Updated: Sun May. 22 2011 08:58:12 CTV.ca News Staff
Residents of a small community in British Columbia have a mysterious killer in their midst and are taking steps to protect their pets, farm animals and small children.
An animal thought to be part timber wolf has been stalking Bowen Island, just off the coast of Vancouver, for about six months — preying mainly on dogs and cats.
“Anyone who has family, has pets, and anyone who has seen it, seen the way it looks at you, knows that it’s dangerous to have around,” said island resident Stacey Powers.
Her husband John recently caught the animal on video, and saw it snatch a gosling out of a nearby pond.
The animal has “shown no fear of coming up close to the house,” he said, “and obviously you don’t want to have a concern that he’s there and all of a sudden the kids are in his range.” The family is keeping its pets indoors and young children nearby.
A local veterinarian believes it is part dog, part wolf and that it may have been abandoned after being brought to the island.
“They are a mixed-up species. They are part domestic with the instincts of a wolf,” said Dr. Alastair Wescott. “They don’t react normally and so people can’t manage them, and so dumping them is a common thing to do.”
It is thought to be a young male weighing about 90 pounds.
Missing pet signs are posted all over the island. The animal has killed at least three dogs, more than a dozen cats and two sheep. Many deer carcasses have also been found.
The municipality has set up a hotline, bought a tranquilizer gun, and enlisted both Westcott and a professional trapper to find the animal.
Once caught, it is expected to be euthanized. Rescue organizations have been contacted, but the animal’s behaviour has been so vicious they say there’s no chance of rehabilitation.
With a report from CTV’s Brent Shearer
Comments are now closed for this story
BrentTrack him, bait him, trap him and shoot him. Easy.
David GogoI fear that it may be Manbearpig !!
GeorgeEagles and Hawks will take pets and they can come down from above and they are eaten. Over the years I have seen many great animals wrongly killed to please a few people. See a strange animal link a few things together and blame that animal.If he can kill a deer by himself then he is a great animal as most hunt in packs and need help to bring down a deer. All anyone has seen is him killing a goose but that is his nature to kill and feed.Wolves are beautiful and if he is a wolf they must hear him howl at night as we do here? Move him because on an island he has limited food supply.
KaraIt’s simply doing what comes naturally, trying to feed itself. Too bad they didn’t know what complete imbecile abandoned it. There should be an effort to reintegrate it so there’s another life not taken needlessly because people are overreacting as usual. What’s so vicious about it? That it eats so it doesn’t starve because some idiot abandoned it in an area that’s populated? This happens more and more frequently as animals natural territories are being overrun by the human virus. If you’re worried about your bratty kids getting lunched on, keep a better eye on them! I know it’s easier for you to kick them outside to play with no supervision so you can watch tv and get fatter but start thinking proactively for a change. Idjits.
DavidCome on it’s a wild animal looking for food! Well it looks to me like a beautiful wolf and did anyone see it kill all those pets? They seen it kill a gooslin and is that not wild animals eat! Take it off the island and put it somewhere not close to man and it will survive but killing it because your afraid and it looks at you funny! So, does a Grizzly bear and any wild animal that doesn’t trust humans! Do the right thing and move it but killing come on you live in his land!Sad that such a beautiful animal that does what it has to survive is going to be killed. very sad in deed!
StormThey will use the tranquillizer gun to subdue and then Dr Westcott will humanely euthanize. Shooting a gun risks wounding the animal & making it even more dangerous. Also not a good idea to use a gun in a populated area. The use of firearms is prohibited by law on the island.
TwylaWhat a ridiculous headline. . .making a canine sound like a demon of some sort. . . When I was in Journalism this would have been waaaaaay past "sensationalistic". . .wolf-dogs are nothing new and they certainly are not "mysterious". . .
StuartRIt’s a predator simply doing what comes naturally. Any people leaving comments suggesting to leave it alone should have it fenced into an enclosure surrounding their house. If these people are so high and mighty about being humane and conserving life, consider how many other pets and livestock this wolf has killed; never mind that children playing in their yards will be viewed as part of its menu.Caring for nature and wildlife doesn’t mean one has to abandon common-sense in the face of danger.
angeewe have to protect our children !!!!! destroy it.!!!
Christopher KellyI was going to write something really intelligent, but I can’t get the theme song from “The Littlest Hobo” out of my head. Sorry.
Nigel ForsterIf it is a danger to people, and has a track record of preying on livestock and pets then a tranquilizer is not warranted. The animal should be shot on sight before it adds children to the list of its victims !
El SuperstisioChupacabra! AIEEEE!!!It’s probably part domestic dog, part wolf, and has some sort of mange.
DOG in ReginaLooks like a regular wolf to me…leave it alone…
DaveI wonder if Philonious had family near this wild animal, would he still have the same stupid reaction as his/her comment. This is a no brainer, this animal should be put down before it does any more harm.
Prof. Pye CharttWould they euthanize the Wolfman? (They say that he’s half man, half animal. Yet, as any argumentative science nib will tell you, technically, humans are also “animals” and, thus, contrary to popular assertion and filmic folklore, the Wolfman is really half animal, half animal. Confused? Don’t be. It’s grade-school science, I’ve been told.)
CarlMerv you nailed it. New vicious beasts will help cull the herd. The human herd that is and we need it bad.
Dara GriseHmmm looks like Lobo??!!
bbTo have members of the public owning and randomly shooting off guns in such a populated area is dangerous. Relocating the animal may be the most humane answer.
CarlThis poor brute may be responsible for some of the killings, but I doubt there is any solid evidence that it is responsible for all the pet and livestock deaths and disappearances indicated in this article. Most of all, it is unreasonable to blame this animal for the “many deer carcasses” that have reportedly been found. A lone wolf or dog-wolf hybrid would be very hard pressed to kill a single deer. I think hysteria has grossly over-inflated the estimates of the danger posed by this canine.
Robert BrownFeral Dogs exist in many parts of the world and like Feral Cats they are comfortable hunting in the our neighborhoods for small pets. All part of our over population and abandoment of pets.
ultamattexactly what do they mean by “rehabilitate” ? and its viscous and violent behavior ? its an animal hunting for food . how would you rehab that ? the coyote population here on the east coast has hybridized to about this size and is doing the same thing , people have been attacked and killed . i don’t think anyone here is considering rehabilitating them . i don’t condone needless extermination, but we must protect ourselves , our children , and livestock .
TomOff with its head!
joejohnAny signs of big foot yet?
Peter in MBIf this animal is dangerous and there is no chance of rehabilitation then why use a tranquilizer gun? Use a 308 Winchester or 30-06 Springfield. This is a good example of why people living in small Community
