Social Network

Email: timberwolfinfonetwork@gmail.com
Email: timberwolfinfonetwork@gmail.com

CA ON: Kenora hobby farmers lose sheep to wolf pack attack

By Reg Clayton, LOTW Enterprise

Local hobby farmers Alfonso and Darlene Martins suffered a loss of livestock recently when a pack of wolves killed four of their pure bred sheep in a pasture north of Kenora.

They want the public to be aware that the predators are out there so others don’t have a similar experience or worse.

“I would be worried about my children if I lived out in the country because the wolves came out during the day to kill,” Darlene told the Miner and News. “They’re so aggressive and if they’re not trapped or killed they won’t stop preying on livestock, pets or wildlife in the city.”

The Martins’ hobby farm is located on Sinclair Road off Highway 17; however the four Katahdin sheep’ a ram and three pregnant ewes were being boarded out at a friend’s rural property on Highway 658 about five kilometres north of the bypass while the couple were on holiday.

“We moved the animals out there about two week before we left and the attack happened about three weeks later on Oct. 5,” she explained.

According to Darlene, a pack of three or four wolves killed and ate parts of the sheep before being chased away by neighbours who witnessed the attack.

They didn’t have insurance on the sheep valued at $1,200.

“We never though anything like this would happen,” she said, adding that compensation for their loss wasn’t available from either the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs or the City of Kenora.

“The ministry wasn’t interested because we’re not farmers and the city bylaw doesn’t support agriculture so there’s no compensation for our losses,” she said.

The Martins still have three donkeys and two miniature horses at their Sinclair Road hobby farm but are undecided as to whether they will replace the sheep.

“We’ve always had animals and used to have a petting zoo on the Redditt Road. We would take them all over, to Pinecrest Home where they were very popular with the residents,” Alfonso said. “We have to think about restocking, the wolves are so close and they like sheep most of all.”

Information regarding owners rights to protect their pets and livestock from predator attacks in rural areas is available on line by going to www.ontario.ca and typing ‘capture or kill wild animals damaging private property’ in the search window.

The Miner and News continues to track the issue and invites readers to share their experiences and photos with the paper by calling 468-5555.

Source