Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Unbeknown to newcomers to my riding, the sticks people carry are not broomsticks to fly upon; they are weapons to ward off dogs. Dogs running at large in the small communities are a major issue, and it’s time that the current Dog Act showed some teeth. We need to step up enforcement to make our communities safer for both people and animals.

Dogs are an integral part of the northern lifestyle. Some people feel their homes are not complete without an iconic husky. Municipalities, no matter how small, need tools to manage dogs and enforce the bylaws and legislation created in everyone’s best interests. We can’t just throw the problem a bone and hope it will go away.

Like wolves, dogs left running loose form packs that are known to attack people and other animals. Compassionate people across the NWT are constantly rescuing stray, neglected and abused dogs and finding homes for them or sending them to the SPCA shelter in Yellowknife. But that only happens to the lucky ones. Many dogs die or live terrible lives of abuse and neglect.

We need to do more to enforce the Dog Act in remote communities and more to manage dogs in remote places. In the past, Sahtu communities, in partnership with veterinarian medicine programs in the South, put on clinics and public education workshops for responsible care of dogs.

I encourage MACA to work with Health and Social Services to bring spay and neuter clinics to small communities throughout the North. We need more public education on caring for dogs, what to do as you encounter aggressive dogs and where to report cases of abuse.

We say dogs are man’s best friend, but they can be as much of a nuisance as any wild animal if they are not treated properly. We need to enforce legislation and enact bylaws to promote better dog control. As a government we need to find ways to work with municipalities to manage issues of dogs and harness solutions that really work for small communities. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.