Penny on the outskirts of Pennypack Park on Tuesday
Posted: Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Joining the ranks of the Bronx
Zoo Cobra and the Pittsburgh piglet, Penny the Pennypack Wolf is yet
another animal adept at avoiding “the man.”
Since last week, employees of
the Speedwell Forge Wolf Sanctuary in Lititz, PA, along with members of
the PA Game Commission, have set up camp in the Rhawnhurst section of
Northeast Philadelphia trying to capture Penny, who they believe could
be any number of things- a wolf, a wild dog, a coyote, or a hybrid.
According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Penny, “who might be an abandoned pet, eluded traps set by Wolf Sanctuary workers and regularly peeked from the edge of the woods of Pennypack Park — to the delight of spectators” on Tuesday.
The animal control staff has tried just about everything, even going to far as to feed Penny a tranquilizer-laced hot dog. They plan to shoot her with a tranquilizer dart/remote tracking device if all else fails. Once Penny is immobilized, they will be able to take her in for tests. If it turns out the animal is at least 65% wolf, she already has a home at Speedwell, a 25-acre wolf sanctuary in Lancaster County.
According to the Inquirer article, local area residents began noticing Penny around the outskirts of Pennypack Park on Algon Ave. It was there that citizens began snapping photos, calling animal control, even feeding the animal “Kibbles n’ Bits.”
According to Jerry Czech, a wildlife conservation officer in the area, while coyotes do reside in the city, there are no wolves in the wild. There are wolf hybrids, but like in all of the other states, permits must be acquired to keep them, and they are rarely issued. Wolves are wild animals, who even when mixed with other species run the risk of reverting to feral behavior.
While Penny has not shown any indication of becoming violent, some residents worry that her “wolf nature” will kick in, and are afraid to get into their cars, especially at night.
Officials are still working on capturing Penny. In the meantime, they encourage all Rhawnhurst residents to be extra cautious. And please, for your sake: do not attempt to feed Penny. No matter how cute she is, there is still a chance that she is a completely wild animal.
source
According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Penny, “who might be an abandoned pet, eluded traps set by Wolf Sanctuary workers and regularly peeked from the edge of the woods of Pennypack Park — to the delight of spectators” on Tuesday.
The animal control staff has tried just about everything, even going to far as to feed Penny a tranquilizer-laced hot dog. They plan to shoot her with a tranquilizer dart/remote tracking device if all else fails. Once Penny is immobilized, they will be able to take her in for tests. If it turns out the animal is at least 65% wolf, she already has a home at Speedwell, a 25-acre wolf sanctuary in Lancaster County.
According to the Inquirer article, local area residents began noticing Penny around the outskirts of Pennypack Park on Algon Ave. It was there that citizens began snapping photos, calling animal control, even feeding the animal “Kibbles n’ Bits.”
According to Jerry Czech, a wildlife conservation officer in the area, while coyotes do reside in the city, there are no wolves in the wild. There are wolf hybrids, but like in all of the other states, permits must be acquired to keep them, and they are rarely issued. Wolves are wild animals, who even when mixed with other species run the risk of reverting to feral behavior.
While Penny has not shown any indication of becoming violent, some residents worry that her “wolf nature” will kick in, and are afraid to get into their cars, especially at night.
Officials are still working on capturing Penny. In the meantime, they encourage all Rhawnhurst residents to be extra cautious. And please, for your sake: do not attempt to feed Penny. No matter how cute she is, there is still a chance that she is a completely wild animal.
source
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