Well, another week has gone by, and I think I may make this a weekly blog. This time something local has sparked agner and frustration. On April 3rd of 2012, a couple in rural Manitoba let out there chihuahua. They only live 2km away from Bird's Hill Park. Moments later, they heard screaming noises and found that a wolf had grabbed the small dog, shaken him and dragged the dog into the woods. The husband followed and found the small dog mauled to death.
Since then there has been several news stories about the incident and now the wolf was captured in a steel leg trap and shot.
What is my problem with this?
First of all, this is Manitoba and there is wildlife here in abundance, especially near Provincial and Federal Parks. Both humans and wildlife have to co-exsist together. Besides the wildlife was here first and humans have been pushing wildlife into smaller spaces as our communities grow.
I do feel very sorry for the family losing their family pet, but you let a 4lb chihuahua out near woods with wild animals. We have to live with nature. Why did they not take precautions, like building a dog run or going outside with the dog? I can see a wild animal like a wolf seeing a 4lb dog as a nice snack, and one that would not need much effort to take down. As harsh as that sounds, it is true. Many house cats that do not return on the farm usually lose their lives to larger carnivores like wolves, coyotes, and kittens to birds of prey. It is just a fact of life and nature.
The sad thing here, they do not know if it is the same wolf that was trapped and now with leaving the traps out in the area, there is a threat to humans. Many avid hikers use the trails near and in Bird's Hill Park. Now there are steel leg traps set for wolves. What happens if a child stumbles upon these traps? Or perhaps another family pet? I just wonder if we are doing the right thing for nature. Why could we have not trapped the wolf with a humane cage and relocated the wolf into a more wooded area. I mean really, the wolf did what nature and thousands of years of evolution developed for the wolves' survival, it stalked it's prey, killed it and carried it off.
The other thing that many people do not understand is that the reason the wolves and other predators are encroaching into more populated areas is because that is where the prey lives. Many people in rural areas and even within city limits will see deer (especially in our Province) walking through yards and down streets. Then they will leave food out for them to return. Well if the deer come around so will the preditors like wolves, coyotes and even cougars. We are creating the problem for wild animals.
I am a pet owner too, but I take precautions. I live in a rural area and the sound of coyotes at night is nothing new; so my cat does not go outside. He is strickly a housecat, and he is 19 years young. Our dog is a small breed, but never goes out without being on a leash, and that leash is only 12 feet to our door. I may live in a small town, but wild animals have been spotted on the outskirts. Last spring cougars were spotted near the town. So it is best to take precautions.
I just feel that a beautiful wild animal was killed for no reason.
Just Jenni
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