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Residents warned to be vigilant after wolf attacks
Monday, 10 August 2009 - 12:26pm
The man was walking along the Lake Superior shoreline when he heard a yelp and saw a large timber wolf chasing his two dogs. The dogs and the wolf stood between Martel and the man’s truck.
“I had a walking stick and was about to help the dogs, but couldn’t because I felt there may be a pack,” he said. “I managed to call back my son’s dog.”
But the wolf and Taylor ran past the truck and into the bush, toward town.
With his grandchildren tucked safely in the truck, Martel followed the two animals’ tracks up a road leading away from the beach. He thought his dog might have outrun the wolf, but soon found the wolf shaking Taylor violently.
Twice the size of the 17-kilogram dog, the wolf eventually dropped the dog and walked away. Martel said if he hadn’t been watching, the wolf would have probably eaten his pet of three years.
Though it seemed Taylor only had a few cuts and bruises, the dog died on the seat of the truck an hour and a half away from a veterinarian in Thunder Bay, Ont.
Carden Cove is a popular spot to for dog-walkers, and provincial police and the Ministry of Natural Resources are warning people to take precautions because there have been three attacks recently and more since March.
“It’s one wolf causing the problem in all three cases,” said provincial police Sgt. John Whitney.
“We suspect that it’s been kicked out of the pack because it’s older. It’s very tall and skinny, and you can see the ribs on the wolf. So it’s definitely hungry, and that’s why you’re seeing abnormal behaviour.”
THE CANADIAN PRESS
THUNDER BAY, Ont.—A dog is dead after a series of wolf attacks in northwestern Ontario, prompting officials to warn people to guard their children and pets.
Robert Martel, of Marathon, Ont., was walking with his two grandsons and two dogs last week when a wolf attacked Taylor, his mixed-breed dog.
“I had a walking stick and was about to help the dogs, but couldn’t because I felt there may be a pack,” he said. “I managed to call back my son’s dog.”
But the wolf and Taylor ran past the truck and into the bush, toward town.
With his grandchildren tucked safely in the truck, Martel followed the two animals’ tracks up a road leading away from the beach. He thought his dog might have outrun the wolf, but soon found the wolf shaking Taylor violently.
Twice the size of the 17-kilogram dog, the wolf eventually dropped the dog and walked away. Martel said if he hadn’t been watching, the wolf would have probably eaten his pet of three years.
Though it seemed Taylor only had a few cuts and bruises, the dog died on the seat of the truck an hour and a half away from a veterinarian in Thunder Bay, Ont.
Carden Cove is a popular spot to for dog-walkers, and provincial police and the Ministry of Natural Resources are warning people to take precautions because there have been three attacks recently and more since March.
“It’s one wolf causing the problem in all three cases,” said provincial police Sgt. John Whitney.
“We suspect that it’s been kicked out of the pack because it’s older. It’s very tall and skinny, and you can see the ribs on the wolf. So it’s definitely hungry, and that’s why you’re seeing abnormal behaviour.”
The attack last Thursday came less than a week after a timber wolf attacked a dog on a walk with a woman in Terrace Bay, west of Marathon.
While that dog suffered only minor injuries, a miniature dachshund was killed July 11 by a timber wolf further north, in the Northern Lights Lake area.
