Three alpacas that were bitten to death in Haps at the end of March were attacked by a dog and not a wolf. That says BIJ12, a national organization that takes action if animals may have been bitten by a wolf. The owner of the animals, Marius van Daal, does not believe that his animals were attacked by a dog. “What has been done to my animals, I don’t see an average house, garden and kitchen dog doing that. I won’t leave it at that.”
WARNING: Shocking photo below the text.
The alpacas had been grabbed by the throat and part of the jaw of one of the alpacas was found a little further in the meadow. Another part was eaten. Immediately after finding the dead animals, the owner and a veterinarian strongly suspected that the bloody scene was the work of a wolf.
But the DNA research carried out by BIJ12 shows that it was a dog. They have examined the saliva found in the bite wounds of alpacas.
“When alpacas are angry, they throw their entire stomach contents on you.”
Owner Van Daal does not believe that the DNA analysis is correct. “Make no mistake, when alpacas are angry they throw the entire stomach contents over you. Then you stink for an hour in the wind. In New Zealand alpacas sit among the sheep to protect them from predators. I don’t believe this is a dog The man who took the DNA immediately said it was a dog. I thought that was very biased. According to him, wolves do not eat the head of an animal.”
Christian Jansen, spokesman for BIJ12 confirms that a wolf usually does not eat from the head. “Also, no abdominal cavities have been opened or other typical wolf injuries have been found. A throat bite is typical for a wolf, but so does a dog.”
Van Daal would now like to have the DNA material to have it examined again. “Then I also want to know what kind of dog did this, but I don’t get the DNA samples from BIJ12. But they are my animals, it seems to me that I can’t get it.”
But according to Jansen van BIJ12, the samples can no longer be returned. The DNA research was done by Wageningen Environmental Research (WENR). “In any case, we only provide the samples to the researchers, unless the police request it. The WENR is an internationally appreciated laboratory. There is no reason to doubt the outcome.”
“An expert looks at all the information again as an extra check.”
If animals have been attacked by a wolf, the province must (partially) compensate for the damage. “But if it was a dog, they don’t have to pay anything. And alpacas are not the cheapest animals. I’m investigating with my legal expenses insurance what I can do,” says Van Daal.
According to Jansen, the complete file of the killed alpacas will be reviewed again in the near future by an expert from BIJ12. “The DNA is leading, but the expert looks at all information again as an extra check. Think of other traces and injuries. Then comes the official decision.” After that decision, Van Daal can object.
According to Jansen, there is no interest for a province in not paying out. “If you look at the total damage caused by animals, for example by geese, that amounts to tens of millions nationwide. That is also paid for.”
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