France: Shepherds’ Guard Dogs Imperil Hikers

No Comments | August 7th, 2008 | Trackback

Pyrenean mountain dogs (Great Pyrenees) brought into the French Alps to protect sheep from wolves have created problems for summer hikers, attacking and injuring several in recent weeks. The issue has become serious enough that mountain guides have stopped taking clients to certain areas to avoid encounters with aggressive dogs. Wolves recolonized the French Alps from Italy in 1992 and have killed thousands of sheep since then. The introduction of some 1,000 guard dogs has cut sheep deaths by one-third, but they have also made some areas hazardous for hikers, with some of the injured suing the shepherds. Compounding the problem, 17 dogs have been killed with poisoned meat in the Maurienne region this year. No one knows why or by whom, but the most logical theory is disgruntled shepherds who are upset that other shepherds are accepting the wolves’ presence rather than eradicating them. Wolves are protected under EU law.