Wolves suspected in pony attack near Sønder Omme

A couple in Sønder Omme, Denmark, were forced to euthanise two of their Shetland ponies last week after the animals were found with severe bite wounds believed to have been inflicted by a wolf, DR reports.

Hanna and Allan Kristensen discovered the injuries when they returned home from work and found two of their ponies in distress. The wounds—deep bites to the hindquarters—were severe enough that a veterinarian determined euthanasia was necessary.

“It was as if a chunk of flesh the size of a fist had been torn out of the hind leg,” Allan Kristensen told DR. “We were deeply shocked and immediately called the vet. There was nothing else to do but put them down.”

The Danish Nature Agency has assessed the bite marks as consistent with a wolf attack, according to TV 2. Wolves are a protected species in Denmark but may be culled if deemed a threat to livestock—particularly if attacks occur behind wolf-proof fencing, which the Kristensens did not have.

The couple, who have kept ponies for 27 years, described the incident as unsettling for both their family and the local community. Kristensen expressed reservations about widespread wolf fencing, arguing it could disrupt wildlife movement and alter the landscape.

“In hindsight, I can see that our two or three hectares should have been fenced,” he admitted. “But I’m generally against wolf fencing—it doesn’t just keep wolves out, it restricts other wildlife too. If this pressure keeps growing, more people will put up fences, and what kind of countryside will we end up with?”