Yellowknife (June 25/03) - Dozens of stray dogs of all colours, breeds and sizes surround a home just past the Yellowknife city limits on Highway 3.

"They started doing a good thing, but it's gotten out of hand," said Robin Weber of the NWT Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Weber said she appreciates the dog owner's willingness to adopt strays. But the fact that most, if not all, the dogs are not spayed or neutered is causing her concern.

"They are breeding at such a rapid rate that no one knows how many are actually out there," said Weber.

The owners of the dogs could not be reached for comment, and when Yellowknifer tried to contact them at home, at least 30 dogs were visible in the driveway and more could be heard barking inside the house.

"There are so many that they are starting to form packs, and they are travelling," said neighbour Lila Macphee.

"It's getting kind of scary."

Macphee said she's been trying to convince her neighbours to keep their dogs from running free for the past 18 months.

Macphee said children were visiting her home and one of the dogs wandered into her yard and became aggressive.

"I had to put him down," said Macphee. "I shouldn't have to do that, but it was being aggressive."

Resources Wildlife and Economic Development officer Raymond Bourget said because the dog was threatening Macphee on her property she had the right to take action.

Bourget said there are three issues stemming from the situation, but only one RWED can address.

He said dogs running loose on the highway is a Department of Transportation issue and the dogs running loose in general should be addressed by the RCMP under the Dog Act.

The act states that dogs are not allowed to run at large in the NWT.

The third issue, which Bourget said can be handled by RWED, relates to whether the dogs may be chasing wild game in the area or interfering with traps.

If the dogs are found violating this RWED role the owners can be fined and the dogs destroyed.

"At this point we are trying to figure out if we have to wait until someone says 'I saw a dog chase a moose,' or if we can say 'the dogs are out there and therefore could chase a moose' before we take action," said Bourget.

Inspector Paul Richards said, the RCMP has issued a warning to the owners about dogs running at large under the Dog Act.

"If the animal problem is not dealt with, we have a number of options we can follow -- including animal seizure," said Richards.

"But we're far from that at this point."

Tom Pisz, a veterinarian at Great Slave Animal Hospital, said a deal could be worked out through the hospital and the SPCA to have the dogs spayed or neutered at a discount price.

Pisz said while breeding is out of control that are worse issues on his mind.

"I don't think any of them are vaccinated either and that presents a huge risk of spreading rabies -- even to humans," said Pisz.

Chief Medical officer Dr. Andre Corriveau said there isn't any law that would force the dog owners to vaccinate their pets, but said the dogs are prime candidates for rabies because they are living in the bush.

Corriveau said this won't become a human health hazard until a case of rabies is actually reported.

"If they were in a closed area without contact to wildlife it would minimize my concern," said Corriveau.

He said he is referring the issue to an Environmental Health Officer to do an assessment on the situation and determine if the dogs are health hazards.