Alger Pet Killed by Wolf (Michigan's Upper Peninsula)

The Mining Journal ^ | June 02, 2005 | John Pepin

[yooper]

MUNISING - State wildlife officials are reminding pet owners to closely watch their animals after a wolf attacked and killed a dog in Munising Township early Wednesday.

The dog, a 6-year-old, 23-pound dachshund owned by Tom and Ann Dolaskie of Miller Road, was snatched and wholly devoured by a wolf when the dog was let outside the family home, shortly after midnight.

"It was about twenty feet out from our front door," Tom said. "It was real close."

Ann witnessed most of the attack. She said the animal was light brownish or tan-colored.

"It looked liked an extra-sized German shepherd," Ann said. "It had her (the dachshund) on the ground in a choke hold. We've never seen anything like this."

The wolf appeared fearless, stared and didn't drop the dog when Ann yelled at it. Within a short time, the animal had disappeared into the darkness.

Wednesday morning, the Dolaskies searched portions of their 12-acre property but couldn't find any trace of their dog.

A neighbor told Tom he'd seen a wolf cross Miller Road about 200 yards west of the Dolaskie home, about an hour before the attack occurred.

Wednesday morning, Ann found one large animal track, but she wasn't able to determine if it was a wolf track.

However, a Michigan Department of Natural Resources employee summoned by the Dolaskies from the Shingleton field office, was able to locate and identify several wolf tracks.

"They found tracks in by where the dog was," said Brian Roell, Michigan wolf coordinator, at the DNR's Marquette office. "It was probably a lone animal traveling through and found the dog as an easy meal. It's an unfortunate situation."

DNR spokeswoman Ann Wilson said this time of year is when younger wolves are dispersed into areas away from packs, forced out by alpha males or females.

The dispersed solitary travelers are roaming, looking for a territory and food, which is often hard to come by.

"It's at this time that they start to lose their shyness and that's when they start coming into areas they shouldn't be," Wilson said.

Wolves will kill other canids as threats to territorial bounds or as competitors for food.

"Wolves won't tolerate other canid species on its territory," Wilson said. "And other canids include coyotes, foxes and dogs."

Roell said the DNR was unaware of any wolf packs located close to the big lots and family homes along Miller Road, located just east of Munising.

Wolves will occasionally kill dogs that are household pets, but more often the dogs wolves kill are hunting dogs.

"It is something that does happen every year in the Upper Peninsula," Roell said, referring to pet predation.

In Michigan, wolves supplement their basic diet of deer with beaver, snowshoe hares, rodents and other small mammals. Wolves will scavenge unrecovered deer from hunting season, as well as road-killed deer and other animals.

Additional evidence has identified woodchuck, muskrat, coyote and raccoon as food sources. Insects, nuts, berries and grasses round out the diet of the wolf, according to the DNR.

To help prevent pet predation, officials suggest keeping pets inside whenever possible and contacting the DNR if problems do occur.

Pamphlets on co-existing with wolves are available from DNR offices with tips for hunters and livestock owners.

If the wolf returns to Miller Road and becomes a nuisance, the DNR will try to trap and remove the animal. The Dolaskies were also offered a firecracker device that works to scare off wolves.

"My guess is it's an isolated incident and that wolf won't be heard from again," Roell said. "But there are no guarantees."

[yooper]

Its only a matter of time before all of the Dachshunds are gone and a toddler is snatched.

[La Enchiladita]

DNR spokeswoman Ann Wilson said this time of year is when younger wolves are dispersed into areas away from packs, forced out by alpha males or females.

It's a rite of passage, dictated by nature. Just keep your dachsunds and toddlers out of the way.

[calex59]

Wolves will scavenge unrecovered deer from hunting season, as well as road-killed deer and other animals.

This makes it sound as if the wolves don't kill deer, they just "scavage" them! What BS. They are increasing faster than the idiots that re-introduced them figured, so the spin is building up and the BS about how harmless wolves are to humans is going to go into high gear.

[lepton]

Its only a matter of time before all of the Dachshunds are gone and a toddler is snatched.

Perhaps. On the other hand, toddlers don't look like sausages and shout "food", "food" like wiener dogs do.

[GladesGuru]

"My guess is it's an isolated incident and that wolf won't be heard from again," Roell said. "But there are no guarantees."

RIGHT! And that bureaucratic bachelor's child will be the first to repeat the crocodile tears line "It's too bad nature can be so harsh" said in Colorado by another 'crat.

That was said immediately after a puma killed and ate a student near his own high school.

Isn't it interesting how callous a 'crat with a lifetime government job can be about another citizen's life . Worst of all, these career 'crats are paid to inflict predators on citizens. And they do it with our tax money, to add insult to injury (or death).

And because their pampered predator is allegedly "endangered" the citizen can't shoot the beast, regardless of how beastly it behaves.

[SIDENET]

The Dolaskies were also offered a firecracker device that works to scare off wolves.

Gee, thanks.

[D Rider]

Roell said the DNR was unaware of any wolf packs located close to the big lots and family homes along Miller Road, located just east of Munising.

Since wolves are known to travel over 30 mi/day in search of food, this seems to be a silly statement

[Pharmboy]

He looks sweet, but watch out...

