BARKING MAD
I adopted a dog after seeing a sign saying ‘free puppy’ – I was stunned when he grew into a full-size dangerous predator
With problems mounting up, the owner began to question just what kind of animal he'd adopted
A DOG lover who adopted what he thought was a free puppy was left stunned after it grew into something completely different.
The young pup may have been cute looking at first but it soon became a full-sized dangerous predator.
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But when the full-time student adopted "Neo" from a house in Tucson, Arizona, it was only natural for him to think he'd just found his lifelong best friend.
The puppy's big amber eyes, alert ears and playful nature meant he instantly fell in love - and he knew it was coming home with him.
However, it wasn't long before the dog owner became sceptical about what he'd let himself in for.
Neo started behaving very skittish and would urinate and defecate all over his new owner's car whenever he was driven somewhere.
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The pup would also struggle with separation anxiety and longed for his owner's company all the time.
But with his owner in full-time education and working on the side, Neo was often left alone in the backyard.
Cate Salansky of told : "According to his owner, Neo would dig out or jump the fence to play with the neighbours' dogs.
"He built a higher fence to help contain him, but Neo chewed through it and continued to escape."
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With the problems continuing to mount up, the owner began to question just what kind of animal he'd adopted.
Neo had the physical markings of a wolf - amber eyes, coarse coat and a long, lanky body - but also displayed behavioural characteristics of the dangerous canine.
The animal often escaped his home to interact with other dogs, highlighting his urge to find his pack.
But Neo would also cower away from neighbours who tried to interact with him and would even reject their attempts to feed him treats.
And even though the neighbours loved him at first, his obsessive behaviour eventually drove them to take him to a nearby shelter at the Humane Society of Southern Arizona.
They pleaded with the shelter to hold onto him until a solution could be worked out with the owner.
But Maureen O'Nell, the former CEO of the Humane Society of Southern Arizona, soon informed the neighbours that this was not a normal dog.
O'Nell said: "I approached the couple and asked, 'You know that isn't a dog, right?
"They responded, 'we were wondering.'"
After researching the laws in Arizona regarding wolf dog ownership, O'Nell discovered that it's only allowed if you're a Native American, or you have a special permit.
Eventually, O'Nell contacted the full-time student and got him to agree that Neo should go to the sanctuary.
"I told him I was proud of his decision," she said. "His boy had a wonderful life ahead of him at Wolf Connection."
However, Neo had a happy ending as he eventually found his pack and is commonly heard participating in the "nightly howl".
Elsewhere, another man who thought he bought an adorable puppy was left horrified when he discovered it was a disgusting creature.
The new owner grew suspicious and soon found out his little pet wasn't what he expected.
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And one kindhearted animal lover rescued a sick "dog" hiding on her porch but was horrified to learn it was something much more dangerous.
Sharon Bertozzi found the ill animal hiding behind a ceramic vase by the front door of her house in California and mistook it for a dog.
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