Too-friendly Washington wolf wary of trap

SPOKANE, Wash. — State wildlife agents are still trying to trap a wolf they say has to be moved from northeast Washington to prevent her from becoming too friendly with dogs.

Fish and Wildlife spokesman Craig Bartlett in Olympia said Monday the wolf remains in the wild. He says, “It can take some time to trap a wolf.”

The wolf may be wary because it was trapped in July 2013 and equipped with a radio collar. Tracking last summer showed the wolf hanging around homes near Ione and playing with pet dogs.

To prevent the wolf from breeding with dogs over the winter, the state Wolf Advisory Group decided in September to move it to the Wolf Haven sanctuary at Tenino.

A Wolf Haven spokeswoman says it has a fenced enclosure ready.