In autumn 2024, a strange animal appeared in Anchorage, Alaska. It was an unusual creature: a cross between a wolf and a dog.
Despite, or perhaps because of, its indeterminate origin, the animal won the hearts of local residents.
The arrival of 'Gary'
The black-grey animal was soon nicknamed 'Gary'. Wandering through various neighbourhoods, the unusual four-legged visitor captured widespread attention. A specially created Facebook page, Gary's Tour of Anchorage, became a hub for people to share videos and photos of Gary during his roamings.
The mystery surrounding Gary ended tragically. On 7 October, the four-legged wanderer was found lifeless by the roadside, presumably struck by a car. Without a collar or clues about his origin, his identity initially remained unknown.
A DNA test eventually clarified that Gary was a wolf-dog hybrid, as the Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced. Tests conducted by the Veterinary Genetics Laboratory at the University of California, Davis, confirmed he was a cross between a wolf and a dog. However, the exact proportion of wolf in Gary's genetic makeup remained unclear.
Cynthia Wardlow, a regional employee of the agency, explained that Gary's appearance did not match the typical characteristics of a wolf, prompting the decision to carry out genetic testing.
"It's great to finally have an answer," Wardlow said. "But many secrets surrounding Gary remain unsolved."
Unanswered questions
Gary's origins, his life before arriving in Anchorage, and whether he might have been an illegal pet remain unclear. Wolf-dog hybrids are banned in Anchorage, yet their existence continues to make headlines. In a similar case from 2011, a tourist company in Alaska was prosecuted for keeping wolf hybrids without a permit.
"We don't know if Gary was an escaped pet or if he made his way to Anchorage from another region of the state," said Wardlow. "These are questions we’ll probably never be able to answer."
There is also speculation about breeds such as the American Blue Bay Shepherd, a well-known dog breed closely related to the wolf.
For the residents of Anchorage, Gary was more than an animal – he was a symbol. His death caused shock and grief, especially in the Facebook group created in his honour. One resident, Shelly Scarpella, remembers Gary in her own way: with painted memorial stones that glitter and depict a howling Wolf.
"I've painted more than 60 stones and scattered them around the city," Scarpella said. "They mean something to people and remind them of Gary."
