Attack in the Netherlands Wolf snatches leashed dog and drags it away

Horror for the dog owner: during a walk in the countryside, a wolf snatches a four-legged friend on a lead. It probably got too close to the wolf pups.

In a nature reserve in the Netherlands, a wolf has snatched and dragged away a walker's leashed dog. The province of Utrecht announced that the search for the dog is continuing.

Dog owners have been called upon to watch out for possible wolves in the extensive nature reserve near Leusden in the center of the country. Dogs should also not be allowed to run free where this is permitted. Appropriate warning signs about wolves should now be put up.

According to the province, an analysis of video footage showed that the wolf in question had pups and that the dog had come close to these pups. The wolf instinctively saw the dog as a threat and wanted to protect its pups. The attack last Saturday was not recorded by the cameras. It is not known whether the wolf killed the dog. It was also not said what kind of dog it was.

The province stated that it is aware that wolves are becoming increasingly visible and that this also leads to problems. However, as the incident with the dog is a natural behavior of a wolf, according to experts, it is not permitted to capture or kill the wolf in question.

dpa