12 huskies, 3 rabbits and a Shih Tzu and 1 Labrador City family taking them to safety - Action News
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12 huskies, 3 rabbits and a Shih Tzu and 1 Labrador City family taking them to safety

Charlie Russell of Labrador City man evacuated to Happy Valley - Goose Bay with 12 sled dogs over the weekend. had a long and arduous journey ahead of him, including a 4 hour pitstop in Churchill Falls for gas.

'We were just like the [Beverly] Hillbillies,' says Charlie Russell

This man was forced to flee his home in Labrador City. But not without his huskies

2 months ago
Duration 1:15
Charlie Russell is one of the thousands who were forced to leave Labrador City on Friday due to a nearby wildfire. But he had some special passengers to keep him company on the drive to Happy Valley-Goose Bay his 12 huskies. The CBCs Heather Gillis speaks with Russell as he settles in at a friends home with his pack.

When Friday's order to evacuate Labrador City due to the nearby fire came down, Charlie Russell and his family had a host of furry friends with them, including 12 huskies, seven of them puppies.

Russell said getting the dogs out took some doing: shortly after the order was given, he gassed up, which took an hour, and then headed to the kennel to get the dogs, which took another hour.

"It wasn't too bad because I had the sleds, I had the cages all ready. I put two dogs in each cage, two big ones, and I put the mother in the backseat with the seven pups. I had dog hair everywhere. And not only that, we had three rabbits and the Shih Tzu. We were just like the [Beverly] Hillbillies," Russell said.

Then the family got on the road: Russell, his wife, son, daughter, son-in-law and four grandkids, including 20-month-old triplets. They arrived in Churchill Falls at 2:30 a.m. AT on Saturday, and gassing up took another four hours, the family and their animals are now safe in Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

Russellowned sled dogs for 28 years, gave them up, but recently got them back again because his grandson, Charlie Jr., wanted a dog team.

A husky in a kennel looks to the right, as it stands over a piece of meat on sand.
One of Charlie Russell's sled dogs. (Heather Gillis/CBC)

For Russell, his dogs are more than pets; they're part of his lifestyle.

"It is a lot of work, but most mushers don't call it work.We call it recreation or fun. It's relaxing when I leave work in the evening, it's very relaxing to go over to the kennel and after all day working and spend time with dogs and do stuff and feed them up and clean up," Russell said.

Russell first got dogs 31 years agowhen he moved to Labrador City.

"I'm a dog lover. I'm a musher, but I'm a dog lover," he said. "I grew up around dogs. Most of my family had dogs all their lives. William's Harbour is my family name and they were all big dog sled drivers. I grew up with dogs, my dad had dogs, and I always wanted dogs."

A young boy in beige clothing, dogs in the kennel behind him look at him.
Charlie Russell Jr. plays with his dogs. (Heather Gillis/CBC)

Russell is passing his love of dogs down the family tree: Charlie Jr. loves to play with them.

"They're walking now. One named Princess. One is Max. One is Cookie. One's Oreo. That's Cutie Pie," said Charlie Jr., pointing out the dogs in their temporary Happy Valley-Goose Bay home.

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With files from Heather Gillis

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