The N.W.T.’s Department of Environment and Climate Change is asking people to take precautions with their dogs after three wolves were spotted in-and-around Fort McPherson, N.W.T.
A lone wolf, which had been seen hanging around the community since the beginning of October, was shot and killed this week by a community member, said Lila Voudrach, the manager of wildlife and environment for the Beaufort Delta region.
She said that wolf was seen hanging out with a group of loose dogs and eating out of dog bowls in the community.
Diana Koe, president of the Tetłit Gwich’in Council and a resident of Fort McPherson, said the wolf didn’t seem to be scared of dogs or people in the community.
“It was just too comfortable walking down the main road, sitting on people’s steps and hanging around with other dogs,” she said. “It became concerning.”
After the wolf was shot, two more showed up and are still hanging around the community, Koe said.
Voudrach said the wolves haven’t attacked anyone and currently pose little threat to people, but dogs are at greater risk and could end up transferring the disease to humans.
She said dogs have been killed by wolves in the past.
To deter more wolves from coming into the community, Voudrach is asking owners to leash their dogs and not let them roam free.
Voudrach also stressed that vaccinating dogs against rabies is the best way for humans to avoid catching the disease.
“Wolves are wildlife so they may be potential carriers of diseases that can be transmitted to people, to their pets,” Voudrach said. “So vaccinating dogs for rabies is very important.”
Koe said that people in the community are taking precautions. Residents have been asked not to feed the wolves or leave food outside, including food for birds.
Traps have been set up by the community’s renewable resource officer to catch the two remaining wolves.
