Wolf attacks divide neighbours: one hopes to see the wolf, another wants to shoot it

A second pony has been killed by a wolf in Egtved, Denmark, within two weeks, according to a report by Danish broadcaster DR. The attacks have left local livestock owners divided over how to handle the growing wolf population.

Anna Marie Dahl discovered her pony, Mille, dead in its enclosure on Monday morning—just 14 days after another pony, Bellami, was killed in a similar attack. The Danish Nature Agency has confirmed both deaths were caused by wolves.

Neighbouring farmer Troels Jensen, who keeps a herd of Galloway cattle for grazing, said he was concerned for his animals but remained open to the wolf’s presence.

“I enjoy seeing these wild animals in Danish nature,” Jensen told DR. “I hope I get to see them one day. But if they could just stick to eating roe deer and red deer, that would be best.”

Another neighbour, Anita Staunsbjerg Hansen, who owns horses and beef cattle, expressed frustration over the lack of support for affected farmers.

“I feel completely powerless,” she said. “No one is taking our problems seriously. I’m seriously considering whether to keep my animals at all, because I can’t protect them properly. What I’d really like to do is shoot the wolf.”

A third neighbour, Lisbeth Møller Kjær, has delayed releasing her sheep and lambs onto pasture due to the wolf attacks. She argued that wolf-proof fencing was impractical in the area’s rugged terrain.

“We can’t fence off the entire Vejle Ådal valley with wolf-proof barriers,” Kjær said. “This is a nature area with trails—wildlife needs to move freely.”

The Danish Nature Agency confirmed the latest attack based on bite marks found on the pony’s body. Local farmers remain split on solutions, with some calling for stricter wolf management while others accept their presence as part of the ecosystem.