http://www.mytelus.com/news/article.do?pageID=canada_home&articleID=1999025

Friday, Aug 05, 2005

Rankin Inlet threatens to shoot stray dogs after rabid dog bites girl

RANKIN INLET, Nunavut (CP) - Officials in this Arctic community are threatening to shoot stray dogs after a young child was bitten by an animal that had rabies.
Nancy Campbell, a spokeswoman for the territorial Health Department, said the dog was destroyed on July 30, shortly after the child was bitten. Campbell said the child was transported to a hospital in the South, but was doing fine.

"The subsequent testing of the dog's body found that the dog did indeed have rabies," Campbell said, adding that authorities in Rankin Inlet are now taking a tough stand on the problem of roaming dogs.

"They've told people that if dogs are found loose, they will be shot."

Campbell's department issued an advisory Friday to northern communities requesting that people tie up their dogs and get them vaccinated.

She admitted, however, that it is difficult to get dogs vaccinated against rabies in the North due to a shortage of qualified vets.

Rabies, she said, is more common in foxes in the North but dogs can contract the disease if they are bitten by foxes.

Dogs with rabies may display a noticeable change in behaviour, signs of being very thirsty, no interest in eating or drinking, and may be foaming at the mouth.

© The Canadian Press, 2005