Mistaking a wolf for a domestic dog, the man took it home to take care of it as a pet

12/05/2022 15:25 GMT+7

A family in Massachusetts came across a small dog-like animal wandering exhausted on the side of a busy road. Worried about the animal’s health, family members took it home to take care of it.

Mistaking a wolf for a domestic dog, the man took it home to take care of it as a pet

However, after taking care of them for a while, the family was bewildered when they discovered that the animal they brought back was actually a coyote. The family quickly contacted the Cape Wildlife Center for assistance.

Zack Mertz, executive director of the Cape Wildlife Center in Barnstable, says coyotes have a different appearance than domestic dogs. They usually roam around this time of year.

Young wolves come of age to begin exploring the outside world after separating from their families.

Zack Mertz said: “We soon realized this was a coyote, he was still at an age where he needed parental care. But we don’t know why he was walking alone, maybe walking. stray too far from his family or his parents die.”

The young wolf is about 5 to 6 weeks old, tested negative for rabies and is currently recovering in isolation with Cape Wildlife staff.

The wildlife center will temporarily house her with a 4-week-old female wolf that has just been delivered from a Rhode Island wildlife clinic. Zack Mertz said coyotes are social in nature, so cubs need to live with their own kind.

“One of the important things is to find the lost wolf with a family where there are other species. They will learn from each other and grow together,” he said.

At the center, staff also limit contact with coyotes, keeping as much of their nature as possible. They also simulated the natural environment such as decorating the wolf cage with grass, providing food, challenging climbing to make the wolves live comfortably, helping them practice the behaviors required when returning to the wild.

The staff plan to take care of the two cubs for about 6 months, if all goes well, they will be released back into the wild in mid-autumn.

Hoang Dung (synopsis)