A wolf-like animal was spotted running wild in fields outside of Cork city, with the owners saying there is no need to be alarmed, however they are hoping to get their pet back.
Ivan Rumley who owns Rumley's Farm on Liberty Hill in Waterfall stressed that the animal is a Czech Wolfdog, a mix between a German Shephard and a Carpathian Grey Wolf, bred in Czechoslovakia in the 1950s for border patrol and search and rescue missions, Cork Beo reports.
While similar to a wolf, they are highly intelligent, and can be taught well and Ivan Rumley told CorkBeo that their Czech Wolfdog is not a threat to anyone or other pets.
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The pet is called Axel - he's the second they have had after another - Diesel - died two years ago. Ivan Rumley described them as 'lovely, intelligent' animals who can be quite shy.
"He's actually very shy, he'll most likely run away when he sees people. A local told us that he actually fell in with another dog in the area yesterday and they were playing away, he was licking the other dog, but unfortunately, they couldn't get close enough to get a hold," Ivan informed.
They are trying to get him back using a tranquiliser or lure him into a shed. He hopes they do not have to put Axel down, after he got out of his enclosure two days ago.
"We are animal lovers here and we would hate to see him put down - that would be a last resort".
"We've been making every effort to get him back, we have cages set up with food, we're hoping we can do this," he added.
He stressed to people in the Ballinhassig and Waterfall area that if someone spots their wolfdog, could they contact Rumley's Open Farm ( they can be contacted via their Facebook page ).
Members of the public should leave catching the animal to the staff who are trained in dealing with the wolfdog and are familiar to him. And he said all of the team there at the farm are hoping to get their wolfdog back safe and sound as soon as possible.
