Moving Deadline Passes For Owner of Wolf Dogs

[Global Paw]

LAKELAND -- The lone wolf says he is trying to work with the city.

Embattled canine owner George Killingsworth said he was not able to meet the court-imposed deadline Tuesday to get rid of all the wolf dogs at his West Alamo Drive home. But he said he plans to give away the remaining 10 animals as soon as possible.

"I was going to try and find a place to live with the animals," he said. "But I think I'm going to give them to my friend."

As of Tuesday afternoon, he had not contacted his friend about taking the wolf dogs. So he said he would be unable to comply with the deadline.

And he said he would have to give his friend time to build cages for the canines. He didn't specify where the friend lives, other than to say the person is in Florida.

Lakeland city spokesman Kevin Cook said the city will have to take action since Killingsworth has not.

"If the dogs are still there (Wednesday), then we will file for contempt of court," he said. "And a judge will decide from there what to do."

Killingsworth, who has diabetes, said his health has been failing because of the stress caused by his situation.

"The way I'm going, all this stress is going to kill me," he said. "And I don't think the city wants to kill me. If they do, they can just come shoot me."

He said he has called real estate agents to try to find a place to live with the dogs. And he's contacted many wolf-dog rescue organizations to find a home for his animals. He said all of them were full.

"I am trying to work it out," he said.

Assistant City Attorney Palmer Davis said Federal Wolf-dog Rescue in Largo would have room for the dogs in about a week. But he said the animals would all have to be spayed or neutered.

"(Killingsworth) said that he can't live with that condition," Davis said. "Our position is that something's got to happen here."

Killingsworth said he will get rid of the dogs when he can.

"I'm not going to keep the animals if it's going to kill me," he said.

[Merle]

I really hate to hear a story like this. I suppose with the right owner a wolf hybrid could be a good pet, but it usually doesn't work out that way. Most folks have no clue what they're getting into & in the end the poor animals are given to who ever will take them or euthanised. There are so many homeless dogs that would make wonderful pets, yet people like something unique or exotic so they get a wolf/dog mix that will almost certainly grow up to be something they can't handle.

[Pinscher Mum]

Im not exactly pro wolves as pets, and why on earth is this man against these wolves being spayed and neutered.........hmmmm, he says he tried to find them new homes, sure as heck doesnt sound like it, as he hadnt even contacted his friend, l doubt he tried anything.

Sounds like he is using the diabetes illness as a line to get them to stop coming for the wolves, with saying all this is killing him and he doubts the authorities want that, well, sounds like the old "poor me" line.

To have 10 wolves is no small amount and lm most concerned that it sounds like all are intact, just what the world needs.

These wolves need to be given the right life, they deserve to live like all things on this earth, but should be spayed and nuetered, there is enough DOGS in shelters now.

Me personally do not agree with ""wolves"" being pets. I have read many articles about them, stories of people who HAD owned them, well, endings werent so lovely.

[boxerlover]

I think wolf breeding should be illegal....