Strays biting people in Sheshatshiu, 'problem dogs' to be euthanized

Sheshatshiu's public works department is combing the streets for "problem dogs" after eight children and three adults were bitten by strays in the community.

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"We're not just going down and taking any dog that we just see on the road," Shannon Tobin, special liaison to the Chief of Sheshatshiu told CBC's Labrador Morning.

"It's dogs that are considered to be very vicious, or dogs that are acting weird as if they're rabid, or dogs that just seem diseased."

The council's plan is to collect dogs in the community and assess them.

If a dog is rabid, diseased or feral, the animal will likely be put down.

If it's a pet, the pup will be held for the owner to pick up and if it's a healthy stray, the SPCA will be contacted.

Pen in the works

Tobin said an active pack of strays lives outside Sheshatshiu, causing animal control issues to "ebb and flow" in the community and surrounding area.

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He said the community is working with neighbouring North West River to get a pen.

"Because we're only one kilometre apart, a shared solution that we can agree on will be better, in my opinion, than two towns working separately considering how close we are," said North West River Mayor, Derek Montague.

He said dog bites haven't been happening in his municipality as often as in Sheshatshiu. He believed the last one was reported this past summer.

Nonetheless, the town council recently voted to make amendments to animal control regulations in North West River, tripling the amount of time pet owners have to pick up an impounded animal and tightening up the writing to limit misinterpretations.

"We can't put up with animals freely roaming around town for safety reasons," Montaguesaid.

In the meantime, Tobin said there are programs in Sheshatshiuto help with animal control.

The Chinook Project provides spaying and neutering services to remote northern communities. The town has alsopartnered with the provinceto get pups their shots.