DATE: Wednesday, May 7, 1997                TAG: 9705070443

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B9   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY LINDA MCNATT, STAFF WRITER 
DATELINE: SUFFOLK                           LENGTH:   74 lines

SUFFOLK ANIMAL HOSPITAL LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO TAKE WOLF HYBRID

In the wild, Aztec, a 4-year-old wolf hybrid, probably would have found her lifetime mate and could be expected to live another decade or so.

Instead, as a resident of a Suffolk animal hospital, the majestic canine's fate is uncertain.

A mixture of timberwolf, Arctic wolf and malamute, Aztec ended up there when her owner, Mariam Powell, gave her up. Powell had moved from a country home in Ivor to the town of Wakefield and felt Aztec would bother her neighbors.

The dog's predicament is not unusual, according to the Humane Society of the United States.

``Once somebody buys one, they usually discover they are too large, too curious or too aggressive to handle,'' said Dr. Randall Lockwood, vice president for training initiatives for the Humane Society. ``The rescue groups are swamped.''

Alicia Stanton, a technician at the Nansemond Veterinary Clinic, said Tuesday that she has been trying for nearly a month to find a home for Aztec.

The Norfolk-based People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals told Stanton that Aztec might have to be euthanized.

``I was shocked,'' Stanton said. ``I couldn't believe they would recommend that.''

There's good reason for the recommendation, said Zoe Rappoport, the PETA employee who spoke with Stanton.

``I've gotten a lot of calls about wolf hybrids lately, and I truly find the whole situation extremely sad,'' Rappoport said. ``. . . There are so many unwanted that the sanctuaries are full. The only answer is euthanasia.''

Stanton and others at the hospital hope they can do better for Aztec. This timid animal has never shown aggression, they said. She'll give you her paw, cuddle, lick your hand or face.

Powell, who purchased Aztec - who is white, with a thick, black-tipped coat - as a cub and has had her for four years, said, ``This is an animal who is healthy, friendly and has always been taken care of.''

Loving the animals isn't all that's required, said Jill Moore, an employee of Wolf Park, a wildlife preserve near Lafayette, Ind., that studies wolf behavior.

Wolf hybrids require constant attention, expensive pens and more precautions than an ordinary canine, Moore said.

``They are very energetic and keenly intelligent,'' she said. ``It's almost like having a gifted child. People often don't know what they're getting into, and they're being sold to people not remotely prepared to take care of them.''

Spokespersons for Hampton Roads SPCA offices said they seldom see a wolf hybrid. The Norfolk SPCA refuses to accept them.

In the last 10 years, about 18 deaths a year nationally were attributed to canines. An average of two a year were caused by wolf hybrids, according to the Humane Society of the United States.

Ownership of a wolf hybrid in Virginia is getting more complicated. Beginning July 1, localities must enact a permitting system for hybrid canines.

When the animals are not directly under the control of their owner, they must be confined in a 10-foot-by-10-foot fenced enclosure. They must be neutered and tattooed, and authorities must be notified if the animal bites or attacks another person or animal, dies or is moved to a different location.

Moore said that the animals, if treated and trained properly, are loyal companions and social members of the family.

Stanton said she's called from Arizona to Connecticut to Virginia and North Carolina, trying to find the animal a home.

``As sweet as she is, she should not be destroyed,'' she said.

Until Stanton finds somebody willing to take the risk, Aztec probably will remain at the hospital.

Stanton may be reached at at 925-1380. ILLUSTRATION: JOHN H. SHEALLY II/The Virginian-Pilot

Workers at the Nansemond Veterinary Clinic, like Lynn Barbini, are

trying to find a home for Aztec, a 4-year-old wolf hybrid. They are

worried Aztec - part timberwolf, Arctic wolf and malamute - will be

euthanized.

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