Silence surrounds dog abuse
'Neighbours don't want to report on neighbours,' says president of humane society
Michele LeTourneau
Northern News Services
Monday, January 11, 2016
NUNAVUT
Stories of an overabundance of dogs, and dog abuse and neglect, exist in all corners of Nunavut.
While people do want to talk about this sad state of affairs, and they do want something to be done about it, they generally keep quiet.
"If you live in a community of 200 people, as an example, you have to live there and you see a severe case of animal abuse ... Sometimes neighbours don't want to report on neighbours," said president of the Iqaluit Humane Society Janelle Kennedy.
"If you live in a community of 200 people, as an example, you have to live there and you see a severe case of animal abuse ... Sometimes neighbours don't want to report on neighbours," Kennedy said.
"It's a human problem. It's a difficult situation. And I understand and respect it. But what we're trying to tell people is that no matter what, whether there's follow through or not, you have to report it."
In one small community, a resident agreed to speak to Nunavut News/North on condition of anonymity because the person feared reprisals for speaking out about neighbours.
"The most important aspect of dogs in the North is the absolute neglect and abuse," said the resident.
"Everyone loves puppies but dislikes dogs."
The resident has seen puppies given to children to play with and "carry around like dolls." This has resulted in broken legs. Some puppies have been thrown out in the trash afterward.
Once the puppies are grown, they are the property of adults, who are free to shoot them or starve them.
"Most winters consist of minus 40 or colder and there have been many, many puppies that have been seen frozen to death."
Puppies born in the winter die almost instantly and, in some cases, the female dog dies from giving birth in freezing temperatures.
The resident continues: "When the mom dogs give birth in the winter, the mom dogs are often malnourished and therefore do not have milk to feed the babies. Therefore pups die from no food."
In this community, the resident estimated 10 per cent of the dogs have shelter, such as a barge crate.
An estimated 40 per cent of the dogs are fed on a regular basis, which, the resident said, often means they would be lucky to be fed once a week.
There are no veterinarians in the community and none who visit.
"Therefore all the females procreate ... when the males are let loose to do what they want because they are driving the owners nuts with barking because they are in heat.
"No dog is spayed or neutered here and, therefore, the population doubles at least once a year. Again, they love puppies but grow tired of them very quick.
"I would say within a month they are tired and bored with them so they either let them loose, shoot them, let someone else shoot them or starve them to death."
The resident suggested the population would dwindle, interrupting the cycle, if the dogs in the community are spayed or neutered.
"People have often said we live in a territory where it's often difficult to press charges for abuse against humans," said Kennedy. "So you can imagine the challenges people might have, in reality, pressing charges for abuse against animals. This is a thing right across Canada. It's not just Nunavut."
Kennedy strongly encourages "anyone in Nunavut, anyone anywhere, if you see a case of neglect, if you see an animal suffering, if you see them even passed away and they've been treated badly - and we get reports of that all the time - you have to report it."
On another community's Facebook page, someone asked where she could turn to report an incident of abuse.
"In addition to being beaten with fists, boots, and hockey sticks, I've never seen the dog with proper shelter, food, or water dish," wrote the concerned citizen.
Replies said the complaint should go to bylaw or RCMP.
An RCMP officer in the community replied to the post: "Section 445 of the Criminal Code puts it as an RCMP responsibility. It's very challenging. What one person considers cruel, another may not. Example: if a dog is left chained outside all year round on a two-foot rope, some would say that's abuse, others wouldn't. Make good notes of what you see, and ideally take pictures. Bring it in to the office."
Kennedy says, "You have to help create that paper trail. You have to put the pressure on the officials to follow through. You can't turn a blind eye."
