Sled dogs kill four-year-old Nunavut boy

A four-year-old boy was killed by three sled dogs in Pangnirtung Monday, March 22.

The boy, who has not been named, was the adopted son of his biological grandparents Jimmy Uniuqsagaq and Leena Akpaliapik.

RCMP received a call that a person was being attacked by dogs at 11 that morning, but when they arrived it was too late.

The boy was pronounced dead at the Pangnirtung health centre. No medevac was deemed necessary.

The information released by police says that three dogs had broken loose from their main chain as the child was playing nearby.

Pangnirtung’s assistant senior administrative officer Moe Keenainak said a looney-toonie sale the next day raised almost $7,000 for family members to fly in.

“There were so many items given that they moved venues from the radio station (where such sales usually take place) to the community centre centre,” he said.

Family members are expected in as soon as the weather clears in Pangnirtung.

Keenainak said the community was “devastated” by the loss.

“We were going to have a community feast on the day it happened,” he said. “We had to postpone it. It was part of the trade show we just had at the school. It happened exactly the same day that the dog mauling happened.”

The incident took place below Pangnirtung’s fish plant, near where the dogs were chained near the floe edge.

Former mayor Manasa Evic, the owner of the dogs, was away of medical travel at the time.

Evic’s family is reportedly horrified by what happened.

RCMP Sgt. Jimmy Akavak said Evic had been back and forth with medical travel frequently over the past year.

Akavak said an investigation is underway as to how the dogs were able to escape their chain and possibly make recommendations to prevent such accidents in the future.

“It has happened in the past,” Akavak said. “Luckily it’s rare, but it does happen. Big husky dogs are cousins to the wolf.”

Akavak stressed the need for public safety where sled dogs are concerned.

Local residents have said that loose dogs are a common sight in Pangnirtung, but most are not as big as sled dogs. There are not many dog teams in town.

Pangnirtung MLA Adamee Komoartok spoke about the incident in the legislative assembly the following day:

“Our hearts go out to the distraught parents and other members of the community affected by this sad event,” he said. “Even though we are not there to console them in person, we send them our prayers and thoughts and our condolences.”