Sled Dog Watchdog: Yukon News Genesee Keevil 'Ross River dogs'

From a distance the dog appeared to be brown and black. But the black patches weren't fur - it was bare
skin. "That dog was let loose about a month ago, when its owners went away," said a Ross River resident,
standing in his doorway. "That happens all the time here." Every so often the strays are rounded up and
shot by the RCMP, he added.

The First Nation displays warning signs announcing the day loose dogs will be shot, so people tie up their
dogs, he said. The next day, they're all free again. When females go into heat, things can get ugly. Dogs
are killed in fights and most puppies are destroyed by the wild packs.

"Luckily nothing has happened to any kids," said Ross River Dena Council deputy chief Jenny Caesar on
Thursday. Caesar didn't think the council orders the dogs shot, but she wasn't sure. "I know they put up
signs saying numerous dogs are running around, tie up your dogs," she said. "And the RCMP gets
involved… I'm not sure if they're shot," she added. "I never really look at the signs."

Every year, the band puts out a notice that any loose dogs will be shot, said local animal lover Lynne
Harris. The RCMP goes around shooting them. "But shooting them blames the dogs, and it's not the dogs'
fault," she said.

Outside with a plastic jug, Harris was refilling water bowls in her yard. Nine dogs were jumping around,
excited to see her. "I came north with two dogs," said Harris, while Andy stuffed his nose between her
knees. Andy's from Mayo, she said, scratching his head. "He had an unhappy life." Four of Harris' hounds
are strays from Ross River.

It's an unincorporated community and there are no bylaws requiring owners to license, or spay/neuter
their pets, she said. "A lot of owners don't recognize their responsibility once the dogs are no longer cute
and cuddly," added Harris.

Outside the Dena General Store a young girl was walking around snuggling a tiny blue-eyed puppy. Lying
in the dirt by the parked trucks were at least half a dozen dogs. Chained dogs aren't necessarily better
cared for, said Harris. "Many are not walked, fed, exercised regularly or even sheltered." Harris found
another of her strays starving.

"Kids see a puppy, fall in love and after it grows up they just let it go," said Caesar.

In March, the First Nation brought a vet to the community to hold a spay/neuter clinic. "I did my dogs,"
said Caesar, who wasn't sure how many animals were brought in.

At the end of April, Sandy Trerice spotted a sickly looking dog stumbling across a street in Ross River.
The Faro resident, who works in Ross, has rescued several dogs. This one was so emaciated it looked like
it had a big tumour on its side, she told the News in a previous interview. The tumour turned out to be
the dog's ribs. It would have been lucky to live three more days, she said.

Trerice called the RCMP. But the officers didn't recognize the dog, and were surprised the wolves hadn't
eaten it. The dog weighed a mere 12 kilograms when she was rescued and was so dehydrated she needed
an IV. She was literally just skin and bones, said Trerice, who fed her chicken noodle soup. The dog could
only go for short walks, because she was so weak, and in deep snow, she fell over.

In the spring a person, who asked to remain anonymous because they work in various communities,
called the News. The person had just been chased by a pack of nine dogs in Ross River. The dogs had just
torn up another dog in front of a bunch of kids, the caller said.

Dogs die all the time in the community, said Harris.

"People have got to start taking action," added Caesar. "The community should be responsible."

Letter to editor: 'Police shootings of dogs are thoughtless'
[Published in Whitehorse Daily Star - Friday, August 15, 2008]

Dog abuse, dog neglect, and dog killings are the norm in many northern communities.

I spoke with the RCMP in Ross River. They claimed they do not round up dogs and kill them
systematically, but they do kill dogs when people complain about them. They say no records are kept on
these dog killings, unless a file was started about a particular dog incident.

This says to me that not much thought is put into the taking of a dog's life. It shows a lack of concern for
the lives of these animals. It frankly surprises me that the RCMP wouldn't keep records on all the dogs
they kill. The RCMP in Ross River say they kill female dogs in heat when they present a "problem" by
inciting jealous fights among horny male dogs (a natural phenomenon).

The said the dog's owner may in fact request that the RCMP (or someone else) shoot the dog because
they don't want "it" anymore. What seems clear to me is that they don't want the responsibility of taking
care of that dog anymore. This is ignorant. They don't want her anymore because she is no longer a cute
puppy?

The RCMP also will shoot "vicious" dogs who might be a threat to other dogs or children. Whose fault is
this situation? Why are people not held accountable for not taking care of their dogs properly? And this
does not mean keeping the dogs on a chain all their life, etc.

The RCMP are complicit in cleaning up people's mess by "disposing" of their unwanted dogs and not
addressing the systemic nature of the problem. They are also showing the communtiy that it's OK not to
address the cause of the situation.

We need the RCMP to take a leadership role in the communities and bring about positive change, not to
maintain the status quo. The dogs' owners are teaching children by example that it's OK to have, use,
abandon and kill unwanted animals after the "cute" puppy stage has passed. This will not instill
compassion for animals in these children, who are raised to treat animals as if they are just disposable
pieces of property.

Children need to be taught that dogs need a life-long commitment, and should not just be looked at as
"cute" puppies, to be ignored or abandoned as they grow. Adults must lead by exampe instead of teaching
children that it is OK to treat dogs as if they are toys.

Ross River, being an unincorporated community, is not much different than the incorporated
communities. Animal neglect is a problem in the incorporated communities as well. Whitehorse just
handles it differently by disappearing loose dogs quietly (into the pound, where at least dogs have a
chance at being rescued, because they have a mandatory "holding time"). Irresponsible pet ownership
plagues all Yukon communities.

People (and all levels of government) need to recognize that non-human animals are sentient beings, and
are not our property to be mistreated, or disposed of at our convenience. Animals need serious laws that
the RCMP can enforce in the communities in order to bring about real, lasting change.

If people can't fulfill their obligations to animals in their care (which includes neutering and spaying), they
simply do not deserve to have them.

Period!

Mike Grieco,
Whitehorse