A family’s border collie named Izzy was mauled to death by a gray wolf in northern Colorado this past weekend, one of two dogs that were attacked.
According to reports, the incident occurred in the North Park area of Jackson County. The dogs, Izzy and Buster, were owned by rancher Carlos Atencio and his family. “They weren’t just working dogs,” he told NBC News9. “We loved on them and spent as much time with them as possible.”
Gray wolf populations are increasing in areas across North America. Colorado created controversy in 2020 when it announced plans to reintroduce wolves to its landscape. The plan, which is to be set in place by next year, is highly controversial, especially with ranchers, wildlife enthusiasts and pet owners. As an apex predator, wolves prey heavily heavily on cattle, sheep, deer and elk.
State wildlife biologists believe the wolf that killed Izzy is one of a pack that killed another farmer’s cattle three weeks ago. Officials were quick to note that the livestock attack was the first reported wolf incident in about 70 years in Colorado.
Wolf reintroductions in Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming have been highly controversial. In Colorado, opponents to the reintroduction say that one cannot compare 2022 to 1945. In 1945, the state was home to fewer than 1 million residents. Today, there are more than 6 million people, and a high percentage of residents prefer outdoor recreation.
Overall, wolf attacks on dogs is increasing. In Wisconsin, 23 dog owners reported attacks last fall (2021), resulting in the deaths of 20 dogs. Although the majority of the dogs killed were hunting hounds, several were house pets, including a Pomeranian puppy that was attacked by wolves and killed on Jan. 25, 2021 in Bayfield County.
In most wolf-dog confrontations in North America, dog owners have reported wolf behavior that could only be described as brazen. In one 2016 case, a woman was walking four dogs during the middle of the day and was approached by a wolf that attacked and devoured one of the dogs. The wolf focused on killing and eating the dog while the woman beat it with a ski pole. The woman was not harmed.
READ MORE:
A TRUE STORY ABOUT WOLF ATTACKS
STATE: MORE DEER KILLED BY WOLVES THAN HUNTERS