Niagara Regional Police (NRPS) say attempts to trap and return an escaped white wolf to a Port Colborne enclosure ended tragically.
In a release, a police spokesperson said the wolf was shot dead by officers around 7 p.m. on Wednesday due to safety concerns when the animal turned up near a farm.
“Officers attended and attempted to contain and capture the wolf, however, were unsuccessful,” NRPS said in a statement.
“Given the close proximity of the wolf to the farm animals, out of concern for the safety of those animals … an officer discharged a firearm and fatally shot the wolf.”
NRPS say they had received calls Wednesday night related to sightings of the escaped wolf on the west side of Port Colborne.
The Niagara SPCA had been tracking the animal and recruited a trapper in the hopes of safely retrieving the animal.
The adult female wolf, named “Boo,” dug out of its enclosure on Tuesday at approximately 9 a.m.
An NRPS spokesperson said the wolf was rescued from northern Ontario and residing at a compound in Niagara Region.
The city’s bylaw department has now launched an investigation into the housing of the wolf and is expected to be aided by the Niagara SPCA, NRPS and Ministry of Natural Resources.
The ministry confirmed to Global News conservation officers are investigating the circumstances surrounding possession of the wolf.
“As the matter is currently under investigation, it would not be appropriate to provide any further comment at this time,” spokesperson Hayden Kenez said in an email.