A family dog was attacked and killed by a wolf near the Port Hardy Airport on Wednesday evening.
Vicky Vardy posted early Thursday morning to Facebook that a friend was walking the dog in “a very common place to walk dogs” near the airport in the Storeys Beach area of Port Hardy.
“I’m hoping to inform the public about this as it can happen to anyone,” Vardy wrote.
She also said she had contacted the conservation service.
Conservation officer Jon Paquin told The Gazette the incident is “still under investigation” and would not release any further details.
Vardy spoke with The Gazette on Thursday morning and confirmed the dog was attacked and killed. No one else was hurt during the incident.
“He was fine,” confirmed Vardy when asked about the condition of the man who was walking the dog.
Paquin was asked if he had received reports of wolf sightings in that part of the district.
“Every so often we do from that area, but we hadn’t had any sightings recently,” said Paquin.
The conservation officer also said the public needs to be aware of the possibility wolves might be in the area. He said dogs should be kept on a leash and if you come across a wolf, leave the area the way you came in and get into your vehicle. If the wolf is close, Paquin said to make yourself look large and yell at the animal.
“If they come closer and are aggressive, you need to fight back,” he said.
— Gazette Staff