Woman attacked by wolf-dog crosses in Nanaimo; airlifted to hospital

A group of wolf-dog crosses have been destroyed after they attacked a woman in Nanaimo’s South Wellington area Tuesday morning, May 25.

A 69-year-old woman was airlifted to hospital in Victoria with serious injuries after the incident at a wolf education centre on Waring Road.

“Investigators learned that the three animals involved are a mixture of wolf and domestic dog and were housed in a secure pen, situated on private property,” noted a Nanaimo RCMP press release. “The woman entered the pen as she has many times before, and for unknown reasons, the animals attacked her.”

Emergency crews were called to a property at about 10 a.m. Tuesday. The owner of the SWELL Wolf Education Centre, where the incident happened, was cooperating with the investigation, said police.

He entered the pen, provided assistance to his wife and walked her out of the pen to waiting paramedics, the RCMP press release noted.

RCMP, B.C. Ambulance Service paramedics, Cranberry and North Cedar fire departments and B.C. Conservation Officer Service was on scene and a landing zone was set up for an air ambulance.

“I don’t know why she was in there, but I anticipate she was trying to feed them,” said Ron Gueulette, Cranberry Volunteer Fire Department chief.

Gueulette said the woman suffered serious injuries to her face, legs and arms.

“She was pretty beat up,” he said.

The SWELL Wolf Education Centre was established in South Wellington to educate the public about wolves. The owner has been educating people about wolves since 2006 with his wolf-dog hybrid named Tundra at schools and other venues. The centre also has a large fenced area on their property.

Const. Gary O’Brien, Nanaimo RCMP spokesman, said the wolf-dog hybrids are not considered wild animals, but the B.C. Conservation officer service attended to assist the RCMP.

One woman has been airlifted to haspital after being bitten by a wolf-dog hybrid south of Nanaio. RCMP, BC Ambulance, BC Conservation officers on scene Waring Rd, in South Wellington.#Nanaimo @NanaimoBulletin pic.twitter.com/KksJcCE9Yx

— Chris Bush (@ChrisBushphotog) May 25, 2021