This Wednesday the town of Cospeito (Lugo) witnessed a new animal attack in the Caldaloba area. As reported by La Voz de Galicia, four mastiffs were injured after confronting the wolf in an area of exploitation of sheep and cows in Caldaloba. The confrontation has left the dogs in serious condition, with several deep injuries to the neck and trunk.
The attack occurred in the afternoon, when the mastiffs tried to prevent the flock from being eaten by the wolf. The dogs achieved their purpose, but at a high cost. The brave defenders of the herd have already received veterinary care and antibiotics in order to avoid possible infections. The wolf has become a threat to farmers in the area, and in certain communities such as Cantabria, compensation for damage caused by this animal has been increased.
The owner of the ranch, Xabier Fernández, has revealed that the group of mastiffs was able to prevent the wolf from killing more than 200 sheep, as well as a group of cows with newborn calves that were near the area. As Fernández has revealed to La Voz de Galicia, several witnesses were able to observe a wolf in the vicinity of the area where the attack occurred, a few meters from the warehouse where the animals reside, near the Pazo de Caldaloba.
The area where the events took place has witnessed multiple wolf attacks on livestock in recent months. Fernández himself claims to have been the victim of another attack in which he lost three sheep. Among the main concerns of farmers are aid for wolf damage, which does not include veterinary expenses if the defense dog is injured in the attack.
Given the complex situation, the governments of various autonomous communities have decided to take action on the matter. This is the case of Cantabria, which has increased compensation for damage to wildlife in the primary sector, thus including the loss of mastiffs due to wolf attacks. In this way, 300 euros will be paid for livestock action mastiffs up to 12 months and 400 in the case of adults, as well as compensation for veterinary expenses and medication for injured animals.
On the other hand, the Bizkaia Provincial Council considers that cataloging the wolf as a protected species could pose a "notable problem" for extensive livestock farming, since in 2022 there were 38 wolf attacks in the Basque Country, where 54 animals died. Faced with this problem, the regional government approved a decree on preventive measures against wildlife, such as the acquisition of portable fences, electric shepherds, livestock geolocation devices and mastiff dogs.
