Dr. Sabina Nowak wrote on the website of Stowarzyszenia dla Natury „Wilk”:

Dogs are domesticated wolves. These two species can interbreed, which proves that despite the long process of domestication, dogs differ little from wolves genetically. Wolves probably believe that dogs are still wolves. They have no idea that a dog has an owner who feeds and looks after it and often also feels great affection for it. They treat dogs as competitors for territory and food. If dogs are allowed to run loose, they regularly visit nearby forests and leave feces and urine there, especially on wolf droppings and markings. They also eat scraps from wolves’ kills. We often see this in recordings from our camera traps. For a local wolf family group, this clearly means that an unfamiliar individual is marking their territory and trying to claim it, as well as posing a threat to their offspring. It is somewhat like a stranger entering our home, scattering their belongings there, eating food from the refrigerator and making themselves at home while we are away, then disappearing.

A pair of wolf parents protecting their offspring and food resources can very easily follow a scent trail to the property where such a dog lives. They can also easily recognize it when they encounter it in the field. That is why cases of local wolves killing dogs in forests, fields, and even on private properties or beside kennels are not uncommon.

A wolf killing a dog is not an act of blind aggression, but rather the protection of its own resources. For the same reason, wolves do not pose a threat to people, because to a wolf, a human is not a competitor in the environment.

Cases of dogs showing aggression toward other dogs, as well as dogs attacking livestock, are frequently observed. Unfortunately, in such situations wolves are most often blamed for the death of a dog or the killing of livestock. It is not true that only homeless or stray dogs pose a threat, because animals with owners may also be responsible for such incidents. Dogs living next door to one another may have such fierce antagonisms that they kill each other. Genetic tests of saliva collected from the wounds of mauled or dead dogs also point to this.

Moreover, in the natural environment—and now even near buildings—dogs can be killed by wild boar, including sows defending their offspring. When they or their young are threatened, they can severely bite or even kill a dog.

I do not believe that wolves killing dogs pose a threat to people, so there is probably no need to raise the alarm and cause panic in areas where such incidents occur. However, all dog owners should know that Polish law prohibits allowing dogs to run loose in the forest. Dogs, even beloved lapdogs, can be highly efficient killers of forest animals, roe deer and even red deer calves. Scientific research proves this. It should also be remembered that allowing a dog to run loose in the forest exposes it to danger from the wild animals living there.

What should you do if a wolf kills your dog?

As we read on the website of Gminy Bolesławiec:

[…] The State Treasury is liable for damage caused by animals protected by species conservation provisions, including wolves.

  1. The damage must be reported immediately to the Regional Director for Environmental Protection in Wrocław, who inspects and assesses the damage and determines the amount and payment of compensation.
  2. The injured party must prove that the damage was caused by wolves. In addition, several rules must be observed:
    • the mauled animal must not be removed before the people conducting the inspection arrive
    • all traces of the incident must be secured
    • as far as possible, photographic documentation should be made of the mauled animal and other traces in the area of the incident (tracks, signs that victims were dragged, feces), as well as of the site itself and the protective measures used, such as fencing.

    The damage should also be reported to a veterinarian, who may determine the cause of death of the affected animal, prepare a description of the condition of the carcass and record other valuable information facilitating the proper consideration of the compensation claim, as well as to representatives of hunting associations and the forest district, who may search the site for predator tracks or other characteristic signs of their presence and inspect the carcass.
  3. Compensation is not payable if the damage caused by wolves occurred between sunset and sunrise while the animals were left without direct supervision. In disputes concerning the amount of compensation for damage caused, among other things, by wolves, ordinary courts have jurisdiction
  4. The injured party should submit a compensation claim together with the necessary attachments listed in the application. Compensation covers the market price of the killed animal, the costs of disposing of the carcass and transporting it to the nearest carcass-disposal company, the cost of a veterinarian’s visit to confirm the animal’s death, and treatment costs, based on the submitted bills.