Dogs in 2 Nunavik communities now require registration

Rules are safety measure for neighbouring communities Kuujjuaraapik and Whapmagoostui , animal control officer says

Stéphanie Coté, left, and Fredrick Reuther pose for a photo with some dogs while working to get the Whapmagoostui and Kuujjuaraapik dog populations under control in 2021. (Photo courtesy of Fredrick Reuther)

By Jeff Pelletier - Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Dog owners in Kuujjuaraapik and Whapmagoostui will now be required to register their dogs with an animal control officer or risk facing fines.

The new rules are based on bylaws passed by councils of the two communities.

In both places, puppies and spayed and neutered adult dogs will cost $10 to register.

For adult dogs that aren’t spayed or neutered, the cost to register is different depending on which side of the village you’re in.

In Kuujjuaraapik, the unsterilized dog registration cost is $40, while in Whapmagoostui it is $100.

Fredrick Reuther is the animal control officer employed with the band office in Whapmagoostui. For the past three years, he’s been working to control the stray dog population in the area.

Like other communities in Nunavik, Kuujjuaraapik and Whapmagoostui have had an overpopulation of stray dogs living as packs around the village and posing a safety risk to residents.

“It was out of hand,” Reuther said.

“People didn’t even let their children go play outside because it was too dangerous.”

Approximately three years ago, there were more than 400 dogs roaming Kuujjuaraapik and Whapmagoostui, according to Reuther. The combined human population of the two villages is less than 1,700.

To bring the dog population under control, organizations such as Chiots Nordiques have visited the community to host pop-up spay and neuter clinics, and fly stray dogs south to be adopted.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Reuther said there was an increase in demand for dogs in the south as people wanted companionship while locked down.

“COVID just started and a lot of people wanted dogs to go walk after eight,” Reuther said, citing a curfew Quebec imposed for a period to stop the spread of the virus.

Since taking measures to control the dog population, there are about 92 dogs in the two communities, 79 of which are sterilized.

Reuther has the profiles of all the registered dogs, which includes their health information.

Fines start at $50 for people who don’t register their dogs, or who let their dogs run free through the communities.

“We have to always try to understand and try to explain to the owner that this is for safety reasons, it’s for our kids to be able to play outside, for people to be able to take a walk without getting mauled by dogs,” Reuther said.

“We had bite incidents every week. Now, if we have one bite in two or three months, it’s OK.”

While the communities Kuujjuaraapik and Whapmagoostui share a lot of infrastructure, they both have their own leadership and bylaw systems. However, the leaders came together to work on the dog-control issue.

“The dogs don’t know the difference between Kuujjuaraapik and Whapmagoostui; they’re going to walk where they want,” Reuther said.

A group of stray dogs are seen here being fed in the streets, ahead of animal control work in Kuujjuaraapik and Whapmagoostui. (Photo courtesy of Frederick Reuther)

“If they do that project on their own side, things won’t work.”

In the two communities, Reuther said his approach to dog control of bringing veterinarians in, flying dogs south for check-ups, and teaching proper dog ownership has shown positive results.

Reuther said he’s thankful for the support he received from the two community councils and southern shelter partners, and wants to educate people on dog care elsewhere in the region if they want his help.

“We’re working on a workshop to go in schools to teach children how to behave with the dogs, respect their boundaries,” Reuther said.

“It starts at school, it starts at home with the parents, and that’s the biggest challenge.”

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(8) Comments:

  1. Posted by Less dogs! on

    Great news!! I love dogs but there is way too many on the loose. Please pass this in Kuujjuaq too!

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    • Posted by KUUJJUAMIUK on

      There are people that owe 1000 s in rent a rears , you think , they are going to pay a 100 bill.

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  2. Posted by boo on

    I would never do this. You go register your pen or something.

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  3. Posted by Need this in Nunavut on

    Getting real tired of all the loose dogs. Bullets don’t solve the problem. Being a responsible owner does. And if that means society has to fine you to do the right thing for your animals then so be it. Although I don’t think those people should be allowed to own animals if they can’t be trusted to do the right things on their own.

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    • Posted by Former Responsible Owner on

      Responsible owner, huh? I’ve had dogs taken from the leash, by KI staff, for being a responsible owner. Ive had my dogs harassed and abused, by drunks and other stray dogs, for being a responsible owner. Puppies eaten from the porch by stray hungry dogs. Young ones eaten by strays outside while they go for a poop.

      Being a responsible owner has very little to do with the rest of the town being idiots and ruining the joy of having a family pet.

      The NVs don’t have a solution to anything of the sort. Who do you think will actually look into who or who doesn’t have a dog? Let’s be real.

      It’s a burden to even try to own a dog in Nunavik, and it isn’t the dog who’s to blame for it, either.

      I suggest an actual blacklist for people who are negligent of their dogs. Your dogs stray for the fifth week we told you to tie them up? Time to get rid of them and keep you from owning another dog for a decade.

  4. Posted by What ever happened to registered dogs on

    Yeah, what ever happened to the registration on dogs, there use to one in Kuujjuaq long ago.

    It would be nice have animal control center in Kuujjuaq, there would be less roaming dogs, some becoming vicious, owners are careless especially with their loose dogs for life, going through garbage bins making a mess, some are ready to attack humans.

    Why own a dog, if you’re going to neglect it, cruelty to animal, keeping your dog hungry

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    • Posted by Chesley on

      Yeah, there were trap cages around town to catch any loose dogs. Our daughter was lucky to survive an attack by a pack of hungry dogs, she has scars to show for it. If a person had not been looking out a window and saw what was happening she would have been killed and eaten. Starving strays are a danger to kids, not a fb joke.

  5. Posted by Miss Priss on

    If people don’t want them, they will roam. give a few warnings and then they disapear. The whole tagging concept in communities this small is silly. It would never be enough to fund a dog pound, or even a salary. If someone came to me with a renewal bill or fine for untagged dog in the arctic Id laugh them out the door. Get off of the nonsense and figure out were the dogs come from, after catching them (hamlet paid bi-lay officer), tie them somewhere designated and give the owners warnings. Strike 3 = Mitts.
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    If the dog is aggressive and elusive have a couple of people chase it out of town on machines and do away with it in the hills. Its not like it would be ‘saved.’ Most animals that are sent south are put through a series of personality tests. If they are aggressive to unknown dogs or show food protection aggression, for example (which pretty much all huskies naturally have), they are euthanized. So what’s the difference. I have never pay or support this tagging in the north or south.

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