US Orphaned wolf pup gains new companion in local shelter dog at a Kansas zoo

[ Original | Archive ] By Caitlin McCormack

An orphaned wolf pup at a Kansas zoo gained a new family in a young dog coincidentally taken in by a local shelter on the same day the wolf was born.

The Sedgwick County Zoo and Kansas Humane Society banded together to unite kinless Amora the wolf and Slinky the brindle mix.


An orphaned wolf was united with a shelter dog to help them socialize and find their homes.
Kansas Humane Society

The zoo’s female maned wolf, Layla, passed away unexpectedly after giving birth to Amora. Even though wolves are typically solitary creatures, social connection is particularly pivotal for early development in pups, the KHS shared on its Facebook account Tuesday.


Slinky the dog and Amora the wolf became fast friends.
Kansas Humane Society

The wolf pup Amora unfortunately lost her mom.
Kansas Humane Society

To make Amora a not-so-lone wolf, the zoo turned to the KHS to adopt a pup in need of a home.

Coincidentally, Slinky’s sister had recently been adopted, leaving the 3-month-old down in the dumps. Matching him with Amora helped lessen both their woes.

“They have since been carefully introduced, and while Amora has quite the spicy personality, Slinky’s playful nature is helping her grow into the wolf she is meant to be,” the Sedgwick County Zoo explained.

Amora and Slinky are set to remain together until the wolf pup matures. When she does, she’ll be sent off to live with other maned wolves.


When Amora is mature, she will be sent to live with other wolves.
Kansas Humane Society

Even when their time together is up, Slinky won’t be left in limbo. The zoo staff have already fallen in love with him and an employee plans on adopting him once he and Amora are ready to part ways.

Placing animals in captivity with dogs for companionship is standard practice for some species, like cheetahs.


Though normally solitary animals, wolves do need social connect in their early development.
Kansas Humane Society


Following his stay with Amora, Slinky will be adopted by an employee of the Sedgwick County Zoo.
Kansas Humane Society

At zoos like the Cincinnati Zoo, adopted shelter dogs live with the resident cheetahs to keep them company. The fastest animals on the planet are actually gentle souls and greatly benefit from having their own emotional support companions, often found in breeds like labradors.

At the Richmond Metro Zoo, Kumbali the cheetah has lived with Kago the labrador for nearly a decade. The two share an enclosure overlooking the hippo habitat, currently home to Poppy the pygmy hippo and her family, during the day. Ever the fierce friend, Kago can often be found standing guard closest to the glass window visitors flock near to look into the enclosure.

 

[Tanuki Mixed Nuts]

For reference, an adult maned wolf looks like:

(Pictured: Dog on stilts)

 

[wtfNeedSignUp]

It is interesting if you can use a dog as a parent of wolf pups to train them to live alongside humans.

 

[Brett DeLawyer]

“Brindle mix” lmfao, could you just not have gotten this poor baby a half-pit murder goblin?

 

[Joe Swanson]

“Brindle mix” lmfao, could you just not have gotten this poor baby a half-pit murder goblin?

I mean wolves are supposed to kill, though perhaps more intelligently then the nigger dog

 

[KittyGremlin]

For reference, an adult maned wolf looks like:

View attachment 6951145
View attachment 6951143
(Pictured: Dog on stilts)

Fox with a lift kit

 

[metroid_fetish_ii]

DEI for dogs.

REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

 

[General Emílio Médici]

Oh cool a Manned Wolf. Those one of the unique animals to Brazil's Pantanal.

Recently we put it on our 200 BRL note.



They are pretty funny creatures.

 

[Prokhor Zakharov]

For reference, an adult maned wolf looks like:

View attachment 6951145
View attachment 6951143
(Pictured: Dog on stilts)

Looks like a stretched fox.

 

[Generic Anime Girl]

puppy

 

[Prokhor Zakharov]

Huh, its name is a misnomer. It's not a wolf, or a fox. It's in it's own little niche of the canids. It also has a weird diet. In the wild up to 50% of it's diet is a fruit called the Wolf Apple, which is a member of the genus Solanum, so it's a relative of the tomato, potato, and the eggplant (Aubergine).

