Dogs and coyotes are the likely suspects in a series of attacks this
fall on a 188-head sheep farm west of North Battleford, Sask.
Farmers Debbie and Ernie Kuttai lost 30 lambs on Sept. 20 and another
37 ewes on Oct. 9.
Some that survived the attacks were slaughtered later or remain
“stressed” and living with ragged ears, said Debbie.
The deaths have kept the Kuttais from two major sheep sales and forced
Debbie to seek part-time work off the farm to make up the shortfall in
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income.
This is the first such incident since they started raising wild boar
and sheep here in the mid-1990s.
They have since purchased a llama and are keeping the lambs closer to
the house. Dogs and sheep are also herded into the barn each night.
Tests done by a veterinary pathologist on two of their dead sheep
showed evidence of a possible cougar attack.
Les Olson, conservation officer with Saskatchewan Environment, believes
coyotes or dogs are more likely responsible.
He said trappers, cougar experts and dog tracking teams combed the
district looking for evidence.
The dogs were not able to pick up cougar scents and trappers had not
seen the animals’ tracks, even in freshly fallen snow.
“I’m still not convinced it’s absolutely cougars,” he said.
Olson said a large brown dog in the district that resembles a cougar on
the run could explain many of the reported cougar sightings.
“I don’t know if it’s responsible for the killings, but it may be
responsible for the sightings,” he said.
