Death threats made against rescue centre housing wolf-like' animals found roaming Preston streets

The three ‘wolf-life’ animals were found roaming the streets of Lancashire last month.

Many thought it was a Halloween trick as pictures of the grey animals circulated on Facebook after being spotted at the Station Lane area of Preston on the afternoon of Thursday, October 30.

Lancashire Police officers, including specialist dog handlers, captured the three canines and took them to a "safe location".

However, Preston City Council later confirmed that they were in fact a German Shepherd type dog.

The dogs, who have now been named as Boo, Brooke, and Little Timmy, were then put into a specialist rescue centre called 8 Below Husky Rescue.

Staff confirmed that the three pups visited the vets and were devastated to learn that Boo weighs just 9.7 kg with a body score of 2 out of 9. Little Timmy weighs 12.45 kg and has the same body score of 2 out of 9, while Brooke weighs 11.45 kg and has a slightly better body score of 3 out of 9.

They said: “These poor pups are incredibly underweight. Little Timmy has also started coughing, given there general poor condition this is a concern and now under monitoring by ourselves and the veterinary professionals.

“However, now that they are in a more suitable environment and on an appropriate, high quality diet, we expect their condition to improve.”

The spokesperson for the rescue centre said that they had been liaising with a wolf dog specialist with over 20 years of experience.

Death threats and abuse

The wolf dog specialist said: “When we learned about these three pups in the news, we knew we could help them transition to better lives, but we also understood that the media interest could complicate that process.

“Unfortunately, the council, which we hadn’t worked with before, received an overwhelming number of enquiries from individuals and groups wanting to voice their opinions and get involved.

“While many had good intentions, some contacts were from those with less altruistic motives. Understanding this, it was wise to move the animals to a trusted rescue with a strong collaborative history with the council.

“We have connected with 8below, a well-established sled dog rescue, and offered mentorship to ensure all necessary safety measures are in place. Fortunately, working with 8below has been a smooth process; their staff are highly experienced, coordinated, kind, and empathetic.”

Get a bespoke headline round-up, as well as breaking updates, when you sign up to the The Lancashire Post’s free emails

They added: “We must address the unfounded hate and vitriol directed at 8below, who have only stepped up to assist with this complex public case.

“We appreciate those who have politely expressed genuine concerns, but we are alarmed by the online harassment, including individuals clogging up 8below's emergency number with calls, preventing them from helping in other rescue situations.

“We also condemn the death threats made against them, both online and over the phone.

“Such disgusting acts have been reported to the police. We urge everyone to be kind, respectful, and supportive, even when questioning. Please consider how your negativity might escalate the behavior of others.

“We will not be sharing details of the wolf dog specialists we are working with at this point , due to the level of abuse we have received it would not be fair to involve anyone in this extreme levels of bullying and harassment. We would like to Thank all of our supporters for your kindness as always.”

A GoFundMe has also been set up for the pups. If you would like to make a donation then visit the 8 Below Husky Rescue Facebook page.

Lancashire Police have been approached for comment on the matter.