EU chief Ursula von der Leyen denies culling the wolf suspected of killing her pet horse

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen has denied ordering the culling of a wolf suspected of killing her pet horse.

Dolly, a pony belonging to Mrs von der Leyen, was savaged at her home in rural Lower Saxony, northwest Germany, on September 1. 

The European Commision president, a keen equestrian, said her family were ‘horribly distressed’.

DNA evidence identified the culprit as a wolf linked to 12 other killings. Officials had previously issued a bounty for it to be shot but the wolf was never caught. 

Shortly after Dolly’s death, Mrs von der Leyen ordered EU officials to carry out analysis into the dangers posed by wolves.

In November, she wrote to members of her German People’s Party saying: ‘The Commission recognises that the return of the wolf and its growing numbers lead to conflict.’

That same month, centre-Right members of the European Parliament secured a resolution calling for laws protecting wolves to be eased. 

However, the European Commision has denied the proposed change was driven by a desire from Mrs von der Leyen for revenge.

Agricultural groups and politicians in Germany had previously called for rules to be relaxed over all forms of catching and killing wolves, although environmental campaigners accuse Mrs von der Leyen of stoking a culture war over the wolf.

They said it was good that ‘after being on the brink of extinction, large carnivores have been making a remarkable comeback to Europe’s landscapes’.

But Pekka Pesonen, secretary general of agricultural group Copa-Cogeca, claimed wolf attacks are forcing farmers to quit.