Large tracks near Lumby most likely a dog's, not a wolf's, says conservation officer – castanet.net

The sighting of some large paw prints near a Lumby neighbourhood this week alarmed some residents, fearing it may be a wolf's.
But Ken Owens with the BC Conservation Officer Service says the tracks were most likely left by a large dog.
Rebecca Johnson shared the photos to the Around the Block Lumby Facebook group after taking her dog for a walk on trails near the Cedar Ridge neighbourhood on Tuesday.
"Almost twice as big as my large dog's feet, possibly cougar? Keep an eye out for your children and pets," she wrote.
The post has gathered dozens of comments, with many pointing out that cats both large and small retract their claws, so the prints would either be those of a dog or wolf.
Owens confirms there are indeed wolves around Lumby, but there a few tell-tale signs that point to them being from a domestic dog.
"They're definitely a canid (dog family)," Owens said Thursday. "Not a cougar."
The defined claw marks lead Owens to the pet conclusion.
"If you think about a wolf or other wildlife, they're out there pounding their paws all day every day. Their claws tend to be more worn down, whereas a pet dog leads a relatively pampered life."
Despite the analysis, Owens says there is "still a story to be told."
He says it is an offence under the Wildlife Act for a pet owner to cause or allow their animal to hunt or pursue wildlife.
"We deal with the aftermath all time. People still need to have their dogs on leash.
"Dogs are not efficient killers … if they get into it with wildlife, they just mutilate."
He says there have been several cases in recent years of dogs killing wild sheep.
"If we see it, we shoot the dog on the spot. It's not the dog's fault, it's the owner, but we don't have a choice."
While he doesn't believe these tracks belong to a wolf, Owens says there was a case as recently as October in Lumby in which wolves injured some young cattle on a local ranch.
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