Ottawa vets spay and neuter dozens of Iqaluit pets
Treatment offered ahead of Saturday vaccine clinic
Veterinary technician Austin Murray cares for a dog named Finn at the Iqaluit Animal Hospital on Wednesday. Murray was part of a four-member veterinary team from Ottawa doing spay and neuter procedures and giving vaccines to pets this week. The team is scheduled to hold a free vaccine clinic at Joamie School from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Saturday. (Photo by Daron Letts)
This story was updated on Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, at 12:20 p.m. ET.
A veterinary team from Ottawa is spaying, neutering, and vaccinating dozens of dogs and cats at the Iqaluit Animal Hospital in Apex this week. So far, they like what they see.
“I’ve been very impressed that there have been very few overweight pets,” said Austin Murray, a registered veterinary technician working at the event. “They’ve all been pretty healthy and happy.”
Murray is one of two vet techs, a veterinarian and a veterinary assistant visiting from Ottawa’s Capital City Specialty and Emergency Animal Hospital to provide the service for Iqaluit Animal Hospital. It’s the team’s first trip to the territory.
So far, the team has treated more than 40 animals, including approximately 20 spay and neuter procedures, several checkups, bloodwork and urinalysis, and lots of vaccinations.
Only five pets needed medical visits for treatment outside of age-related health issues, Murray said, adding all the animals have been well socialized and easy to handle, he added.
The same goes for their owners.
“The pet owners have been very appreciative,” he said. “It’s been a very pleasant experience.”
The team plans to visit Northwinds Arctic Adventures Ltd. Friday to provide checkups for the outfitter’s 15 sled dogs.
On Saturday the team is scheduled to offer a vaccine clinic at Joamie School from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. — or until vaccines run out.
The protocol is to administer rabies vaccines to dogs and cats. Dogs will also receive a shot that includes vaccines for canine distemper, parvovirus, parainfluenza, and canine adenovirus. Cats will receive a shot with vaccines for feline distemper, feline viral rhinotracheitis, and feline calicivirus.
The vaccines will be administered on a first-come, first-served basis.
All pets attending the clinic must be leashed. The vaccines are offered by donation, but any pet owners unable to pay will not be turned away, according to an advertisement for the event.
Correction: This story was updated to correct the name of the Iqaluit Animal Hospital.
A great big thank you, for being here to do this.
This is so great!! I am so impressed by the care and support being offered by this amazing team!!!!
Thank you for all you are doing!!
Amazing, compassionate & caring CCSEAH team!
They should pick up all the strays around town and all the rez dogs
I agree , ship them down south to the shelters
Who is “They?” That’s not the job of a vet team.
Digester I agree. And ask someone to pick all the dog crap and ship that south also.
It would be very nice if these wonderful vet clinics whi do such an amazing job, would make and attempt to visit the communities. I forgot Iqaluit is the only place in Nunavut, my bad.
You know these are volunteers, right? Feel free to volunteer your time to raise money, organize and pay for flights, housing, time and more volunteers to bring a team to your community.
@ Always something
As a “volunteer” who helped create and run a volunteer charity for nearly a decade (assisting the Montreal Inuit Community) and encouraged others to step up and volunteer , I have learned not to put people down for not volunteering – whatever the cause!
This of course after the termination of my employment (from Makivvik – after 20+ years there) for doing the charitable volunteer work. And for good measure the Charity – The Association of Montreal Inuit, obliterated out of existence.
Please do not belittle individuals who choose not to volunteer for you have no idea what lead them to this decision!
No one was criticizing anyone for not volunteering. If people choose not to volunteer, that is up to them. But they should not criticize the efforts of those who do or demand more of them, which is what the comment was in response to. Seems like you have a personal issue regarding something very specific and you are using this as a means to direct attention to that 20 year old event.
@ Always something
….”You know these are volunteers, right? Feel free to volunteer your time ….”
= attempt at Condescending comments to belittle!
“But they should not criticize the efforts of those who do or demand more of them”
My point Exactly. On this we agree.
“Seems like you have a personal issue regarding something very specific and you are using this as a means to direct attention to that 20 year old.”
This is the problem and what I try to warn any perspective future volunteers trying to help whereby Makivvik could interfere, as the individual that destroyed/obliterated a charity of volunteers with hundreds participating in the volunteer process during its’ existence is still running Makivvik and the potential for future interference from them is still there.
Just stop. This has nothing, absolutely nothing to do with your situation and Malikivvik. This is not the first time you’ve done this in Nunatsiaq comments.