More stories
I am so sorry for the loss
I am so sorry for the loss of your dog, I understand how upset you must feel. Our 42 pound Sheltie, Buddy, was killed and partially consumed by wolves Jan 4th, 2012 in Algonquin Highlands, Ontario. Finding him was the most horrific sight I have ever personally seen. We are broken hearted over losing our dog, he was a wonderful, loving and loyal member of our family. We called the MNR and they came out and investigated, examine his poor body and where it happened. They concluded that Buddy had encroached on the wolves food source- deer carcasses buried by hunters 150ft into the woods across the road from us at the end of a lane way entering uninhibited private acreage. He was at the wrong place at the wrong time, and the wolves were protecting their food. We assume our Buddy had also been digging up these carcasses as he had brought home deer pieces 4 times in the past two weeks. We had looked for Buddy for 2 hours and I found his body at midnight. Buddy was let out to relieve himself that evening and failed to come home. He was a wanderer, and we allowed him to roam more than we should have. I will never forgive myself for allowing him to roam our rural, wooded acreage.. As for the wolves, The morning after they killed our Buddy, we found 3 sets of wolf tracks 40 ft from our home that were not there the night before. Our neighbour had a wolf 30 ft from her back door while she was outside with her little 14 pound dog. The dog was only a few feet away from the wolf and was barking at it. It ran off when my neighbour yelled, then she grabbed her dog, ran back to the house and when she turned around it had come back. Yesterday, we found more fresh wolf tracks, 3 sets again, along the same area as the morning after Buddy's death. On Tues Dec 27th, 2011 we had a large wolf 10 ft from our front porch at 9:45 in the morning. The wolves have also left tracks each time all along the trails we have made in our 23 wooded acreage that we live on. They are too close for comfort and I am scared. I have 2 other dogs, 8 and 14 pounds, and I am afraid when I take them outside. I am constantly looking out my windows for the wolves. I have actually always loved wolves and argued with anyone who said they would shoot a wolf if they saw one.. They are beautiful animals. But now, I want them gone..they have claimed my property as their territory, moving through it every couple of days and that is just too close and dangerous. They have taken enough from me by killing Buddy, I will not allow them to take anything more from me..including my peace of mind. Buddy, I am so sorry for letting this happen to you, I should have been careful about what I allowed you to do..I will never forget you and will never forgive myself. Anyone reading this--please take care with your pets..attacks by wild animals are not just in the movies..they are real and they are devastating.
I am so sorry for the loss
I am so sorry for the loss of your dog, I understand how upset you must feel. Our 42 pound Sheltie, Buddy, was killed and partially consumed by wolves Jan 4th, 2012 in Algonquin Highlands, Ontario. Finding him was the most horrific sight I have ever personally seen. We are broken hearted over losing our dog, he was a wonderful, loving and loyal member of our family. We called the MNR and they came out and investigated, examine his poor body and where it happened. They concluded that Buddy had encroached on the wolves food source- deer carcasses buried by hunters 150ft into the woods across the road from us at the end of a lane way entering uninhibited private acreage. He was at the wrong place at the wrong time, and the wolves were protecting their food. We assume our Buddy had also been digging up these carcasses as he had brought home deer pieces 4 times in the past two weeks. We had looked for Buddy for 2 hours and I found his body at midnight. Buddy was let out to relieve himself that evening and failed to come home. He was a wanderer, and we allowed him to roam more than we should have. I will never forgive myself for allowing him to roam our rural, wooded acreage.. As for the wolves, The morning after they killed our Buddy, we found 3 sets of wolf tracks 40 ft from our home that were not there the night before. Our neighbour had a wolf 30 ft from her back door while she was outside with her little 14 pound dog. The dog was only a few feet away from the wolf and was barking at it. It ran off when my neighbour yelled, then she grabbed her dog, ran back to the house and when she turned around it had come back. Yesterday, we found more fresh wolf tracks, 3 sets again, along the same area as the morning after Buddy's death. On Tues Dec 27th, 2011 we had a large wolf 10 ft from our front porch at 9:45 in the morning. The wolves have also left tracks each time all along the trails we have made in our 23 wooded acreage that we live on. They are too close for comfort and I am scared. I have 2 other dogs, 8 and 14 pounds, and I am afraid when I take them outside. I am constantly looking out my windows for the wolves. I have actually always loved wolves and argued with anyone who said they would shoot a wolf if they saw one.. They are beautiful animals. But now, I want them gone..they have claimed my property as their territory, moving through it every couple of days and that is just too close and dangerous. They have taken enough from me by killing Buddy, I will not allow them to take anything more from me..including my peace of mind. Buddy, I am so sorry for letting this happen to you, I should have been careful about what I allowed you to do..I will never forget you and will never forgive myself. Anyone reading this--please take care with your pets..attacks by wild animals are not just in the movies..they are real and they are devastating.