New Study Sheds Light on Wolf Attacks on Dogs Across Europe
A recent scoping review has provided the most comprehensive picture to date of wolf attacks on dogs in Europe and beyond. Drawing on published research, expert input, and case data, the study identified more than 2,300 incidents between 1999 and 2024, across nine European countries: Portugal, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Greece, the Czech Republic, Germany, Sweden, and Finland. Of these, 2,015 cases were verified.
Key findings
Who is most at risk? Hunting dogs are the most frequently affected, as their activity patterns often bring them into direct contact with wolves in core wolf areas. Many attacks also involved dogs left unsupervised or roaming freely in unprotected yards.
When do conflicts increase? Attacks were more common in regions with low natural prey density, showing how important healthy ecosystems and prey populations are to reduce conflicts (closely linked with our work on habitat restoration in NW Portugal – Task 2.7).
Preventive measures matter. Education of dog owners and better management practices are key to reducing risks.
Compensation across Europe
The review also compared compensation schemes for wolf attacks on dogs across Europe.
15 countries currently provide some form of compensation (12 at national and 3 at regional level).
8 countries have no compensation system in place.
8 countries lack accessible data.
Compensation amounts vary widely – from €200 to €10,000 per dog, depending on breed, training, and preventive measures used. Livestock guarding dogs (LGDs) are most often prioritized, with some countries also covering injured or missing dogs if owners provide the necessary documentation.
Why it matters
This work provides a structured framework for compiling information from multiple sources: institutions, project partners, questionnaires, and interviews with dog owners. Newspaper reports were also collected but excluded from the analysis due to verification issues.
The findings stress the need for:
Stronger preventive measures and better dog management.
Owner education to reduce risks.
Policy harmonization to ensure fair and effective compensation systems.
Project milestone achieved
The results are now available in a detailed report (Milestone MS14), which includes:
Factors influencing wolf attacks on dogs.
Spatio-temporal distribution of incidents.
Maps illustrating where attacks have occurred.
This milestone marks an important step in understanding and addressing human–wolf–dog interactions across Europe.
