Town & Country

Country Town & MANITOBA Editor: Pat St. Germain pdstgermain@gmail.com inside MOVE OVER CAVIAR Wildman ricing ltd. /2 V andekerkhove, who lives in Winnipeg but travels regularly to Norway House and the surrounding communities, is the director of NHARN. She is also an astute businesswoman — experience she uses to run the shelter and train volunteers. Caring for the dogs entails a num- ber of jobs: Transporting supplies up north — and dogs down south when necessary — first-aid training, treat- ing illnesses, de-worming and feeding of strays, vaccinating and implanting contraceptives and much more. All of it is carefully documented and the dogs are tracked as individuals. The information helps to determine what strategies are effective and provides a picture of the overall health of the dog population. None of that would be possible if Vandekerkhove hadn't been able to forge a relationship with the people of the community. She says it's a learn- ing curve when a southerner ventures on to northern First Nations lands. She realized that judgment could get in the way of communication. "They know they have a dog prob- lem up there and they are handling it the best way they can," she says. "The big change was to stop looking at the dog problem and start listening to the community." Empowerment is an effective tool, especially when the situation can be dire. Tracking the dogs has shown that on average, they only live to be about 1.6 years old. Because the dogs are largely feral, they create a peck- ing order where dogs who are injured, older or smaller are often killed or injured by stronger, more aggressive dogs, who in turn are a threat to the health and safety of people. As short as their lives are, the young females continue to have litters unless the res- cue can intervene with contraceptive implants to curb the cycle. When the females are in heat, aggressive behav- iour rises along with testosterone in the males. Injuries, disease, and a lack of food and shelter lead to deplorable conditions for the dogs, who, because they are domestic breeds, simply are not designed to cope. Vandekerkhove quickly developed respectful protocols around ap- proaching community members about the dogs, asking if they belonged to anyone and if it was alright to provide care. When the opportunities pre- sented themselves, she asked people if they would like to learn how to care for the dogs themselves. "Our big goal is not only to try and identify what is going on up there, but get the people the support they need and to help try and control the dog population non-violently," she says. "That's going to reduce the risk of injury and disease to the dogs and it's going to reduce the risk of injury to the community." Vandekerkhove shares the kind of happy ending that the rescue would like to see for every dog. Buddy was a husky the rescue had been tracking and, like many of the other dogs, he knew and recognized Vandekerkhove. "He used to come running whenever he would see my vehicle," she says. The other dogs recognized her in a different way. "In the restaurant parking lot, all the other dogs would pee on my truck." Buddy knew a good thing when he saw it and he would defend the truck from the other dogs. "One visit when I saw him, he had lost about 20 pounds and was limping badly," she says. "We thought, 'Oh no, he's not at the top of the food chain anymore, he's got an injury and he's going to die.' " They made sure Buddy came into care and transported him to a rescue just outside of Winnipeg, where he was adopted about six months later. When Vandekerkhove made the four- hour trip to Virden to see how he was doing, she asked the adoptive family to watch and see if Buddy would rec- ognize the truck — and sure enough, he did. "I had to stop ahead of time just so he could come out and run to me and throw me onto the ground again," she says. "I love that when you can see them from the beginning to the end." NHARN is grateful to receive do- nations of needed supplies as well financial assistance and dog spon- sorship. You can find information on how to donate or volunteer online at facebook.com/NorwayHouseRescue ❙ Group supports canines and community By Wendy King For the Winnipeg Free Press Give her a chance and Debra Vandekerkhove will talk endlessly about Norway House Animal Rescue Network (NHARN) — but her greater strength is listening. And that's the key to the rescue's positive impact: By listening carefully, the rescue empowers the community to become a safer place for both dogs and humans. Alivewithculture,history&thespiritofthepeoplewholivehere www.thompson.ca #myThompson must love dogs NHARN volunteer Shannon Thomas fosters rescue dogs with help from her older dog Champ, who was also once a NHARN rescue. Photos by Darcy Finley Saturday, December 5, 2015 TrackinG The doGs has shown ThaT on averaGe, They only live To be abouT 1.6 years old. because The doGs are larGely feral, They creaTe a peckinG order where doGs who are injured, older or smaller are ofTen killed or injured by sTronGer, more aGGressive doGs, who in Turn are a ThreaT To The healTh and safeTy of people. CULTURAL OASIS flin flon arts council /5 DIVERSITY DRIVES FUTURE city of thompson /6

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