Livestock-attacking canines were actually dogs
A Troy man killed these two wolves that attacked two goats inside a small barn on his property on Sunday, July 10, 2022. (Courtesy photo)
Those “wolves” turned out to be domestic dogs.
Some believed the animals that attacked two goats at a residence west of Troy last summer were either wolves or wolf-dog hybrids.
But testing at a federal lab proved they were just domestic dogs.
According to Dillon Tabish, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Region 1 spokeman, DNA taken from the canine’s hair samples were analyzed at a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lab. The DNA indicated that the animals were domestic dogs and were not hybridized with wolf. It is lawful for owners of livestock to kill dogs or wolves that are harming their livestock.
On July 10, 2022, Fish, Wildlife and Parks received a report from a landowner indicating he shot and killed two alleged wolves on his property near Troy.
The landowner reported observing the animals entering a fenced barn area and attacking his domestic goats.
State game wardens investigated and collected the two carcasses.
FWP later received information of a local resident who was keeping wolf-dog hybrids near where the reported incident occurred.
Wolf-dog hybrids are produced by crossing wolves with wolf-like dog breeds such as Siberian Husky or Alaskan Malamute.
An FWP game warden contacted the owner of the wolf-dog hybrids and confirmed the owner’s animals had been missing since July 9.