Wild pack of ‘wolves’ reported in Colorado turns out to be fluffy St. Bernard escapees

A pack of wolves reportedly seen in a Colorado county turned out to be a group of much tamer, fluffier animals.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife told the Park County Sheriff’s Office that it received a report and a video of what seemed to be a possible wolf sighting. After investigating, the sheriff determined that the animals were a gaggle of St. Bernards, the sheriff’s office said in a Facebook post.

The dogs, which live with their owner in the area, have been known to get out of their enclosure, the sheriff’s office said.

“The dogs’ owner has confirmed the five dogs were running loose on Monday, April 25, when the alleged wolf sighting occurred,” the sheriff’s office wrote. “The video was shot from a very long distance away and the lighting and shadows made it difficult to determine what type of large, four-legged animals were running near an elk herd.”

Officials from Colorado Parks and Wildlife flew a plane over the area on April 27 and didn’t find evidence of wolves or elk that might have been attacked by them, contributing to the conclusion that the animals seen were pets, the post said.

The dogs’ owner was cited by Park County Animal Control for allowing a dog to run at large, the sheriff’s office said.

St. Bernards, called the “genial giant of the Swiss Alps” by the American Kennel Club, can weigh as much as 180 pounds. They’re known to be affectionate and good with children — unlike their wolf relatives.

Park County is about 117 miles south of Denver.

This story was originally published April 28, 2022 at 4:28 PM with the headline "Wild pack of ‘wolves’ reported in Colorado turns out to be fluffy St. Bernard escapees."