What a strange type of dog.

 

[Apteryx Retardi]

Even though wolves are typically solitary creatures

They're not. Unless that specific weird breed is an exception.

A girl I knew had a normal Eurasian wolf...for a year or so. She had a pair of rotties, a pair of cockatoos, a semi tamed crow, etc, so some retard gave her a wolf pup (which he found while poaching bambi) for her birthday. She kept it, it got along well enough with the doggos, bit the shit out of her arm at one point (as in ER and later surgery), jumped the fence whenever he could, and eventually got run over. She was pretty much "good riddance" by that time.

 

[Agent Abe Caprine]

For reference, an adult maned wolf looks like:

View attachment 6951145
View attachment 6951143
(Pictured: Dog on stilts)

Fun fact: Their urine smells like weed.

 

[Meth Dick]

So it's not actually a real wolf. I was gonna come in here saying that raising a wolf as a pet doesn't really ever work. you can raise any wild animal as babies. Hippos, lions, tigers, wolves, but when they reach sexual maturity they won't see you as an owner, or an equal, they see you as competition. Wolves are pack animals, and especially a male wolf will challenge you if it decides to wants to be the alpha. Especially amongst other dogs.
I think bears are the ones that are pretty chill if you raise it from birth, but even then it's not a guarantee.

 

[Agent Abe Caprine]

So it's not actually a real wolf. I was gonna come in here saying that raising a wolf as a pet doesn't really ever work. you can raise any wild animal as babies. Hippos, lions, tigers, wolves, but when they reach sexual maturity they won't see you as an owner, or an equal, they see you as competition. Wolves are pack animals, and especially a male wolf will challenge you if it decides to wants to be the alpha. Especially amongst other dogs.
I think bears are the ones that are pretty chill if you raise it from birth, but even then it's not a guarantee.

The maned wolf isn't being kept as a pet. They're in a zoo. This is more like those cheetahs in zoos with emotional support dogs. Yes, that is a thing. Cheetahs are prone to anxiety issues in captivity.

 

[The Tall Man]

It is interesting if you can use a dog as a parent of wolf pups to train them to live alongside humans.

IIRC, no, and even a wolf-dog mutt isn't suitable as a pet. There were some experiments crossing German Shepherds with wolves, and the resulting mutts were always distrustful of humans.

The nature vs. nurture argument only exists because some social scientists don't want to face reality.

 

[TheRedChair]

IIRC, no, and even a wolf-dog mutt isn't suitable as a pet. There were some experiments crossing German Shepherds with wolves, and the resulting mutts were always distrustful of humans.

The nature vs. nurture argument only exists because some social scientists don't want to face reality.

My cousins had 3/4 wolf/German Sheperd hybrid. Name was "Wolfie".

From my persoective is that if you were part of the "pack" then you are fine. But very hostile if not.

 

[Overly Serious]

It is interesting if you can use a dog as a parent of wolf pups to train them to live alongside humans.

You can't. Least ways with "real" wolves. I'm not sure what the case is with Maned Wolves which are very different to what we think of as wolves.

Wolves are distinct from dogs, you can tell the moment you're close to one. Raising one around humans doesn't fully domesticate the wolf, they never are, it just familiarises the wolf with humans so that they're no longer so scared of people - making the wolf more dangerous than a wild one. Their bite is terrifyingly powerful and if you ever have the privilege of being up close with a wolf when it's molted for Summer you can see the sheer muscle of the things. Oh, and they can run like nothing else, btw. Not just fast, but tireless.

Again, I'm talking about wolf wolves, not a "maned wolf" which is just a name someone came up with. I don't know much about those.

 

[Positron]

Huh, its name is a misnomer. It's not a wolf, or a fox. It's in it's own little niche of the canids.

Yeah it is member of a bizarre branch of purely South-American canids (green in the family tree below), and is only distantly related to the grey wolf / domestic dog.