Sheriff investigating shooting death of stray wolf-dog

The Pima County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the death of a dog that was shot while volunteers were trying to rescue him from roaming in a northwest-side neighborhood.

On Jan. 27, Pima Animal Care Center received a call to come pick up a dead dog from the area of West Massingale Road and Interstate 10, northwest of West Ina Road, said Christy Holliger, a volunteer with PACC.

Volunteers had been trying to catch the wolf-dog hybrid for several weeks, including enlisting the help of a company that assists in humane animal capture, Holliger wrote in an email.

The stray dog, named Wolfie, had escaped from his owner about six months ago and was roaming the neighborhood since then.

The owner was unsuccessful in her attempts to catch him and eventually had to move out of town, leaving the dog behind.

“We tried everything we could to capture Wolfie and transport him to safety,” Holliger said. “We communicated this plan to the neighbors, but unfortunately one of them decided to take action.”

Holliger and others believe the dog was shot by a resident of the neighborhood who had previously complained about the dog.

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Because the dog’s shooting is an active investigation, the sheriff’s department is unable to comment, said Deputy Courtney Rodriguez, a sheriff’s spokeswoman.

During the weeks that Wolfie was living in the area, some neighbors said he had killed chickens on their property, while others said they’d seen him playing with neighborhood dogs, Holliger said in an email.

The dog’s former owner, Sarena Peeler, said he was not a threat to anyone and that she hopes whoever shot him will be brought to justice.

“In Arizona, it’s legal to shoot an animal that’s killing livestock on private property,” Holliger said, but it’s unclear if the neighbors produced evidence of the dead livestock or proof that the dog was responsible. It’s also unclear if the dog was shot on private property, she said.

“Wolfie’s story illustrates the dangers that wolf-dogs face and the gray areas of the cruelty laws in Arizona,” Holliger said.

Officially, the Humane Society of the United States is not in favor of wolf hybrids, said Cory Smith, director of pet protection and policy. “We consider them to be in the same category as wildlife or exotic pets,” she said. “But if this was a domesticated pet, that changes the conversation here.”

The laws vary when it comes to killing wildlife and killing domestic animals that are harming livestock, but humane measures need to be taken before extreme action, Smith said.