Posted on 1/25/2004, 5:59:09 PM by chance33_98
Wolf Hybrid Creates Controversy
By Christine Nangle
A wolf or a husky? One Anchorage animal, Sasha, has become the center of controversy. Sasha has taken center stage in a debate between an Anchorage family, Animal Control, and the Department of Fish and Game. Sasha was recently taken from her owners because Fish and Game says the animal is a hybrid wolf and therefore illegal in the State of Alaska. But the family says otherwise.
The three-year-old animal is seen from her owners as a pet. They consider her to be like one of the kids. But the Department of Fish Game sees the animal as a threat to the community. Fish and game classifies Sasha as a wolf hybrid and says owning wild animals is illegal. Rick Sinnott, Dept. of Fish and Game said, "even more of a concern is disease and the more an animal is like a wild animals the more chance of diseases transferable. So you get a hybrid wolf that is more likely to survive in the wild, join, wolves, and pass diseases on."
But the family says it never knew Sasha was considered a wolf and even registered her with the municipality as a Shepard Husky mix. However, Fish and Game believes Sasha is dangerous, so the department seized the animal from the Cozad family.
Rick Sinnott, Dept. of Fish and Game said, "they are being irresponsible on many levels. They are claiming now that the animal is not a wolf hybrid that it is a husky mix, anyone who knows what a wolf look likes and a husky looks like knows this clearly not a husky, or shepard it is a wolf."
Sasha is currently being held at Animal Control in confinement and is scheduled to be put down at the beginning of February. The Cozad say they want Sasha back and they are doing everything they can to fight the for the animal's life. Aimee and Steve Cozad, Sasha's Owner said, "we just don't want her killed it is not her fault that all this is going on. I know people are going to say it is our fault it is happening but it is not really. We didn't know she was."
The family is not alone in wanting to save Sasha, many special agencies such as Wolf Town in Washington have stepped up to help. They say the dog should not be punished. Tea Martino, Wolf Town said, "the people who break the law are going to do it anyway and the animal should not be punished for this the owner should be put in jail or fined, not the dog put down that is backward justice."
One reason the Department of Fish and Game seized Sasha is to reinforce the fact that hybrid wolves are illegal in the State of Alaska. They hope people will stop purchasing the animals so they are not put in this type of situation again. The Cozad family also said they are willing to pay as much money as needed to have the animal sent to a refugee.
Dreamed I was an eskimo
Frozen wind began to blow
Under my boots and around my toes
The frost that bit the ground below
It was a hundred degrees below zero...And my mama cried
And my mama cried
Nanook, a-no-no
Nanook, a-no-no
Don´t be a naughty eskimo
Save your money, don´t go to the showWell I turned around and I said oh, oh oh
Well I turned around and I said oh, oh oh
Well I turned around and I said ho, ho
And the northern lights commenced to glow
And she said, with a tear in her eye
Watch out where the huskies go, and don´t you eat that yellow snow
Watch out where the huskies go, and don´t you eat that yellow snow
Why send the wolf-dog to a refugee? Bodyguard? :-D
.
Seriously, this is strong-arm tactics. I would submit that the Fish and Game Dept. is guilty of theft, and the individuals involved should be prosecuted as such.
Fish and Game pukes: I BELIEVE that YOUR pet dogs pose a threat to others. They are being confiscated NOW. Is that your kids crying? Too bad. Are the dogs going to sit in a cold dirty shelter until they're euthanized? Too bad.
What's that I hear? PROTEST? You say that I have no RIGHT? Who says? I decided to assume that right in the name of "safety", just like you did.
Looks? They are going on looks?
DNA testing please or some more solid proof besides "looks" would be nice.
Good GRIEF.
I believe the law was designed primarily to protect the wild wolf population, but who knows how some "puke" might pervert the law. Here in bush Alaska this cross breeding happens from time to time and there are many dogs that look like wolves. Some even have the distinctive foot pads of the wild wolf.
When city people began the fashion of bringing a little of the wild into their apartments, the price of cross-breeds started to rise and wolf-dog encounters were encouraged thus putting the wild wolf in danger. Unless the dog was born after the law was passed and illegally sold, I can not see why these people must be harassed.
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