Whitedog pleased with spaying/neutering clinic

Whitedog’s recent dog spaying and neutering clinic “was a huge success” with about 104 dogs operated on over five days.
“I see it as a leap forward for the community,” said Waylon Scott, project coordinator for the clinic. “It leads by example for other First Nations to take that route rather than doing dog shoots. From what I’m hearing, Shoal Lake #39 is also going to be trying that route.”
The clinic was conducted from May 3-7 by the Grey Bruce Aboriginal Qimmiq Team of seven veterinarians and three veterinarian technicians.
“When the clinic started at 8:30 in the morning, we already had 10 people lined up waiting to get their dogs either spayed or neutered,” Scott said. “At some times we had to turn back community members with their dogs because the slot was already full.”
Scott credited the excellent turnout to promotion of the clinic over social networks such as Facebook.
“So the word got out to the community to bring their dogs in to the clinic,” Scott said. “The clinic wrapped up on Tuesday and this morning when I was at the office, the talk is still about (the clinic) and they’re all ecstatic about it.”
Spaying involves the surgical removal of a female dog’s ovaries and uterus while neutering involves the removal of a male dog’s testicles.
“With 104 done, I think it’s going to start making a difference next year,” said Scott, who estimated that about 60 per cent of the community’s dogs are strays. “So we’re trying to fundraise $20,000 to have the group come up again this fall ... to tackle the second mating season.”
Scott said the veterinarians were surprised to discover two hermaphrodite dogs, having both male and female sexual organs, among the 104 they operated on.
“These vets have many years of experience, they’re all award-winning vets, and they’ve only ever heard of hermaphrodite dogs and they’ve never actually seen one,” Scott said. “We made them aware of the mercury poisoning that’s within the Winnipeg River system and they are going to do a little more research to see if it’s attributed to the mercury that’s in the river system. If not, if it was just genetics or inbreeding.”
Scott said the GBAQT veterinarians fundraised about 80 per cent of their travel expenses and other costs to conduct the clinic in Whitedog.
“The vaccinations, the anesthetics, all the medications they got was all donated by pharmaceuticals,” Scott said. “The seven vets and three vet techs all donated their time and services, so it really worked out for the community.”
The GBAQT also conducted a spaying and neutering clinic in Kashechewan in early 2012.
The Ontario Veterinary Medical Association states that spaying and neutering increases the safety of both male and female animals and can eliminate or significantly reduce the risk of an animal developing numerous health problems, some of which may shorten their lives.