I’m curious to know which local shelter you’re speaking of here. Wolfdogs are actually incredibly rare to find in any shelter because 1) it’s a huge liability for anyone outside of privately-run rescue organizations to adopt them out to the general public on account of concerns with rabies vaccinations; 2) even most privately-run rescues are incapable of providing proper wolfdog-proof containment; and 3) there really aren’t many wolfdogs to begin with - certainly not as many as you seem to think there are.
In truth, an estimated 75% of all claimed “wolfdogs” in the USA have no wolf in them whatsoever, but are, instead, simply shepherd, husky, and malamute mixes who’ve had the “wolfdog” label slapped on them by uneducated owners and unethical breeders alike. Unethical breeders, in particular, mislabel their animals so they can sell them for more money, while owners enjoy the notion of having a piece of the wild in their living room. Others still mean well, but simply don’t know any better, and are under the false impression that things like CKC paperwork or a DNA test can “prove” that their husky mix is “75% wolf” when this is actually not the case.
The point is: I highly doubt that the animals at your local shelter are actually wolfdogs; I can almost guarantee you they are just mixed-breed domestic dogs.
Also, it’s worth pointing out that literally no one is taking wolves out of the wild for the purpose of breeding wolfdogs. That notion is entirely false. Wolfdogs in the USA can trace their origins back to fur farms that went out of business in the 50s and 60s. Even these wolves were, themselves, captive-raised to begin with.
On to the next point:
The notion of “adopt, don’t shop” really doesn’t help reduce the number of animals in shelters in the way you think it might; this is especially true when it comes to animals with wolf content.
To preface, I am actually a wolfdog rescuer; I run a private nonprofit organization specifically for these animals. I also support responsible wolfdog breeders and owners alike.
Why?
Because responsible breeders are a huge asset to my work as a rescuer. They have what’s called “take back contracts” that buyers are legally-bound to uphold when they purchase a puppy. These take-back contracts stipulate that if, for any reason, the owner cannot handle the animal, or becomes sick, or can no longer afford its care, etc., that the animal will be returned only and directly to the person who bred it in the first place until another owner can be found. If another owner cannot be found, the breeder will provide the animal with all the care it requires for the remainder of its life - whether that’s one year or fifteen. Either way, it means one less animal for me to rescue.
Occasionally, owners will not uphold take-back contracts, and may try to sell the animal off to another party instead. The wolfdog community is very close-nit, and it’s incredibly rare for any animal with legitimate content to “fall off the radar” so to speak, so tracing the origins of a wolfdog is actually incredibly easy. Even so, responsible breeders will sometimes have their animals micro-chipped or even tattooed, so that if that pup does wind up in rescue, we can contact the breeder it originally came from immediately.
You’d be amazed by how accommodating these breeders can be. Just last week, I drove nearly halfway across the USA to meet with a breeder who was adamant about assisting us in rescuing one of her pups. She even paid for a portion of my gas money to get there. The pup’s new owner (who was found for us by the breeder) paid for the rest.
The point is: responsible breeders are NOT the problem, and If you want to see a decrease in the number of wolfdogs in the USA, you’re barking up the wrong tree. Instead, start first by educating yourself properly about these animals. Then turn your attention to the unethical backyard breeders who keep selling husky/malamute mixes as “wolfdogs”, and to the irresponsible owners who perpetuate the cycle of wolfdog misrepresentation by calling their dogs something they are not.
You can read more about misrepresentation and why it matters HERE. And, of course, if you have any further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to ask.
