Wolf attacks Dog in Twisp, Wa.

[boneaddict]

I still wonder if this coyote had something in him.  There have been both dogs, wolves and coyotes where these two animals were filmed.  Or just a dang fine specimen of a coyote.

[bearpaw]

March 12, 2013

Washington Dept of Fish & Wildlife
Olympia, Washington

Dear Wildlife Commissioners & Director Anderson,
I am writing to you as a very concerned citizen not only wondering if the WDFW intentionally misled the public about wolves from the beginning but also now wondering why WDFW appears to be making questionable statements to the public regarding WDFW’s response to wolf attacks.

More than a week ago WDFW personal conducted a public meeting in Colville in Stevens County and reassured an audience of about 300 people that WDFW personnel were trained in identifying wolf attacks and would respond to any wolf attack and make a determination on location if the attack was in fact wolves. The meeting was recorded by KCVL radio so this can be checked for validity. I thought this was a good statement “a sincere feeling of concern” was expressed by WDFW. The day before the meeting in Colville there was a meeting in Pend Oreille County and the day after a meeting was held in Okanogan County, I assume the same “sincere message of concern” was related to local people in those counties as well.

Two days ago at about 1:00 AM on March 10 an Okanogan County resident, John Stevie experienced a wolf attack on his front porch where he was two feet from the attacking wolf, two dogs were involved in the wolf attack one of which is still in critical condition. WDFW personnel at the site said they would have to send the info to Olympia where it would be determined if there was a wolf attack. This seems to be in contrast to what the people were told at the public meetings.

Here are the details that have been provided about the attack:   http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,120578.0.html

WOLF ATTACKS LOCAL DOG, TWISP, WA

Sunday morning, at approximately 1:00 AM, John Stevie was awakened by one of his dogs furiously barking and growling, while still inside the house, at their living room sliding glass deck doors. John hurried to the door and saw a very large wolf up on the ten-foot-high deck, savagely attacking his blue heeler dog. He opened the door in an attempt to rescue his dog, but his other dog pushed past him out to the attack. The wolf and dog fought out on the deck for a short time before the wolf lept off the deck and headed toward the creek bottom with John's dog hot on his heels. The blue heeler, "Shelby" was taken to Daniel Deweert's Valley Veterinary Clinic for treatment. "Shelby" is still in critical condition with deep puncture wounds to her head and neck..

WDFW was called. Mr. Stevie told them that he was within two feet of the wolf in an attempt to save his dog, but WDFW suggested "perhaps it was a cougar instead of a wolf!" Mr. Stevie assured them that he was within very close proximity to the wolf, and that he had numerous wolf sightings close to his home and knew a wolf when he saw one. John asked WDFW if they would be paying any of the vet bills, their reply was, "We will have to send this information to Olympia to see if it will be called a wolf attack or not."

(photos attached)
____________________________________

I would like an answer as to why we were reassured of WDFW’s commitment” and yet it appears WDFW wants to analyze the details in Olympia. Is it not true that managers in Olympia will need to rely on info provided by agents at the scene. Why does this need to be sent to Olympia to determine if it was a wolf attack. Will actual details from the scene even be considered in the final determination? I am very concerned that the intention for sending this to Olympia is to determine how it can be dismissed as being caused by some other animal.

I reported an attack on two full grown German Shepherds inside their kennel by a pack of 5 wolves less than two years ago near Colville, the owner had to fire shots in the air to stop the attack, he said the wolves were as large or larger than his 100 pound German shepherds. I received a “not so friendly” call from Region 1 telling me that the owner of the dogs who has been my neighbor his entire life does not know what coyotes look like and that it must have been coyotes or even stray dogs. This winter wolves wearing radio collars have been seen within a few miles of Colville not far from where the attack occurred less than two years ago. Because a collared wolf was seen, I know the WDFW is aware that wolf was a few miles from Colville this winter. WDFW personnel did not tell the people this at the meeting in Colville, but probably half the audience knew about it. Does this help you to understand why there is so much distrust in WDFW.

In the Okanogan, ranchers have wolves howling all over the county yet WDFW personnel in that county maintain there is one wolf pack with only 2 or 3 wolves. A lady hunter was nearly attacked hunting near lake Chelan and now a dog has been killed on a front porch. Exactly what is it going to take for WDFW to understand that some WDFW personnel in the Okanogan are hiding the true number of wolves there?

I think there needs to be some serious accountability on the part of WDFW. Please look into this issue and please provide some assurance that WDFW will be accountable and responsive to the people. I also feel compelled to ask you to identify and make some changes in the personnel responsible for these inadequacies and figure out who is “wagging the dog”, it appears that there is a preference for some personnel within WDFW to promote wolves as being compatible in human inhabited areas at any expense and it is hampering WDFW’s ability to address wolf management accurately or professionally. Looking from the outside inward it appears a few bad apples are making the department look bad.

FYI - In Idaho Governor Butch Otter and the Idaho Wildlife Commission had to do some house cleaning in the IDFG before wolf management could begin. Certain people within IDFG were preventing any meaningful management due to personal beliefs.

Best Regards,

[buckfvr]

And we are supposed to have confidence and faith in wdfw.....not any time soon!!!!!!!  Like I say....top to bottom, send them all packin.   Contact them??   YEAH RIGHT!!!!!!!   

[bobcat]

I guess I don't understand the issue. Is it just that one employee of the WDFW supposedly said it could have been a cougar? Big deal. I can understand why they might question if it was actually a wolf attack or not. Don't you suppose they very often get reports of wolf sightings which were not in fact wolves?

