On wolves and dogs

I have been shocked and saddened to read about people being killed by dogs. But this happens year and year, and too often. If a dog kills a person, we put the dog down — sometimes.

I was amazed to read that in Colorado, a dog that killed someone was allowed to live because it wasn’t required to be put down. Dogs are our trusted and beloved and valued companions, and I love them, and always have.

Now there’s something I can’t seem to understand. Dogs sometimes kill people, right? Wolves don’t. Sometimes they kill livestock. There is no law that says you can shoot any dog on sight because it might kill people. Why is there a law that says you can kill a wolf on sight because it might kill livestock, or it will kill game?

Hunters want the wolf eliminated because it is competition. This tells me that livestock and game are more highly valued than humans. People say to me, But livestock feed people.” This reasoning seems illogical. Are they saying that they would rather have people killed than have them go without meat?

I am not advocating killing dogs. I am not advocating not killing wolves for such a reason. Think about it.

I realize that a wolf skin is a nice trophy to put on your wall for bragging rights. It proves that you are macho — uh huh. So wolves are becoming too numerous. Who decides this, and what are the criteria for determining this?

We will go to great lengths to rescue a dog in distress, but a wolf can be put in distress by being caught in a trap, and there is no sympathy.

Maybe its’ because a wolf won’t lay its head on your knee and look up at you with slavish and adoring eyes, and let you master it.

Mary Smith

Priest River, Idaho