'Fur Pets Sake': Non-profit teams up with First Nations to tackle stray dog problem

A new non-profit society is teaming up with First Nationsto reduce the number of stray dogs in their communities.

Fur Pets Sake aims to raise awareness about canine overpopulation and animal welfare.

Angela McLaren, the founding member of the organization and founder of the Prince George Humane Society, says First Nations communities tend to be remote and have little funding for animal management.

This is challenging because people have little to no access to veterinary care, and therefore no access to spay and neuter services for dogs.

"Because of that we're seeing a huge increase in overpopulation," McLaren told Carolina de Ryk, host of Daybreak North.

This leadsto a large number of stray dogs on First Nations land.

"When there's a large amount of dogs that are free roaming, we see packs of dogs and there's a lot of behavioural issues that come with that," McLaren said.

Some of the First Nation communities have seenadults and childreninjuredbypacks of dogs, says McLaren.

"Thisis an animal management problem. But it's not just affecting the dog population in those communities,it's affecting the people that live there."

Making connections

Fur Pets Sake consults with First Nations communities and helps create connections with third-party charities like Spirit'sMission and Canadian Animal Assistance Team, whichprovide spay and neutering services as well as rescue services.

Fur Pets Sake recently conducted a pilot project in the Tl'azt'en Nationcommunity of Tachie, a45-minute drive from Fort St. James. They are hoping to team up withmore First Nations.

McLaren says that while spaying and neutering makes a difference, more needs to be done to make these communities safe and help the animals.

"It's a band-aid to the problem and we come up with solutions that create a long-term solution for those communities."

They are working to create bylaws that protect animals,as well as creating ananimal management program and a plan within thecommunity forpeople to have access toeducation on pet care and health.

Listen to the full interview here:

With files from Daybreak North.