Dog Suspected Of Being Wolf Hybrid Allowed Home With Family
AURORA, Colo. (CBS4) - A judge has decided that a dog, suspected of being a wolf hybrid, was allowed to go home with his family after the dog's owner agreed to a plea deal.
The dog's co-owner, Tracy Abbato, says DNA tests did not find any evidence of wolf characteristics in the dog.
Tito Serrano is the technical owner of the dog, named Capone, assumed all legal responsibilities. Serrano agreed to plead guilty to three of the five original charges, including animal at large, rabies tag and having a dog registered with the city. In exchange, the aggressive animal and exotic animal charges were dropped.
Animal Control took Capone after a neighbor called to complain.
The City of Aurora does not allow any exotic animals.
Capone had been in custody at an Aurora animal shelter but on Wednesday, the judge waived impound fees and the $1,000 fine.
Serrano will also have to build a fence around the home, but until that is approved by the city the dog will need to be confined to the home or the front or back yard on a leash.
"He's been there for five weeks, which isn't going to rectify the fact that he'll probably have kennel cough; he's probably going to have some behavioral adjustments just because he's been scared and isolated," attorney Jennifer Reba Edwards said.
Serrano is currently undergoing voluntary behavior modification for the dog.
The family started a GoFundMe page to help pay for a new fence and attorney fees.