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Year of the Northern Dog - Printable Version

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Year of the Northern Dog - Catherine - 03-11-2018

This being the Year of the Dog, it is a good year for Ontario to focus on its northern dogs. The Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, OSPCA, along with various partner groups are working to help the northern dogs this year. Northern dogs are dogs that live in remote northern communities. The human settlements are isolated and often inaccessible except by airplane.
Dog food is very expensive and there is no veterinary care. There is no way to spay or neuter a dog so the numbers have been climbing. The OSPCA has been working to bring dogs out of the area so they can be adopted and bringing in vets to spay and neuter the remaining dogs. 

http://www.timminspress.com/2018/03/09/ospca-kicks-off-year-of-the-northern-dog


It is a big project and it didn't just start here. Work has already been done to help the northern communities with their dog overpopulation problems. This year in honour of year of the dog they are really pushing to do more and make a difference in the lives of dogs born in the north. 

We always have to remember that dogs are not native to the north. Every dog that is up there is descended from dogs that were intentionally brought north. We have a responsibility to help these dogs. Many of them are strays and will live and die as strays if no one helps them. This is an admirable project and I wish then every success.


RE: Year of the Northern Dog - Tobi - 03-14-2018

Yes it is an admirable project.

With no veterinary care, it is obvious numbers will increase beyond the community's ability to cope with all the dogs. That just ends in tragedy for those dogs who wouldn't survive as strays in that environment.
It is a very good project and I wish them well.


RE: Year of the Northern Dog - Catherine - 03-14-2018

The numbers have been out of control for a long time. People mean well, but they have so little resources for themselves. There is nothing left over to help the dogs. 

Bringing in vets and airlifting dogs are the only way to humanely help with the numbers. A vaccinated neutered/spayed population could stabilize and be manageable. The extra dogs have a chance at finding homes if they are flown to places with more people and more potential adopters.

It is a big undertaking and there are many remote communities, but whatever they do for the dogs will help solve the problem the dogs didn't create.