Dozens of dogs removed from Ross River, says Yukon's chief vet

Yukon's chief veterinarian says a government program aimed at reducing the number of roaming, aggressive dogs is seeing some success in Ross River.

"We've removed over twodozen dogs to date, in three visits which is more than [in] two years of attempting to catch dogs in that community, in the past," said Mary Vanderkop.

The territory offered last spring to take any unwanted dogs from the community, and have them put up for adoption by the Humane Society in Whitehorse or euthanized if they're deemed dangerous.

That community has long had a problem with loose dogs, but it becamea crisis a year ago aftera local man was killedand partially eaten by a roaming pack.

Other rural Yukon communities have also complained of problem dogs. Last week, a father in Pelly Crossing said he was afraid for his children's safety in thatcommunity.

• 'I'm worried a kid is gonna get mauled': Pelly Crossing dad raises fears about loose dogs

Vanderkop says giving residents in rural communities a chance to surrender unwanted dogs is a "positive approach, rather thanan enforcement-'we're-here-as-dogcatchers' kind of approach.

"In many cases, these people are doing the best they can but they've often acquired dogs that they didn't ask for. They have too many to handle. They want a way to be able to deal with that."

'Far fewer dogs'

She calls the program in Ross River a success, so far and she encourages other communities to work with the government to deal with problems elsewhere.

"We've certainly heard that from Ross River, that there are far fewer dogs that are roaming in packs now than what there were, say, a year ago at this time."

Vanderkop says many of thoseanimals have been placed in new homes, but some "problem dogs" have been humanely euthanized.

The government alsorevised itsspay/neuter voucher program forrural communities, now offering $250 to owners of female dogs, to help cover the cost of a spay surgery. As of last week, 34 surgeries had been funded under the program so far this year. The government will cover up to 115 per year.