Wolf attack in Tuscany: family dog killed, but police contradict child-rescue story
A family's account of their dog saving a toddler from a wolf in Orbicciano, Italy, has been challenged by local authorities, who say the dog was alone when attacked.
The initial dramatic report
On the evening of Saturday, 18 July 2026, a barbecue at a farmhouse in the Tuscan hamlet of Orbicciano turned into a scene of terror. According to initial accounts from the family, a wolf suddenly entered the garden while their two-year-old son was playing with the family dog, Destiny. The dog, a seven-year-old cross between a Swiss white shepherd and a Labrador, reportedly threw herself between the child and the predator. The father, 39-year-old Tommaso, was at the grill, and the mother, 40-year-old Paula, was in the kitchen.
She saved me and my son. She was always a scared dog that barked at strangers, but at that moment she was fearless.
Paula told the Italian news site Versilia Today that she heard whimpering and ran outside, where she saw the wolf gripping Destiny by the throat.
He took her away as if she were a rabbit.
The couple and neighbours pursued the wolf into the brush but could not save the dog. Because darkness fell and the wolf was still nearby, they retreated. The next morning, only the dog's head and a paw remained.
Authorities contradict the family's version
Within days, local officials cast doubt on the story. Mayor Marcello Pierucci of Camaiore, the municipality that includes Orbicciano, told Italian television that the dog was alone on the unfenced property at the forest edge when the wolf attacked. Police confirmed that the family was inside the house at the time, not outside with the child. The dog's remains were found only the following day in the adjacent woods, and investigators believe the animal was killed without any human or child present. The family had moved into the farmhouse in April 2025, and there had been earlier reports of wolves in the area.
- Wolf enters property during barbecue; family dog Destiny attacked.
- Family finds dog's body, retreats due to darkness and wolf still nearby.
- Remains of dog (head and a paw) found in adjacent woods.
- Mayor Marcello Pierucci contradicts family's account, says dog was alone outside.
- Police confirm family was inside house; investigation ongoing.
A rekindled debate over wolf management
The incident has reignited a contentious debate in Italy about the presence of wolves near human settlements. The Italian National Association for the Protection of the Environment and Rural Life suspects that at least three or four wolves fed on the 22-kilogram dog. The association and other rural protection groups are calling on the government and the environmental agency ISPRA to revise protocols for so-called problem wolves. They argue that wolves that venture into inhabited areas and courtyards should be culled or removed, rather than waiting for attacks on humans to occur. Authorities have said they will investigate the incident.
The family's account in detail
Tommaso said he managed to drive the wolf away only after Destiny was already dead. Paula described the wolf as huge and said Destiny had no chance. The family had moved to the farmhouse only three months earlier, in April 2025. The property was not fenced, and in the days before the attack there had been multiple reports of wolves in the vicinity. The dog's body was dragged into the woods, and when the family returned at first light, only the head and a paw were left. The story spread quickly through Italian and international media, with many outlets initially reporting the child-rescue version.