Is this all about whether the state pays the vet bill for the injured dog? If that's the case, heck no the state shouldn't pay a penny. It's ridiculous to me that the question was even asked. This was in Okanogan County, not in some big city. I would think people in that area would not ask for handouts from the government.

Country folks- aren't they supposedly self reliant and take responsibility for their own safety? Why is this the state's problem? Like I said before, they did not put the wolf there. Wolves are a native species. I'm sorry for the dog that got hurt, but don't blame the WDFW.

[Kola16]

I still wonder if this coyote had something in him.  There have been both dogs, wolves and coyotes where these two animals were filmed.  Or just a dang fine specimen of a coyote.

The one on the right has a sloped back.....maybe coydog 

[CementFinisher]

Dale i wish i could see that happenning here, but i think king and snohomish county will keep liberal progressive at the helm of Governor and they will never "Clean House"

[KFhunter]

Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm guessing this guy doesn't have fencing on his property?

Terrible as it is, you're just asking for it if you don't keep your dog(s) within a fenced enclosure. It's not that expensive to drive some metal posts into the ground and zip tie wire mesh to it. Doubling up with an invisible fence unit to keep the dog from getting any ideas if getting beyond that adds to the security.

Even without wolves that would be common sense given the other predators and animals that can generally cause harm to a dog that we have in this state.

I remember hearing stories about people's dogs running off into the night after coyotes and never coming back here on the west side. I still just shake my head at the Pollyanna mindset of some.

This isn't a pro wolf statement, I just think the owner was unwise, especially given current conditions.

Do you have any idea how high a wolf can jump? How tall should your fence be? I suppose we should only walk our dogs in fully fenced areas too... Suppose the state ought to pay for those too!

Sounds like this poster missed the little tidbit about the deck being ten feet off the ground, if the wolf jumps up on your elevated deck what good is the average yard fencing going to do?

[coastie hunter]

smoke a pack a day

[villageidiot]

The WDFW is responsible for the vet bills because the residents of Okanogan county overwhelmingly do not want wolves and did not have them. Therefore if the state or Feds want the wolves they are responsible for any harm or monetary loss to the citizens.  A vote was taken at the wolf meeting in Okanogan of over 300 people and only 1 person raised their hand when they ask who wanted wolves.  That's not even 1%.  If the citizens are allowed to protect themselves and their pets and animals they will certainly do so and you would of never read about this incident because the problem would of been solved.  The man was within 2 feet of the wolf and he has seen them and cougars a multitude of times on his property.  Is he not allowed to let his pet sleep on his porch?  If a cougar kills or maims a pet WDFW comes and takes the animals out or moves it.  Why don't they do this with wolves.  This is only going to get worse as the numbers increase clearly documented by Idaho and Montana's history with wolves over the last 10 years. We are not immune to their decimation. As bad as some hate to admit this was all predicted and is slowly coming to fruition. There are some on this board that are clearly Wolf Worshipers with all their jibberish and twisting the facts to protect their God the Wolf.

[Oldguy]

I could be wrong, but it seems like most of the support for wolves comes from those who don't have to put up with living anywhere near them.

[CementFinisher]

yes most wolf lovers live in urban metroplitan high population centers, but eastern wa is not off scott free, yall have grand coulee area, spokane, younge people at the major colleges. This is not am eastside west side issue, its a liberl vs conservative issue. I live on the west side an know not one person who likes wolves. You dont have to go far from I5 to reach rural areas, we are just as sick of seattle, belvue, renton, everette, olympia pushing thier crap upon us.

[Curly]

Country folks- aren't they supposedly self reliant and take responsibility for their own safety? Why is this the state's problem? Like I said before, they did not put the wolf there. Wolves are a native species. I'm sorry for the dog that got hurt, but don't blame the WDFW.

Yes, they take responsibility, but WDFW won't allow them to shoot wolves. 

[snowpack]

If a cougar kills or maims a pet WDFW comes and takes the animals out or moves it.  Why don't they do this with wolves. 

I was thinking about this earlier, and when people I know report cougars on their property (just a sighting) they usually get a pamphlet for living with wildlife.  If the cougar attacked anything, they get issued special tags to allow them to shoot the cat OR WDFW would find someone with hounds and go after the cat.  By them suggesting this was a cougar, if they really thought it was..then they would've normally taken some kind of action.  So, it leads one to believe then that even they actually think it was a wolf.
They are probably scared of Ranker and their wolf hugger commisioner Kehne, to do anything about a problem wolf.

[bobcat]

Country folks- aren't they supposedly self reliant and take responsibility for their own safety? Why is this the state's problem? Like I said before, they did not put the wolf there. Wolves are a native species. I'm sorry for the dog that got hurt, but don't blame the WDFW.

Yes, they take responsibility, but WDFW won't allow them to shoot wolves. 

That's not the WDFW's decision to make. It's all on the US Fish & Wildlife Service (Feds.). So blame them if you must.

Even if shooting wolves were allowed, it most likely would not have changed this incident.

I'd say if this guy needs the government to reimburse him anytime something happens to one of his animals, he needs to move to Seattle. Sounds like he'd fit right in with the city folk.

[Curly]

Didn't the governor of ID let it be known that they would not prosecute any wolf killings?  That is the kind of attitude we need from the State leaders here.  Tell the Feds to stick it.