Vogt said.
In Rhode Island, Corvin has already begun trying to socialize the dogs, according to Vogt. That work will continue in Ohio. They will likely need a lot of time to relax, adjust to their new surroundings and build confidence, Vogt said.
Walking them on a leash with other wolfdogs would mark an important milestone, Vogt said.
“It’s a very slow process,” he said.
If that works out, Bella and Libby could be adopted, but the adopter would have to meet strict requirements, Vogt said. For example, they would need to live in a state where it is legal to keep wolfdog hybrids, have experience with wolfdogs or northern breed dogs, own their own home, and have a safe outdoor space.
Further:How RI’s wolf-dog hybrid will help bring magic to Kansas vets
“We promise a lifetime of care if they are not adoptable,” the Red Hood Rescue Project says on its Facebook page.
Vogt estimates it will cost $8,000 to build the race and bring Bella and Libby to Ohio. He did not say when they will arrive, but noted Friday: “We are working fast this weekend.”
The nonprofit, all-volunteer sanctuary has raised about $5,200 so far, the bulk of it from Rhode Islanders. One way they are raising money is selling T-shirts featuring a picture of Bella and Libby with the words “I GOT THE ‘401 GIRLS’ TO THE RED”. Rhode Island photographer Scott Manne took the photo they are using.
Even if Bella and Libby are eventually adopted and moved from the sanctuary, the title “401 Run” will remain on the pen. Vogt, impressed by the way Rhode Islanders have supported animals, said, “It’s a sign of a tremendous community of love.”