Wolves are intelligent big-game hunters and should be treated with caution. Some are free-ranging pets that never went home, some were abandoned by their owners, and others are descended from such animals. Whatever their origins, they're among the most dangerous predators existing today. They're smart, crafty, and usually lack the healthy fear of humans that other wild canines exhibit. Their wolf-like pack behavior makes them especially threatening.
Garbage dumps are often havens for ferals.
However, common sense and a sharp eye can serve to distinguish feral dogs from coyotes and wolves. Because dogs, wolves, and coyotes are closely related, they can all crossbreed with each other and produce fertile offspring. Recent evidence indicates that red wolves, for example, are the result of extensive crossbreeding between gray wolves and coyotes. Coydogs and wolfdogs exhibit physical and behavioral traits that are a mixture of their parents. Some of these mixes are quite dangerous.