Mystery of wolf-type dogs solved with DNA test

Three large dogs found roaming the streets of a Lancashire town the day before Halloween have been confirmed to be wolf-dogs after a rescue centre tested their DNA.

The dogs were found abandoned in Preston on 30 October 2025, and their wolf-like features sent them viral, despite Preston City Council identifying them as a German Shepherd-type breed.

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.

Oli Barrington, a trustee at the exotic animal charity, said the dogs, who were found emaciated, are now in a "comfortable, safe and recovering from the ordeal".

The council said they had been told by their kennelling contractor that the dogs were "a German Shepherd type".

A council spokesman said the dogs were only in the authority's care for a "short statutory period".

"We do not carry out DNA testing, so we relied on the description provided at that time."

Millions of people have watched videos about the dogs and their subsequent DNA test results on Tik Tok and other social media platforms.

Mr Barrington said at Wolves of Wiltshire the focus was "on the animals themselves, their welfare, and their happiness".

He said the rescue centre is not planning to rehabilitate the animals or make them into pets.

"They will be whatever they want to be here. If they want a life with minimal human contact, then that's what they'll have."

What is a wolf-dog?

A wolf-dog is a domestic breed of dog that has been bred with a wolf.

In the UK, they are legal to own as long as they are three generations away from the original parent wolf, according to the PDSA.

First and second generation wolf-dogs that have one direct wolf parent require a license to own and are classed as exotic animals.

Mr Barrington said Wolves of Wiltshire have specific licenses that allow them to care for the animals, because they were an "unknown quantity, and they could have potentially required a dangerous animals license".

Little Timmy, Brooke and Boo's DNA tests, provided by company Embark, came back as 49.1% Gray Wolf and 50.9% Czechoslovakian Vlcak.

The tests were ordered by 8 Below Husky Rescue, a rescue centre that first took the animals from the council.

Mr Barrington said he thinks the law is "a bit of a problem", because it is about the number of generations away from a wolf, rather than the percentage of wolf DNA.

He said that the problem is irresponsible breeders who are breeding high DNA content animals that are "perfectly legal on paper".

"There's very few people out there who could actually provide a decent home for a high content wolf-dog, you really have to give up your life," he said.

An RSPCA spokesperson said: "They are large, much more challenging animals who need highly experienced handlers who have not only worked with dogs, but also wolves, and fully understand their needs."

They also said that they "do not make suitable family pets" and people should be aware of the potential legal restrictions on keeping wolf-dog hybrids.

However, many in the wolf-dog community are confident they can provide these animals with the care they need.

Laura Mackenzie-Hawkins, from Greater Manchester, has four wolf-dogs and one Belgian Malinois who she said she rescued from a young couple who were living in a second-floor flat.

She took early retirement, and said she is with the dogs "24/7" in her home, which has included a large garden and 6 ft-high fences added as adaptations for the animals.

"Just like with any dog, your responsibility is to keep that dog safe," she said.

"With the look of the wolf, as we've seen with the Preston three, if you get one wandering you get mass hysteria."

She said that the wolf-dog community spends a lot of time educating people on the needs of the animals, to try and ensure they end up in safe homes.

"They're not easy," she added.