Keanu and Luna: Charges Dismissed After Challenging a Vague Law

Keanu looked like something out of a wildlife documentary—a striking, wolf-like dog who turned heads everywhere he went. But his appearance wasn’t without consequences. In Massachusetts, owning a dog with wolf ancestry is illegal, and his owner was charged criminally for possessing him and his sister Luna.  

The case was complicated. Keanu and Luna were wolf hybrids only in appearance—they were domesticated dogs bred to look like wolves, much like classic cars outfitted with modern engines. But the Massachusetts law was vague, casting a wide net over any dog with a wolf-like lineage.  

People in the neighborhood, convinced they were wolves, snapped pictures of the dogs in their heated outdoor enclosure and reported them when their owner wasn’t home.   

Boston Dog Lawyers took the case, arguing that the law was too ambiguous, unfairly targeting dogs like Keanu and Luna. Attorney Jeremy Cohen presented expert testimony proving their domestication and evidence showing they posed no greater risk than any other breed.  

In the end, the judge agreed. The law’s wording was too broad, potentially encompassing countless dogs. The case was dismissed, and Keanu and Luna were saved.  

“This case wasn’t about their wolf-like looks. It was about challenging a law that painted with too broad a brush and standing up for the rights of the pet owners.”