A man who lives near Wahnapitae, Ontario, in the Great Sudbury, is worried about the fate of his pets after his expected seizure of the government next month.
Bryton Bongard lives on a rural property, where he has built a large enclosure for his 16 -wolf dog hybrids. In 2021, he got them as puppies from a friend who said they can be in part wolf, although Bongard never looked at his lineage.
What he has learned since then is that in Ontario, being owner of Wolf-Dag hybrids is illegal. The Ministry of Natural Resources of Ontario (MNR) is now involved, and Bongard said that he hopes that the ministry will take over its animals in September.
But it is not the seizure that worries Bongard. He is worried about what will happen to his dogs later, since he said that MNR has not told him what his destiny will be. Bongard said he is concerned that animals are sacrificed instead of being traced again.
“I have no problem with penalties. I know that I broke the rules. And yes, I will pay a fine. I will help to move my dogs. I will do whatever I need to make sure that my dogs are safe and healthy,” he said.
CBC News asked the Ontario MNR about the rules about Wolf-Dag hybrids in the province, and about what will happen with these animals after they are incapted.
“In general, it is illegal to keep the wild animals of Ontario as pets or keep them in captivity,” wrote a spokesman in a statement. “There are some exceptions, which are carefully regulated under the Fishing and Wildlife Conservation Law, 1997. As this is an active case, MNR cannot comment more.”
Dogs Lobos kept in a large enclosure
Bongard enclosure measures approximately 35 meters by 35 meters. The wire fence is 2.5 meters high with spikes in the upper part, as well as a underground metal apron to prevent animals from being excavated.
Within the enclosure there are some areas covered with refuge, as well as small hangers for animals to rise. When Bongard enters with food and sweets, such as eggs, dogs are closely approaching the tails.
Bongard said he listens to positive comments from his neighbors about animals, and invites people to meet with the package.
The wolves have had some litters in recent years, some of which have already been delivered to the Ministry. He said that all his animals have been sterilized or castrated since then so that they have no more litters.
Keep the hybrids ‘really does not work’: retired biologist
Wolf-Dag’s hybrid DNA makes them less suitable as pets compared to domesticated dogs, said retired biologist from Wildlife Dean Cluff. Cluff lives in Sudbury and worked with wolves in the Northwest territories during his career.
“It really doesn’t work for the most part,” he said. “They are basically unpredictable.”
Cluff said that while animals may seem friendly and well socialized, they tend to follow a hierarchy of packages that can change over time, especially if something happens to its owner.
Cluff said Wild Wolves can travel 80 kilometers or more in one day, and it is difficult to say if the wolves and hybrids born in captivity can still have that impulse to wander.
Difficult re-ehoming hybrids
Bongard said he has called sanctuaries throughout the country, many of whom are filled or are not interested in taking wolf hybrids.
Cluff said the challenges to relocate these animals include transport, the construction of a large enough habitat for them and the continuous costs of maintaining their health and diets. Due to those problems, he said, sometimes he becomes a more human option to sacrifice animals.
Bongard has offered to pay the costs of moving animals, but finding places for 16 wolf dogs can be the biggest challenge. One of the few places in Canada that specializes in werewolf is Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary in Alberta. According to the reports, they told Bongard that they are already at their capacity and that they cannot accommodate their animals.
Bongard said he has asked the Ontario MNR about turning his own property into a sanctuary, but does not expect the Ministry to support that plan.
