Two weeks since his capture, the infamous Pennypack Park wolf-dog is adjusting to his home at the Wolf Sanctuary of Pa. in Lititz, Lancaster County.
“He seems shy and withdrawn,” said Dennis Binkley of the Wolf Sanctuary. “But every day he seems better.”
It was the Wolf Sanctuary that helped search for the elusive animal late June in Pennypack Park. Local residents had spotted him many times in the area but were unable to catch him. After seeing him on television, a man who claimed to be the owner of the wolf-dog came forward. Kasey Lyon, 21, told NBC10 he purchased the animal from a breeder in Florida when he was only 4-months-old and named him Levi.
Wolf-Dog hybrids are only legal in Pennsylvania with a special permit. When the Pennsylvania Game Commission finally caught him two weeks ago, Levi relinquished him to the sanctuary. With his new home comes a new name.
“When I first thought about Philadelphia I thought of the Liberty Bell,” said Binkley. “So we’re going to call him Liberty.”
The Wolf-Dog is in quarantine until medical tests clear him to join the other wolves and wolf hybrids in more spacious quarters.
“We want to get him in with some other wolves,” said Binkley. “Wolves in general don’t like to be alone because they are pack animals.”
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Liberty is currently about 25 pounds underweight. DNA testing will reveal how much of him is wolf and how much of him is dog.
“If it’s 65 percent or more wolf content the last I know now it would be illegal to own one in Pennsylvania,” said Binkley.
While his exact DNA has not yet been revealed, Liberty has made it clear that he has a good amount of dog in him. The Sanctuary says he was stealing dog toys from the yards aligning Pennypack Park.
“We understand in Pennypack Park he had these toys spread all over the place,” said Binkley.
Liberty’s DNA tests will be released at the end of the month.
