A wolf hybrid is a canid that is a mixture of wolf and dog ancestors. (Representative image)
A family’s pet wolf hybrid attacked and killed a 3-month-old baby in Alabama, the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. Around 1 p.m., deputies received an emergency call about a toddler being attacked by an animal at a home on County Road 440 in Chelsea.
The infant was rushed to a nearby hospital in the Chelsea suburb of Birmingham, where he was pronounced dead from injuries believed to have been caused by the wolf hybrid. “The animal, said to be a wolf hybrid, was reportedly kept as a pet by a family,” police said in a press release.
Wolf hybrids are canids with mixed wolf and dog ancestry, and Shelby County Coroner Lina Evans confirmed to CNN that the family was aware of their wolf heritage. The animal was euthanized at the scene and transported to the Alabama Diagnostic Laboratory.
The incident is under investigation and an autopsy will be performed, authorities told media.
Chelsea Mayor Tony Picklesimer said in a statement Friday: “We are deeply saddened by this unfortunate and tragic event.” “Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and all those affected.”
“I can’t imagine anything like this happening to this baby,” he added. “If you choose to own an exotic pet, you also have the added responsibility of ensuring the safety of your family as well as your neighbors.”
The mother of a three-month-old girl who was attacked and killed by her dog has accepted responsibility for the out-of-control dog’s death. According to the BBC, baby Kyla King was attacked while her parents were walking their 19 dogs in Lincolnshire, England, in early March.
