Escaped Wolf-Dog Shot After Killing Sheep, Causing Trafficโค concerns
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Venlo, Netherlands – August 23, 2025 โ- โฃA wolf-dog escaped from โฃa private shelter in Venlo this morning and was ultimately โshot by โpolice โขafter killing three โsheep and posing a potential hazard to trafficโค onโฃ the A73 highway. The incident sparked widespread alarm, with initial reports mistakenly identifyingโ the animal as a wild wolf.
The escape occurred โat a private shelter, the location ofโข wich was not immediatly disclosed. Police initiated a search afterโ receiving reports of โขthe animal’s escape. The dogโ was later โfound at a farm in Tegelen, where it had fatally attacked โthree sheep. Owner Marjan ambaum stated, “The animal was still โคwalking around with us, butโ the police hunted โคhim of our โcountry. We had three hobbies. They are now dead.”
Confusion and Misidentification
The situation was complicated by numerous reports from the public claiming to have seen a wolf, leading to speculation about two escaped wolves. โExperts quickly โขrefuted these claims, confirming theโ animalโ was a wolf-dog, not a wild wolf. The police also confirmedโข it was โขnot a wild wolf.
Incident Timelineโข andโ Police Response
Images โขcirculating on social media showed the animal traversingโค the track at the Athletics Association Scopias โbefore entering a meadow near theโ farm where โthe sheep were โคkilled. Police attempted to contain and capture the dog between Tegelen and Belfeld, but โthese efforts โฃproved unsuccessful.
According โto a statementโค released by the Police, the decision to shoot the animal was made when it began running towards theโ A73โ highway. โ”An attempt was made toโค enclose and catch the animal, but โฃthat did not work,”โ the โpolice statement read. “Because the Wolfhound wanted to run in the area of โโBelfeld towardsโ the A73, it was decided to โshoot the beast.โฃ This to โคprevent anโ unsafe situation for road users.”
The incidentโข highlights the potential dangers posed by large, escaped animals and the โdifficult decisionsโค law enforcementโฃ must make to โensure public โคsafety. Further investigation into theโ circumstances surrounding the dog’s escape from the private shelterโ is expected.