Northern Saskatchewan First Nation to cull stray dogs

The Fond Du Lac Denesuline First Nation in northern Saskatchewan will begin its annual spring cull of wild dogs this week. Band Chief, Earl Lidguerre, saidthe cull is needed to protect residents of the remote reserve.

"You don't know who the owners are because they're just loose dogs and nobody seems to have ownership of them," Lidguerre said. "Sometimes there's a pack of dogs running around and it's just not safe for the young children within the community."

Lidguerre said there are about 40 to 50 stay dogs in the community. Two weeks ago the band notified members that starting Monday April 6any loose dogs would be put to rest.

"We shoot them but we do it with safety. One person has been doing it. He's a good hunter," Lidguerre said. "He's been doing it for the past several years without any incident or harm to the membership."

The Fond Du Lac Denesuline First Nation does not have aSPCA service or a veterinary clinic to spay and neuter wild dogs.

In 2010 a 10-year-old boy was mauled to death by dogs on the Canoe Lake First Nation.

Lidguerre said there have been no serious dog attacks on the the Fond Du Lac Denesuline First Nation so far this year.

RCMP in Fond Du Lac confirm they were notified by the band of the cull.