Wolves searching for food attack pet dogs in northern Ontario First Nation

Wolves have roamed into the remote Attawapiskat First Nation, along northern Ontario's James Bay coast, and attacked local dogs.

Jack Linklater Jr., Attawapiskat's deputy chief, said community elders believe higher than normal snowfall in the region has driven wolves searching for food into the community during the last three weeks.

"With the amount of snow we have, they can't run around and they're looking for easy prey and that's our pets," he said.

Linklater said no pets have been confirmed killed by wolves, but some have been reported missing, and others have been injured by attacks.

The community has warned people to keep their pets inside at night, and has also hired two hunters to cull wolves that enter the First Nation.

"They have traps set up, snares all around the community," Linklater said.

He said the hunters have killed five wolves so far. They tested three of them for rabies, but the tests all came back negative.

Linklater said some wolves appeared to be well fed, but some others were malnourished.

Because the snow has made it more difficult for the wolves to hunt wild prey, Linklater said the animals have become more bold.

"They're not afraid anymore," he said. "Normally they would be in the back, like the outskirts, like on the edge of the town, but now they're just walking down the road like it's normal."

He said hunters will continue to trap wolves until community members feel safe.

Attawapiskat resident Genise Okimaw captured video of a wolf attack on her phone the morning of Tuesday, Jan. 3. 

The wolf mauled a dog named Parker and Okimaw's husky, named Alaska, intervened. 

She said the wolf eventually backed away. Parker was not killed, but she is recovering from bites along her neck.