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"We and
the beast are kin. Man has nothing that the animals have not at
least a vestige of; the animals have nothing that man does not in
some degree share. Since, then, the animals are creatures with
wants and feelings differing in degree only from our own, they
surely have their rights."
Ernest Thompson Seton
1860-1946 |
Rights
We hear a lot of rhetoric about
the rights of citizens to own whatever they choose to own. It is a part
of our constitutional right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of
happiness. We have the right to OWN.
Is this just another rabid animal rights article? Or is it possibly a
wolf-dog hybrid's eye view of the subject? "Rights" brings to mind a
wonderful article written in 1989 by Dr. Tom Gier, called the
Wolf Hybrid
Bill of Rights.
WOLF HYBRID BILL
OF RIGHTS
I am a wolf hybrid. Whether I am 98% or 2% wolf, I am still a wolf
hybrid. I am not a dog and I do not act like a dog, I act like a
wolf. I am an intelligent, loving, independent-minded creature and
as such have certain rights. The following are 10 of those rights.
1. I have the right to the permanent companionship of other wolf
hybrids or dogs. I do not wish to be separated from my own kind
any more than other creatures wish to be so separated.

2. I have the right to human companionship on a daily basis. If
you do not want to spend time with me, then you shouldn't own me.
3. I have the right to feel safe and protected - from humans and
animals alike. This protection should be in the form of a secure
enclosed pen or yard.
4. I have the right to try to escape from my pen/yard BUT I have
the right to be kept from escaping by my owner's daily monitoring
of my "great escape" activities. I have the right to expect my
owners to perform the necessary maintenance to my pen/yard to
offset my attempts at escaping.
5. I have the right to the proper amount and kind of food, plus
fresh water. I also have the right to a clean, safe pen/yard.
6.I have the right to daily exercise and playtime with both the
animal and human members of my pack.
7. I have the right to regular and proper medical attention. I
also have the right to be treated by a vet who likes, respects,
and is knowledgeable about wolf hybrids. I furthermore have the
right to a vet who I feel comfortable and safe with.
8. I have the right to be treated with respect and dignity even
when I am doing something "wolfish". In other words, I have the
right to my kind of fun, such as digging, chewing, stealing,
howling, etc. After all, I am just being me. Isn't that why you
bought a wolf hybrid? I do not mind being reprimanded, but if you
yell and scream and/or beat me, I may start to fear and distrust
you; I may also start behaving in an even more unacceptable
manner.
9. I have the right to adequate shelter and protection in all
kinds of weather. I know that as a wolf hybrid I am pretty tough,
but I need some way to keep dry when it rains, to keep warm when
it is cold, and to keep cool when it is hot.
10.Most importantly, I have the right to be loved and cherished
for the intelligent, loving, independent-minded creature I am.
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And the right to so very much more. These
animals have no control over who breeds them, who purchases them, or
where they end up. It is up to the humans involved to make absolutely
sure all THEIR basic rights
are provided.

In the United States
PEOPLE have inalienable rights. One of these rights is to own
whatever property they choose, as long as it is legal. Canines of all
varieties fall into this category - property. Wolf-dog hybrids by this
definition may be owned by anyone, whether they have the proper
conditions to house these special animals, whether they are educated to
their needs, or whether they just think it would be "cool" to own a
wolf-dog hybrid. We
ALL have the RIGHT to own a one.
What most people fail to understand is that with such inalienable rights
come immense responsibilities. When the Creator gave us dominion
over the animals, he also gave us the charge to love and protect them.
Something people tend to forget so easily......
When a commitment is made to buy one of these creatures, the
responsibility extends for the natural life of the animal. They do not
re-home easily. Sanctuaries are full and overflowing. There
is no room for the "throw away mentality" that seems so prevalent in
this society in this century.
Wolf-dog hybrids are a creation of man. They had no choice in that
creation decision. The wolf has an inalienable right to exist free. By
the laws of this country? No. By the laws of the universe. But we adhere
to the laws of this country and to the law of
WANT. We want
wolf-dog hybrids, and captive wolves. We take good care of them, they
live in our houses, they have everything they could ever want. Right?
Think about it......and look deep into their eyes.
We have given them no say in their existence. Walk a mile with them.
Would you opt for the backyard, the pen, the house, the air conditioner,
a chain? Or would you choose the ways of your ancestors?

Would your choice be the freedom of the midnight forest? Running
silently with the moist leaves tickling your pads, knowing that ahead
was the meal you had been stalking. Feeling the night wind flowing
through your fur, sensing the closeness of the pack......
KNOWING the
destiny that Mother Nature had set for you.
It seems that there should be another right added to the list. The right
to refuse to exist in the artificial conditions set by man. They have
the RIGHT to be
BORN free, or the right to
not BE. Grey
Ghost was the most wonderful companion I could ever have asked. He had
to leave this world to finally be set free, to run the night forest with
the Pack...... Through my tears of loss, I can only rejoice in his
freedom.
Am I suggesting that you turn your best friend out to the wilderness to
fend for himself in an environment he was not raised to? Absolutely
NOT! He/she
would die a slow, painful death, most likely from starvation. Those that
ARE have the
right to the best life you can provide them........ We then need to see
that no more are born, via irresponsible breeders, to the artificial world of man.

Editor's note:
This article was
written in 1998. It is now 2003. The problem of over-breeding
these high maintenance canines has become even more problematic
over time. Many are breeding mongrel dogs and calling them
WOLF-dog hybrids, exclusively to make money. You might ask why that is a problem, other than
the obvious fraud involved. When others see how well behaved this
'faux wolf-dog hybrid' is, they want one too. Bragging
rights, and easy to care for. If they then get the
real thing, they are often in for the shock of their lives, and
the animal ends up being dumped as being atypical and unstable -
when it is only being true to it's nature.
Many are
breeding pures, calling them 98%, and selling them to first time
owners. That is disaster waiting to happen.
Breed specific
legislation - naming wolf-dog hybrids a dangerous animals is being
proposed in more and more areas, due to irresponsible owners and
breeders. This one is special, she bred "Esquimaux Dogs" -
the same animals that used to be registered with the National Wolf Hybrid
Association:
http://www.wolf-to-wolfdog.org/sanantonio.htm
Many of the pups
she sold ended up in rescue years prior to her arrest. "Responsible"(?) breeders sold
those animals to her. Her friends continue to maintain that she was a
responsible breeder.
When will the
insanity stop? |
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