Village-dwellers in Kazakhstan have come up with a novel security device: the guard-wolf. A fashion has arisen for raising wolf cubs by hand, then putting them to work looking after land and homes.
The BBC picks up the story from Kazakh media, with one broadcaster there reporting that a wolf cub can be bought from hunters for $500 (£320).
Villager Nurseit Zhylkyshybay told KTK television he bought a cub, which he named Kurtka, from hunters three years ago. Now the animal wanders the yard of the Kazakh's house.
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Zhylkyshybay said: "He's never muzzled, I rarely put him on a chain and do take him for regular walks around the village. Our family and neighbours aren't scared of him at all.
"If the wolf is well fed and cared for, he won't attack you, although he does eat a lot more than a dog."
However, wolf expert Almas Zhaparov is less sanguine, warning the animals are "far too dangerous" to keep in a domestic setting. He fears that the fashion might spread to wider society with deadly consequences.
The response from Kazakh social media users varies from supportive to amused, says the BBC, with some accusing the government of failing to cull wolves in the first place.
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