Manitoba puppy has new leash on life after escaping vicious wolf attack

A puppy who survived a wolf attack in northern Manitoba has a new leash on life. Alexandra Holyk has the story.

A Manitoba puppy who survived a vicious wolf attack is in recovery and headed to a new forever home.

According to Save A Dog Network Canada, a puppy named Pinky was attacked by a wolf in a remote northern Manitoba community earlier this week.

“We got some messages that a video was circulating about a puppy that was underneath a deck, and the wolf was trying to pull him through the stairs,” said Katie Powell, the animal rescue’s president and founder.

The puppy was living in a loving home with a family in the community, Powell said. Multiple kids in the home spotted the wolf in their yard where Pinky was playing and alerted adults.

They were able to grab the dog, but not before Pinky was attacked.

The nine-month-old sustained multiple puncture wounds from the wolf’s bite, including one through the top of his mouth, and fractures to his skull.

The veterinarian bills were too costly for the family—totalling $2,600. The community also lacked resources to care for the puppy, Powell said, so they surrendered him to the rescue.

He was on the next available flight to Winnipeg and sent to the veterinary emergency room.

The pup needed surgery to repair the hole in his mouth, as well as clipping, cleaning and suturing of the other puncture wounds. He also had stitches on the inside of his mouth and was neutered.

He is expected to make a full recovery.

Powell said the family who surrendered the dog is heartbroken.

“This case with Pinky was not a lack of love; it was a lack of veterinary resources, and we are very thankful that the northern community was accepting of our care and especially the family,” she said.

“They’ve been pretty traumatized with all of this, so it’s holding heavy on our hearts.”

The good news: Pinky is headed to a new forever home with a new name.

Doctor Leanne Hawkes, one of the veterinarians who cared for the dog, has adopted him. She has named him Wookie—a “Star Wars” nod to Chewbacca and the Husky-cross’s ample fur.

“I fell in love with the dog, and he’s going to come home with me,” she said.

‘This is a national crisis’

While Wookie’s story has a happy ending, Powell said the incident highlights the need for better veterinary care in remote areas so dogs don’t have to leave their communities to access medical care.

She is calling on northern communities to make the issue a priority, as rescues can’t afford to keep footing the bill.

“There’s way more animals in urgent need than any rescue can take on in this province,” she said.

“We’re seeing not only these types of effects, but the trauma that’s long-lasting in these areas, the rescues that are feeling overwhelmed, and then also now networking across Canada—this is a national crisis that we’re facing.”

- With files from CTV’s Scott Andersson