A while back I posted
this post regarding a Global article
that left me horrified. The article
depicted the lives of the dogs of Northern Ontario as an exercise in
horror. It spoke about Aboriginal
peoples hunting and shooting dogs for sport – about communities that could not
care less, and of a people that seemed to take perverse pleasure in neglecting
their dogs.
Having lived, worked and helped rescue in the north, I was absolutely
disgusted by the article and the “do-gooders” that felt that by victimising dogs
and vilifying the Aboriginal people of these communities they could make a
positive difference. My rant (and
subsequent letter to Global news) was somewhat scathing.
But recently, Anne Babey, the founding member of the
CatLake Friends of Animush Dog Rescue sat down with
CBC radio and cleared up any,
and all, misconceptions regarding the way dogs are treated in the north. She admits that there is a need for proper
dog education, as well as dog care facilities, but she also gives a very important
and very clear view of what life for the Aboriginals is like in the north – and
the constant struggle to balance out their own lives, with the lives of the
dogs that share their land.
Anne has been working with the Northern Reserve of Cat Lake
for 11 years. She’s seen it all as far
as Northern dogs are concerned. She and
her team have provided free services and education to the people of the Cat
Lake community and have built a level of trust with them that is incredibly
heart warming.
I would encourage anyone interested in dog rescues, or just
plain-old feel-good dog stories, to take a minute to listen to what Anne has to
say. She and her team of volunteers and
vet-technicians are heroes in the dog world, and every now and then, we need to
take a moment to thank them for everything that they are doing.
Listen to her interview
HERE
Keep your tails wagging
Bear’s P4ws
Keep your tails wagging,
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