[Captiva]

The dog, a 6-year-old, 23-pound dachshund

That is one FAT dachshund. Way too tempting for a predator. Wolves are predators with no natural enemies (besides gunpowder & lead).

[GladesGuru]

"The Dolaskies were also offered a firecracker device that works to scare off wolves.

Gee, thanks."

Great line! In two words you pegged that 'crat and the agency he rode in with.

The "noise" idea is a known failure. It was tried down here in the Swamp of Socialism when a puma went on a weeks long killing spree at a private campground.

I even videotaped a pack of 'crats harassing the owner - and their cat was wearing a radio tracking collar the whole time. 'Crats are quite happy to stand by and watch while their predators attack your animals, or even you.

The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission posted a ranger armed with a shotgun when the cat was really acting up and had been taped being his beastly self. Said the 'crat "I'm here to protect the cat". He further told us he was only allowed to have rubber buckshot, and was under strict orders not to hit the cat with the rubber buckshot. - only to shoot near it to scare it.

Anything to protect the pampered predators that are the source of the agency funding that pays their salaries.

[marktwain]

Hmmm. Looks as though wolves are making a comeback in the north woods. Another good reason to always be armed when I am back there.

[ishabibble]

Yes, it is sad. At least now, there are PAMPHLETS about coexisting with wolves. Please do take solace... /:)
Then, shoot to kill when then come on your property.

[yooper]

"It's a rite of passage, dictated by nature. Just keep your dachsunds and toddlers out of the way."

To hell with the Wolve's "rites". My kids and my dogs have "rights" also. The first "right" is the right to safety when they're on my private property.

We're in a crisis up here, though it may seem to be unimportant to the ignorant Urbanites in Lansing. I have a serious concern about the safety of toddlers being safe in their own backyards.

These wolves learned early on (during the early 20th century) to avoid humans like the plague for one simple reason: they were shot on sight. They are not being shot on sight now, and they have become emboldened.

I seriously hope that the first parents who lose a child to a wolf get rich on a lawsuit filed against the State of Michigan for negligence in administering their department.

Our ancestors eradicated wolves for a damn good reason; they cannot co-exist with humans to a reasonable degree.

I love Michigan's outdoors, and I am a conservationist, but the wolves are out of control and need to be dealt with.

[auntyfemenist]

We have that same problem in Louisiana, and I believe in Florida, with alligators. They became a protected species. Now, they are everywhere and are a serious problem.

As for the wolves, there is basis of truth in ancient tales for stories like little red riding hood, and the many werewolf myths; wolves are dangerous to everything in their path, including humans.

[Ursus arctos horribilis]

SSS remedy is in order.

[TalBlack]

"We're in a crisis up here, though it may seem to be unimportant to the ignorant Urbanites in Lansing. I have a serious concern about the safety of toddlers being safe in their own backyards."

Form up, arm up, then go out and kill all the wolves despite who doesn't like it. If they INSIST that you live your lives in mortal fear stick a 12ga. under their noses.

[GladesGuru]

"If they INSIST that you live your lives in mortal fear stick a 12ga. under their nose"

You are more accurate than most people know, and there is already precedence, though they used a merrily bubbling tar pot and a huge bag of feathers in Santa Rosa County, Florida.

That's Florida, not FloriDUH. Here's why I made the distinction.

Some agency types came to town to lay down the law, accompanied by some state troopers. On the way into town they saw huge (8'long) rats made of plywood and labeled with agency initials at roadside culverts.

On arrival, there was a crowd of some 300 people. The crats and troopers got out of their cars. The crowd opened a path for them. And they were almost at the door when it happened.

They saw the bubbling tar, with someone stirring it, the huge (and transparent) bag of feathers, and their reptilian hind brains began to function.

The crats realized the crowd didn't like them. Not in the least.

And the troopers realized that they had neither enough ammo if trouble started, nor any backup in that county. Suddenly, they remembered a pressing appointment back in Tallahassee from whence they had come.

The troopers told the 'crats they had to return to Tallahassee STAT, the crats also remembered pressing affairs, and they left together.

Santa Rosa County didn't get the same oppressive regs imposed on them that other counties did, after all.

Would the citizens have actually tarred and feathered 'em? Who knows, but 'crats are basically cowards - that's why they take such jobs knowing that they are hurting others as part of their job description.

For what it is worth, Panhandle LEOs tend to be far more Constitutionally oriented than either enviro-socialism impaired Game officers or some (but nowhere all) South Florida LEOs.

I'll be happy to share with anyone why is interested, the successes and failures we have had in dealing with a similar predator problem, but with puma, here in the Everglades.

[WorkingClassFilth]

"The wolf appeared fearless, stared and didn't drop the dog when Ann yelled at it."

I'll bet Ann has a shotgun beside the door from now on.

[Dan from Michigan]

Maybe they'll start waking up with the wolves swim Lake Michigan or Huron and eventually make their way to the Lansing or Detroit burbs. Coyotes are now in the City of Detroit. Are wolves next?

I love Michigan's outdoors, and I am a conservationist, but the wolves are out of control and need to be dealt with.

Agreed.

[RightInEastLansing]

I think we're gonna need a bigger dog!