After reporting a wolf attack on a shepherd and his flock of sheep in the Netherlands, the police shot the animal. The shepherd was injured after the attack on Sunday morning and went to the hospital, a spokeswoman for the municipality of Westerveld told the dpa. The attack occurred on a property owned by the shepherd. The animal also attacked some of the sheep. The community spokeswoman could not say how badly the shepherd was injured.
The animal was shot by order of the mayor, a police spokesman said. It was still on the premises when officers arrived. An investigation must clarify whether it is actually a wolf. “It looks strong there.”
As the broadcaster RTV Drenthe reported, traces indicate that the alleged wolf crawled under a fence that was actually wolf-repellent to get to the sheep. The shepherd tried to drive the animal away with a pitchfork and a shovel, shouting loudly and was bitten on the arm. After the attack, the animal hid under solar panels located on the property.
Wolves have been sighted in the rural municipality of Westerveld in the north-eastern province of Drenthe for some time, the municipality spokeswoman said. There are subsidies for the purchase of wolf-repellent fences for pet owners. At the beginning of October, the province has planned an information meeting in Westerveld to address the public concern caused by the appearance of the wolves.
