DNA test reveals what wolf-like dogs found roaming Preston streets actually are
DNA tests to ascertain what type of breed wolf-like dogs found roaming the streets of Preston on Halloween are have been confirmed.
Many thought it was a spooky trick as pictures of the grey animals circulated on Facebook after being spotted abandoned at the Station Lane area of Preston on Friday, October 30, 2025.
Lancashire Police officers, including specialist dog handlers, captured the three canines and took them to a "safe location".
Although Preston City Council initially identified them as German Shepherd-type dogs, specialists at Wolves of Wiltshire later confirmed they are nearly 50 per cent grey wolf.
A wolf-dog is a domestic breed of dog that has been bred with a wolf.
Little Timmy, Brooke and Boo's DNA tests, provided by company Embark, came back as 49.1 per cent Gray Wolf and 50.9 per cent Czechoslovakian Vlcak.
The tests were ordered by 8 Below Husky Rescue, a rescue centre that first took the animals from the council.
Siblings Little Timmy, Boo and Brooke were taken in by a rescue centre and then transferred to specialists at Wolves of Wiltshire, who confirmed they were, in fact, of the wolf-dog variety.
Mr Barrington said at Wolves of Wiltshire, the focus was "on the animals themselves, their welfare, and their happiness".
He said the rescue centre was not planning to rehabilitate the animals or make them into pets.