Lynn Lau
Northern News Services

Inuvik (Oct 08/01) - Wildlife officers are attempting to trap a hungry wolf that has been attacking dogs in town. Although wolves don't usually attack humans, the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development is recommending people stay away from the Marine Bypass and Navy Road area.

"The wolf is pretty scared of adults, but who knows what would happen with little kids," said renewable resource officer Ian Ellsworth.

On Sept. 22, the wolf killed a woman's small pet dog as she was running it behind her truck on Navy Road, in an area where many dog mushers keep their dogs. "She heard the dog yelping and she looked and saw the wolf drag her dog off into the bush," said Ellsworth. By the time she got help, it was too late to save the dog. On Tuesday morning, there was another wolf attack on a dog chained in a yard on Bompas Street. At about 6:30 a.m., George Dosedel heard the sound of dogs fighting. He looked outside and saw a grey wolf attacking his dog. "I opened the window and started screaming," he says. The wolf paused for a moment but then continued attacking the dog before it was finally scared off by Dosedel banging at his window.

Dosedel then grabbed his rifle and went after the wolf, but it was too dark to follow it any distance.

The dog, an eight-month-old German shepherd/Labrador cross, survived the attack, and is being quarantined for ten days by Inuvik's bylaw office to see if the dog contracted rabies.

According to Ellsworth, it's unlikely the wolf was rabid because the wolf appears to be wary of people. A rabid animal would behave more fearlessly, and foam at the mouth in the latter stages of the disease. "This one just seems to be hungry and finding an easy prey on dogs," he says.

Wildlife officers have bumped up patrols and have set baited traps around the area of the sightings.

In the meantime, dog owners are doing what they can to protect their dogs. Musher Jo Jo Arey has been staying out at the trailer on his dog lot more often. "I bring a gun out there too in case I see it. We all keep our eyes open for the wolf."

Conrad Bourque, the owner of two house dogs, has stopped running his Shar-Pei and border collie after a close call Sept. 30. Bourque was driving behind his dogs when the wolf came out of the bush and started chasing them. It was scared off when Bourque stopped his truck and jumped out.

Last year, a rabid wolf was hanging around dog lots but was captured and killed before it did any damage.