KTUU.com | Alaska's news and information source | Wolf attacks dog; part of Fort Rich closed

Wolf attacks dog; part of Fort Rich closed

by Megan Baldino
Monday, April 27, 2009

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- A jogger says she never felt threatened by a wolf that followed her and her running partner on an Eagle River trail Sunday and attacked one of the three dogs with them.

But U.S. Army officials closed off the trail anyway, and a day later the trail on Fort Richardson is deserted.

"And because of that the commander decided to shut down the training areas north of Artillery Road as a precautionary measure," said Bob Hall, Fort Richardson's public affairs officer.

Two joggers and three dogs were running on the trail, when one of the dogs let out a yelp.

"And a large grey wolf had the dog by the scruff of the neck and looked to be trying to take it off balance, and my friend and I ran at the wolf yelling, and the wolf dropped the dog and ran off into the woods," said one of the runners, who didn't want to be identified

The dog was fine, but the wolf persistent.

"I continued to run and stop and look, and every time I turned around it would stop, and we continued on like that for a mile," she said.

The wolf finally left them alone, but this isn't the first time something like this has happened out here on these trails.

A similar attack took place in 2007 when 10-year-old Buddy Hubert was killed on a walk with his owner. Another dog was also killed.

"I'm sure it was one of the same wolves that was involved from the pack before," said state biologist Rick Sinnott.

The Department of Fish and Game says there are no plans to find the wolf and kill it. Instead Sinnott urges dog owners to leash their pets.

"I just don't think these wolves are coming after people," he said. "They are definitely focused on the dogs as what they seem to think are easy prey."

For now the trail will remain closed as the Army monitors the area and decides what to do next.

The Army urges people to register with the base using the U.S. Army Alaska Web site and call whenever they use the trails. One of the runners says she has her card, but forgot to call in.

She says having lived in Alaska for 19 years, she knows better than to get complacent when running in the wilderness.

Contact Megan Baldino at mbaldino@ktuu.com