HOLMAN - An unknown illness has been killing sled dogs in Ulukhaktok/Holman.

Residents say they don't know what they can do to protect their dog teams, and worry outfitters' incomes might suffer.

David Kuptana, an Ulukhaktok hunter, has lost 12 sleddogs in four months, due to a mystery illness. He is shown with his sole surviving dog Ginger. - photo courtesy of Phyllis Heinrichs

Mayor Peter Malgokak said about 20 dogs have died so far in the outbreak.

"It's the young pups," he said on Feb. 19.

"I have no idea what kind of sickness it is, and we're not too sure what's causing it," he said.

David Kuptana, an outfitter with Ulukhaktok Adventures Ltd., said he's lost 12 huskies since September.

He used to have a whole team, but today has one surviving dog, whom his grandson named Ginger.

"I've never had a whole team die before," Kuptana said, adding other dogsledders have also lost animals in the community.

Kuptana described the dead dogs' symptoms as high fever, diarrhea and excessive panting, ending with lack of energy and death.

Since there is no veterinarian in town, he said he doesn't know why they died, or what his neighbours should do to protect their own dogs.

Amy Maund, who works at the Great Slave Animal Hospital in Yellowknife, said the symptoms might match any number of diseases.

However, she ventured the cause might be Parvo virus, of which Yellowknife currently has an outbreak.

"We ask people to vaccinate their dogs, either by bringing them to Yellowknife or we can mail them the vaccinations," she said.

Kuptana said it's not Parvo - because vaccinates his dogs against the disease every year.

"I had vaccinations mailed, I always did it," he said.

Unfortunately, Kuptana added the dead dogs' bodies were destroyed at the town dump, meaning a veterinarian could not perform an autopsy.

Since dogs are essential to the outfitting business - which can charge upwards of $20,000 for an escorted polar bear hunt - Beaufort Delta economic Development officer Eugene Rees said there might be a case for the territorial government to provide assistance.

"There could be some funding under the Harvesters' Assistance Program (HAP)," he said, referring to an NWT program which provides help to hunters for buying equipment.

Nunakput MLA Calvin Pokiak said he would ask Environment and Natural Resources Minister Michael McLeod about the program, and whether it would be accessible.

"Basically, the HAP has to do with providing assistance for purchasing equipment, there would be some question as to whether it would apply to sled dogs," he said, referring to snowmobiles as something the fund would usually help with.

Malgokak said some residents have already inquired about buying dogs from nearby communities such as Inuvik, with no luck so far.

He added that without a veterinarian in the community, it might be risky to bring new dogs into town.

Kuptana agreed, saying it's much harder to replace dogs than equipment.

When four hunters come to hunt polar bears in March, he said, he hopes Ulukhaktok Adventures will have enough huskies.

But so far, the outlook is grim, he said.

"We've been trying to find new dogs, so far we haven't been lucky," he said.