LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON
As the stray dog population in Fort Simpson continues to roam, children are being forced to hide from aggressive animals while elders have sustained scrapes, bruises and broken bones trying to fend off the canines.

Former mayor Raymond Michaud said a dog recently went after his young grandson. Michaud is now calling for the village to do something about strays. - April Hudson/NNSL photo

This is the picture painted by former village mayor Raymond Michaud, who says the last straw for him was a stray that recently went after his five-year-old grandson, who had to dive underneath a truck to avoid being mauled by the attacking animal.

His grandson, Michaud said, is now terrified of dogs and hides when he sees one.

For the former mayor, the situation reminds him of his own painful encounter with a stray when he was a child - an encounter that left him with his own fear of dogs.

"The first question that comes to mind is, why are all these wild dogs running loose? I figured, enough is enough," Michaud said.

"Is that what we're waiting for, that the only time a dog is dealt with is when someone is actually mauled, killed, maimed? I have a five year old right now who cannot walk around this town because he's afraid of dogs. I have people I have to drive from point A to point B to come visit because they're afraid of dogs."

Fort Simpson's dog bylaw gives bylaw officers the authority to dispose of stray dogs if they cannot be caught.

However, the village only recently filled its bylaw position which had sat empty for months.

Bylaw officer Keyna Norwegian said she spends most of her time chasing after dogs and wants the village to put restrictions in place on dog owners. Provisions could include requiring leashes or enforcing dog licensing.

"We need to find solutions and alternate ways of dealing with the dogs because I don't want to spend four hours per day chasing them," she said.

"We have to change our policy, be stricter and put the onus back on the (owners)."

She added the village needs to start destroying dogs again if the situation calls for it.

The SPCA currently provides funding to the village so staff can send three dogs per month to Yellowknife.

The one that went after Michaud's grandson was taken to Yellowknife for rabies testing, but Michaud said the dog is now receiving behavioural training instead of being destroyed.

"I do hope that dog isn't going to show back up in Fort Simpson," he said.

Mayor Darlene Sibbeston agreed the stray dog population has turned into a serious problem and said she urges council to review the village's dog bylaw in the coming months.

"If we're going to change it, we need community input," she said.

"It is a serious situation when it involves a five-year-old who can't defend himself against a large dog."

As for Michaud, he remembers the time spent as mayor when the village employed a full-time dog catcher.

At that time, he said, the village was destroying upwards of 200 dogs per year.

"It's not a fun thing to do. Shooting a dog is the worst thing but it's better than having a child mauled," he said.

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