The ‘Scotland Six’ arrived at The Little Zoo in Wiltshire in 2022, severely underweight, unsocialised and terrified. On International Wolf Day, they are now receiving the patience, care and understanding that they need to thrive.
Graham McQuet was handed a five-year ban on owning and keeping animals, as well as a £2,000 fine, at Falkirk Sheriff Court in March 2026 for failing to provide adequate care for his six wolfdogs and pet cat, causing them unnecessary suffering and distress.
When a Scottish SPCA Inspector attended McQuet’s property in Grangemouth, they found that each wolfdog was wearing a shock collar and they appeared to be controlled rather than trained. The property was also found to be in extremely poor condition, with the wolfdogs housed in inappropriately sized kennels.
McQuet repeatedly denied entry to his house to assess the full state of the property so a warrant was secured by the Scottish SPCA and Police Scotland. Prior to the execution of this warrant, McQuet rehomed the wolfdogs to The Little Zoo.
Following their difficult start, five of the wolfdogs are now being cared for by the team at The Little Zoo, which specialises in the care of exotic animals. They are housed at Wolves of Wiltshire, which is also based at the sanctuary. The sixth wolfdog, who was domesticated enough to be rehomed, is thriving with his forever family. His owner recently told the team at the zoo: “He goes everywhere with us, is treated so well, sleeps in our bed, and we love him to bits.”
A spokesperson for The Little Zoo said: “It took months and months of patience to slowly introduce the wolfdogs to a safe and predictable routine. They had to learn that food no longer needed to be fought over – that it would arrive every day and that even those who had previously missed out would always have enough to eat.
“We learned their individual personalities, carefully managed their behaviours and gradually built up their trust. The ones who remain with us are still completely wild and live as wolves, rather than domestic dogs. They have a wonderful space alongside some of our other wolf residents and, although they are not domesticated, we have formed a very special bond with them as their care handlers.
“Almost four years on, we are incredibly proud of how far they have come and of the relationships they – and we – have formed here. Their terrible start in life is now behind them, and their future is a positive one. They are certainly not suitable pets for most people, but they all now have the care, understanding and environments that they need to thrive.”
The Scottish SPCA is calling for a national animal offenders register to be built into existing intelligence systems to support monitoring of individuals convicted of animal cruelty — particularly those banned from owning animals — and flag offenders like McQuet. Importantly, it would also help address the well-established link between those who harm animals and those who go on to harm humans. The charity continues to urge the public to remain vigilant and report any suspected cruelty. Read our full Manifesto and sign our petition to show your support.
