RED LAKE, ON — OPP are advising Red Lake-area residents, especially pet-owners, to keep a watch out for wolves after an incident that sent a woman to hospital with bite wounds.
The 38-year-old was walking her dog near the Red Lake Margaret Cochenour Memorial Hospital on the evening of Feb. 7 when a large, black animal came out of the woods.
According to Sgt. Mike Golding of the OPP, the dog-like creature, which stood as tall as her chest, got between the woman and her pet, so "she stepped in the middle, to try and scare it away."
At that point, "the 'wolf', as she put it, basically attacked her, and she ended up getting serious injuries to her legs and her back, and required medical assistance," Golding said.
Police officers were subsequently sent to the attack scene but were unable to locate the animal.
Golding said the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry has recently received reports of what's described as "a large black wolf" around the Balmertown section of the Municipality of Red Lake, but it's unknown if it is the same animal as the one involved in last Thursday's attack.
He said it appears to have an injured front paw.
Golding said OPP officers are keeping an eye out for it.
"We are in the north. Wolves are out there. People have to be careful when they are out walking their pets and such."
