Wolfdog Dumped At Kill Shelter Receives Second Chance At Shy Wolf Sanctuary

By Mandy Froelich / Truth Theory

Don’t be fooled by appearances… Sometimes, the biggest, scariest-looking creatures are actually the big softies. For evidence, look to Yuki. The wolfdog was rescued by Shy Wolf Sanctuary after being abandoned at 8-months-old.

As Bored Panda reports, a wolfdog is basically a blend of a wolf and a dog. Both are members of the same Canis species, so it’s not an improbable combination. Sadly, Yuki’s original owners were not prepared to care for such a unique animal. That’s why they dumped him at a kill shelter when he was just eight-months-old. Fortunately, it wasn’t long before he was given a forever home at Shy Wolf Sanctuary. 

Yuki became an internet star after a photograph of him with staff member Brittany Allen was posted to Reddit. The 5’4″ woman looked tiny behind Yuki (which she later claimed is his “fat angle”), resulting in the photograph going viral. Allen later responded that Yuki is not as large as he appears and that he weighs 120 pounds.

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Allen posted a new photo of Yuki looking quizzical to Instagram with the caption: “The face we make when people say Yuki’s picture is Photoshopped… It’s just his fat angle guys. We all have one.” 

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To determine Yuki’s origins, the wolfdog received a blood test. Allen told Bored Panda: “His DNA testing came back as 87.5 % Gray Wolf, 8.6 % Siberian Husky, and 3.9 % German Shepherd.”

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“We rescued him from a failed house pet situation. Someone purchased him from a breeder and realized he was too much to handle,” Allen explained. “They dumped him at a kill shelter at 8 months old. We stepped in and provided a home for him and he has been with us ever since.” 

A director at Shy Wolf Sanctuary added:

“Yuki came to us in 2008.  He was in reasonably good health compared to a lot of the animals that come to us and had a very outgoing personality initially. We even considered him for ambassadorship at one point. Shortly after arriving at Shy Wolf Sanctuary Yuki managed to catch a leg on a palmetto and opened up a wound on his right rear knee. The wound ended up taking a total of 5 surgeries to finally repair and in that time Yuki became cage aggressive.”  He has since allowed some staff members and volunteers to gain his trust.

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The Shy Wolf Sanctuary and Experience Center (SWS) was founded in 2001 by Nancy Smith. As the website explains, the sanctuary provides a safe haven and rehabilitation to wild and captive bred wolves, and other exotic animals. The 2.5-acre property is located in Naples, Florida, and is a permanent home to over 60 captive-bred or rescued exotic animals each year.

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The nonprofit aims to “reconnect people and animals through education.” Presently, staff members and 30 active volunteers work year-round to help the neglected animals, as well as educate the public. Thanks to Yuki and his viral photograph, more people are aware of wolfdogs and their unique needs.

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