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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
A dying puppy found in a garbage bin outside of a downtown bar last week was euthanized Monday evening at Great Slave Animal Hospital.

Olive, an 8-to-10-week-old husky-cross puppy, was brought into Great Slave Animal Hospital on Friday after reportedly being found in a garbage bin outside of the Raven Pub. She did not survive. - Laura Busch/NNSL photo

"This one, it's not going to make it," veterinarian Dr. Tom Pisz said earlier Monday. "(She)'s very ill."

The eight-to-10-week-old husky-cross was very anemic - her tongue was almost white, instead of the healthy pink it should be.

"(She was) a very, very sick puppy," said Jenna McCrendle, a vet's assistant, who held the ailing animal, named Olive, as she was given a final needle to bring her suffering to an end.

It's possible Olive suffered internal damage from a kick or some other physical trauma, according to McCrendle. The puppy wasn't eating, drinking or moving on its own.

Chris Blais brought Olive into the animal hospital on Friday morning. A friend had found the puppy late Wednesday night after hearing whimpering outside the Raven Pub.

"There's this little dog curled up in the corner (of the garbage). My buddy put her in his sweater right away and took her home,"

Blais said he was told.

The next night, the friend in question invited Blais, who was giving him a ride home, inside to see something he had found.

"As soon as I walked in and seen the dog I took her from him, because I know that he couldn't afford to bring the dog in to get checked out or anything like that."

Blais brought the puppy home with him for the night, where his two-and-a-half-year-old daughter named her Olive and gave her a small pink stuffed animal that went with her to the animal hospital.

"I was definitely going to adopt the dog if she was adoptable and if she was going to be a healthy pup," said Blais. "But unfortunately somebody mistreated her for a little too long and we didn't get her there in time.

"It's a friggin' shame. I wish I could figure out who did it and stuff him in (a garbage bin)"

Another puppy was turned in to the animal hospital on Friday, though it is unclear whether the two dogs were abandoned in the downtown area by the same individuals. The second puppy is white and has been named Teddy Ruxpin by shelter employees. He came in with a large abscess on his lower jaw, but has since been treated, is doing well and is ready to be adopted, said McCrendle.

These incidents are part of a much larger problem, said staff at the animal hospital.

"The issue is all these puppies are being neglected," said McCrendle. "Not only puppies, but dogs cats, kittens - and we're getting no funding. I mean, Dr. Pisz pays out of his pocket constantly."

Abandoned dogs are impounded at the animal hospital for five days, at which time they become property of the shelter, Pisz said.

"The (animal hospital) runs a pound and a shelter," said Pisz. "The pound is a contract with the city. The city pays for five days for these animals, and then they are supposed to be euthanized."

However, Pisz and his staff refuse to put animals down if they are not sick, so after those five days, it's up to the shelter to care for them and find them a home.

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