Concern grows over Vancouver Island wolf-dog after family pet killed

There is growing frustration about a wolf-dog hybrid loose on Vancouver Island, after the animal killed a pet dog over the weekend.

There is growing frustration on Vancouver Island, where a wolf-dog hybrid has been roaming wild and evading capture for weeks.

The situation has taken on added urgency since Saturday, when the animal known as “WD-40” killed a small dog from a campground in Coombs.

Greg Salmon and Carolyn Marchilton watched in shock as the wolf-dog snatched their leashed French bulldog named Ocean. They never recovered the dog’s body, but did find a pool of blood.

“The loss and the grief of losing Ocean is absolutely unbearable,” Salmon told Global News on Monday. “We wish for nobody to ever have to go through what we are still experiencing.”

Residents in the area have been raising concerns about wolf dog for weeks. It is unclear where the animal came from or how it ended up in the area, though there are rumours it was dumped from a vehicle, circulating in the community. Following Saturday’s attack, some trails in the area were closed, and residents have been warned to keep a close eye on pets and children.

“Somebody needs to step up and protect the public,” area resident Nancy Gourlay said. “It’s behaving more like a wild animal than a domestic animal for sure, or something in between, and nobody seems to be taking responsibility.”

Following a series of encounters, an organization called Find Lost and Escaped Dogs (FLED) offered its help to try and trap the animal. But it has since pulled out amid growing animosity from the community.

FLED co-founder Gary Shade said the situation has highlighted frustrating gaps in the way animals are managed on the island.