Sled dogs tied to trees, mouths taped shut, then shot in the face

Mike W. Bryant
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Jan 26/05) - The discovery of six dogs "executed" at Fiddler's Lagoon two weeks ago has the NWT SPCA wondering who would do such a thing.

The dead dogs were discovered near the city's sewage treatment pond, about 15 kilometres out of town, by city workers Jan. 14.

Some of the dogs had their muzzles bound in what appeared to be carpenter's tape.

According NWT SPCA president Janet Pacey, all were shot in the face, and left tethered to trees.

To add to her horror, she said several cable wire snares - apparently designed to trap wolves - were found near the carcasses.

"They killed the dogs for no apparent reason," said Janet Pacey. "And then they were poaching."

Pacey took pictures and videotaped the dog carcasses as they were loaded into a municipal work truck by city staff.

She said she believes the animals were sled dog stock.

"It looks like they were pulled out of a dog truck," said Pacey.

"On the road there was all kinds of straw (used for bedding)."

Doug Gillard, manager of municipal enforcement, said this isn't the first time he's heard of sled dogs being killed and their bodies abandoned at the edge of town.

He said it seems to happen at least once a year.

"Last year, we had some on the shore of Kam Lake, about 100 feet or so back in the bush," said Gillard.

"There was straw in the area, indicating bedding for sled dogs."

It also isn't the first time dead dogs have been discovered at Fiddler's Lagoon. Last summer, Yellowknifer photographed a wolf carrying off the carcass of a dead dog that had been left there.

He said his department won't investigate who "executed" the dogs found at Fiddler's Lagoon two weeks ago because even though it's used by the city to treat sewage, it's not within municipal boundaries.

Raymond Bourget, senior wildlife officer with Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, said his department won't investigate the dog killings either because it doesn't fit with their mandate, which is wildlife only.

Wildlife officers will look into the snares, however. He said they were illegal because they didn't contain locking devices designed kill animals quickly.

Bourget said he doesn't believe the dogs were killed to bait wolves, even though two of the dogs were found within a few metres of the snares.

"The snares were definitely set before the dogs were there because in two of the snares there were no footprints anywhere near them," said Bourget.

"The dogs were scattered around different places, and only two of those six dogs were actually near snares."

The investigation of the dog killings appears to be now in the hands of the RCMP, although Sgt. Mike Brandford declined to comment, saying he has yet to review the videotape submitted by Pacey.

Pacey encouraged anyone with information about the killings to come forward to help solve the case.

"I'd call CrimeStoppers or the RCMP, that's my message," said Pacey.