Yuki is a wolfdog who was abandoned by a man in a shelter where he was at risk of being euthanized, but fortunately, a sanctuary decided to rescue him and give him a second chance at life.
Wolves have become known for their incredible characteristics such as intelligence and strength. In addition, they have been given great prominence in different media such as movies, books, and paintings. So wanting to make them into pets, people created a wolfdog, which is basically a hybrid between a wolf and a domestic dog.
Yuki is a wolf-dog that has become very popular on the Internet and according to Brittany Allen, who is part of the Shy Wolf Sanctuary :
“Their DNA tests show 87.5% gray wolf, 8.6% Siberian husky, and 3.9% German shepherd .”
Wolfdog abandoned in a shelter is rescued
A photo of Yuki with Brittany has surprised more than one, as she can be seen hugging him and with a quite noticeable size difference. Still, Brittany claims that Yuki is not as huge as she seems.
Recently, she responded to an Instagram comment as follows:
It is the angle that makes him huge. We all have one.”
Thanks to this photo, people have learned about the tragic story of Yuki, who, if it weren’t for the shrine, would probably not be alive today, according to Bored Panda.
Brittany said:
“We rescued him from a difficult situation. They bought it from a breeder but realized it was too big to handle. He was abandoned in a shelter when he was only 8 months old so he could be euthanized. So we came along and provided him with a home, he’s been with us ever since.”
“Yuki came to us in 2008, in reasonably good health compared to many animals that come to us. At first, he was very outgoing and we considered using him as an ambassador. But soon after, he injured his hind leg. He needed 5 operations to recover, and in that time Yuki became more aggressive, especially being in a cage».
Members of this shrine shared photos of Yuki in his new home in 2012.
“He loves women, showing off to visitors and being silly.”
Judy, who is a volunteer at the sanctuary stated:
“Yuki lets you know if he wants you in his compound or not. There’s a small group of women that she allows in, and we call hers her ‘harem’.”
This sanctuary was founded in 2001 by Nancy Smith. The Shy Wolf Sanctuary Education and Experience Center (SWS), located in Naples Florida, is responsible for rehabilitating and sheltering all wolves and other exotic animals that are bred in captivity. It also seeks to educate people about the importance of protecting these animals.
Its mission is defined as “connecting people and animals through education”.
Wolfdogs are generally shunned and their last hope of finding help is through the Shy Wolf Sanctuary .
“They are creatures that demand respect. It would be a very different encounter if it were in nature. The animals I work with have never lived in the wild and never will, so they are more socialized. We show their adorable moments hoping that people will relate to them and change their response from fear to healthy respect through education. And we also give them a chance at a decent life, otherwise they would be slaughtered.”
The behavior of wolfdogs can be unpredictable due to their mix of traits, which is why adopting these animals brings certain challenges that people are not aware of.
“They are more difficult in my opinion because you don’t know exactly how much wolf and dog behavior they will have. Yuki is not necessarily more social than pure wolves. We have wolves that run away when they see people because they are shy. Yuki runs toward this new person, and if he doesn’t like him he will become aggressive toward her. With wolves, once they get to know you and feel comfortable, they will be affectionate, although they will always be wolves, you have to respect their limits and not come between them and their food. Both are social with the people they accept but very selective. It also applies to others, when they accept you, the bond is unique.
“Today, Yuki is one of the most interesting animals in the sanctuary. It is not easy to meet him, but he has made friends with some volunteers. We call him ‘Woowoo’ because it’s the noise he makes when he sees them, so they’ll come hang out with him.”
Unfortunately, the shrine received the sad news that Yuki is suffering from blood cancer.
“He was diagnosed last year, and unfortunately, it is terminal. We do not know how much time he has left, although Yuki has been fighting against it for some time and perseveres. When the day comes when she starts to show symptoms, we will do what we always do, make the right decision so that she does not suffer. Saying goodbye to our animals is very hard, and in your case it will be no different. And although many of these animals had rough beginnings, they always end well at the sanctuary. When her time with us is up, the last thing they do is make room to rescue another animal and give it a good life.”
Yuki’s life has been very challenging, but thanks to Shy Wolf Sanctuary he has known what it is to be treated with respect and love, and surely will be until the last day of his life.