Wolf-dog attraction wants to locate in Stafford County

It seems like Stafford County could have its very own tiger king. Except this one collects oversized dogs, not cats.

The county’s Board of Zoning Appeals at 7 p.m. Tuesday, August 25, will hear the case of Lupine Grove, an attraction proposed by the couple who lives at 26 Quarterhorse Lane in the county’s Equestrian Estate’s neighborhood, just off Route 610 in the northwestern section of the county.

Owners John and Cindy Grove are asking the county for a special exception to operate a commercial kennel on their property, which would feature 10 or more kennels. The owners currently have wolf-dogs on their property — large, hybrid animals, larger than a husky or German shepherd, which are dogs commonly used by police to sniff out drugs and criminal suspects.

The Grove’s say their attraction will be about educating the public on the existence of these hybrid animals — wolves that have been bred with dogs. But they do not plan to breed or board wolf-dogs as part of the Lupine Grove business, according to county documents.

The couple’s 6,000 square-foot home would be the center of the operations, with kennels, crates, and an outdoor building for the business. All told, the business would operate on the Grove’s main property at 26 Quarterhorse Lane, and on at least four other surrounding properties owned by the Groves.

The business is expected to attract as many as 20 customers per day to start and could be open seven days a week. A change in zoning rules approved last year by the Board of Supervisors allows for this type of home-based business, with the approval of the zoning board.

The Board of Zoning Appeals will meet at the County Government Center, 1300 Courthouse Road. They’ll be tasked with determining whether or not this proposed attraction will adversely affect neighboring properties, or would result in lower property values for the area.

Multiple neighborhoods surround Lupine Grove, including Lake Arrowhead, with more than 480 single-family homes.

A shortage of parking

County officials have mandated Lupine Grove customers cannot park in front of the Grove’s home on Quarterhorse Lane. So, the Groves propose building up to three parking lots on Boundary and Sunshine drives, as well as Rolling Raod.

Many surrounding residents have cried foul, saying they don’t want the increased traffic the business could bring to their neighborhood.

“So essentially this means more traffic coming through Lake Arrowhead to access their “business”. We already have enough issues with people speeding through the neighborhood while members of our community, including children, are walking and riding bikes,” said Kelly Bennett Upton, of Lake Arrowhead.

The parking lots would be utilized by school buses bringing tour groups into the attraction, owner John Grove posted to social media.

Not domesticated animals

Wolf dogs are large, hybrid animals, bred with wolves, and not meant to be domesticated, and, according to wildlife experts, therefore should not be kept as pets.

“As amazing and beautiful as this animal is, this not an animal that should be a pet. More often than not, you get an animal that is big, unhappy living around people, have a big prey drive, and are, frankly, dangerous to small pets and to people,” said David Mizejewski, with the National Wildlife Federation on an episode of Nat Geo’s Pet Talk.

Many owners purchase a wolf-dog with the expectation it will behave like a normal dog, and, when they don’t, the owners surrender the animals. The wolf-dogs are “extremely sensitive dogs are often ruined and will never fully trust humans,” the Grove’s state in county documents.

The couple urges “proactive” socialization and de-sensitivity training to help the wolf dogs overcome these issues, something they say will be provided at their facility.

Plans for expansion

John and Cindy Grove, the owners of the Lupine Grove property, have big plans for their attraction.

With more than 24 acres of space to grow, the couple outlined plans to welcome as many as 50 customers per day to their facility. Plans for a handicap-accessible viewing platform, a canine agility course, multiple walking trails, and parking lots located on Boundary and Sunshine drives, and Rolling Road, all located in residential neighborhoods around the Lupine Grove property, are all outlined in the documents on file with the Stafford County Board of Zoning Appeals.

The Grove’s own at least four lots around their home at 26 Quarterhorse Lane, and that expansion will take place on those lots, according to the filing.

The business plans to offer walking tours of the property, priced at between $20 and $200 per person, where people can see and pose for photos of the animals, as well as tour the property. The property would also be available to the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office for K9 training, could play host to haunted trail and easter egg hunts, and be a place for pet expos that feature vendor booths, according to the filing.

The owners have lived in Stafford County since 1991, and applied for and received a canine kennel license in 2018. The IRS granted Lupine Grove its non-profit status in April 2020.