Residents and Sacramento animal control officials are on edge due to a band of large wolf-dog hybrids that have been spotted wandering around Discovery Park and the surrounding communities of South Natomas.
Ryan Hinderman, a representative for the city’s Front Street Animal Shelter, stated, “Our animal control team is aware of two domestic animals that were attacked by one or more of these dogs.”
According to Hinderman, five of the dogs were initially at large. According to him, animal control personnel are still responding to sightings, but three have since been apprehended and their whereabouts were unknown on Wednesday. Police are currently looking for two black-furred dogs.
Sacramento City Councilwoman Karina Talamantes has taken notice of the claims and urged locals to contact animal control officials if they see the traveling dogs.
“We’ve heard from residents who are understandably fearful, as these are large animals,” Talamantes stated.
According to her office, when homeowners notice the enormous canines, they should contact the city’s animal control officers at 916-215-7102 and provide the precise address of the sighting right once.
“We need all hands on deck,” Talamantes stated.
According to Talamantes, animal control officers are in communication with the canines’ owner. According to her, animal control agents also gave the owners traps to try to catch the dogs.
Animal control officers have been collaborating closely with Talamantes’ office. According to her, the wolf dog sightings were reported to her office last week.
“My office was first made aware of this issue last week after seeing postings online. Over the weekend, we received calls from neighbors voicing their concerns,” she stated. “My concern, as always, is for the safety and well-being of my constituents and their pets, which is why I made a public post on social media about this issue to raise awareness and help ensure these animals are captured quickly.”
Authorities were alerted to the sightings by over a dozen calls to the city’s 311 hotline in the last several days. Residents of Natomas are concerned that the hybrid breed that has been implicated in at least two assaults on local dogs and cats might start focusing on larger prey.
Last week, two of the canines were photographed by local chef Jeff Davis wandering down Garden Highway across from Discovery Park, above what looked to be the parking lot of a nearby office park.
“Saw two large wolves on Garden Highway across from Discovery Park,” he wrote in the comments that accompanied the photographs, expressing anxiety. These are enormous and have the potential to kill anyone.
On Wednesday, Davis said he had been trying for a week to get state wildlife and city animal control officers to pay attention, but he felt his reports were not being taken seriously.
“People’s dogs are getting killed in the interim,” he said.
In his neighborhood, Davis reported seeing the big dogs “all over Ring apps,” which are video doorbell home security equipment.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife states that it is unlawful to own a first-generation wolf hybrid in California.
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It is permitted to own second-generation wolf dogs in California, which are classified as the progeny of a domestic dog and a half-wolf, half-dog hybrid, with no more than 25% wolf. We don’t know the genetic makeup of the canines who are currently on the loose.