I lived in Bella Bella, a native reservation on the west coast of BC for 2 years, which is where I first began doing dog rescue. The dog abuse and neglect problem is huge and the method of animal control is almost always shooting. Dogs are generally starving on reserves (see Angelo & Billy's pictures) and are lured to the dump with meat, shot and left to decompose or burn with the rest of the garbage. Somedays I wondered if these weren't the lucky ones. The rest that are surviving day to day are starved for attention, food and physical care. They are beaten, chased, hit by cars, sexually abused, tortured and left to suffer. These animals live in constant fear, pain and often in broken bodies. The sad thing is that they are unfailingly loyal to all humans, following anyone who gives the slightest attention.

I would love PETA or any organization to step in and help the dogs on reserves, but to be perfectly honest, it won't work. A spay/neuter program won't work. The reason it won't work is that unless a member of PETA is going to live on the reserve, the problem will only grow again, once the rescue team leaves the reserve. I have experienced this first hand. Native reserves are small communities, that are worlds unto themselves. Many people don't see what happens on reserves, but the day to day existence is bleak. The unemployment rate in Bella Bella was 80% when I lived there, which says a lot about the motivation level and ability of the locals to take responsibility for ensuring any program works.

From the Globe & Mail article, "Mr.Harding added that there is no veterinarian, so dog owners cannot easily spay or neuter their pets (it costs $1,200 to fly to the closest vet, in Iqaluit)." This statement is a cop out - when I was doing rescue work in Bella Bella on my own, I was able to get Pacific Coastal Airlines support to fly dogs out free of charge. The help is there if anyone chooses to ask for it. The problem with reservations is the complete apathy on behalf of the native people - they simply don't give a damn. Shooting takes much less work than asking for help and coordinating transport to and from the vet.

Also from the above article - "You'll find throughout the North [that shooting strays] is what happens. There is no other way to control them." This is an erroneous statement as well. There most definitely is another way to control the dog population, but it begins with the local native people taking responsibility for their own actions.

"PETA plans to investigate the shootings, and the organization would consider offering financial support for a spaying or neutering program in the hamlet. If the program is successful, the society plans to export it to other remote communities." As pessimistic as I sound, I guarantee that the program will not be effective in the long run unless a member of PETA plans on living on the reservation to do the work required day by day. As long as the truth is kept quiet, the suffering of these dogs will continue. As AAS has stated, being honest and speaking openly about what is happening right now on reservations is the only way to begin to stop the abuse and suffering, but taking this step targets one as racist. This is ridiculous and it is exactly why the problem persists and so many are afraid to take a stand on behalf of the animals on native reservations.

I won't stay quiet to try to uphold the PC. As long as neglect and abuse are rampant, I will speak the truth.