Sheshatshiu’s stray and loose dogs are out of control, says the mother of a girl who was attacked

As a Sheshatshiu girl recovers at home after being attacked by a dog, her mother calls for measures to deal with the stray and free-roaming dog population.

Mary-Lou Nuna said her daughter Melina Rich was playing outside on April 18 when she was attacked by a dog. The six-year-old was taken by ambulance to the Labrador Health Center in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, about 40 kilometers away. She said she was shocked and saddened by what happened to her daughter.

“It’s not even safe for the kids to play outside,” she said.

Nuna said many people in Sheshatshiu were concerned about the number of stray and loose dogs in the community.

“This is really scary. I really want something to be done, like these dogs removed because they’re really hungry and it’s really sad,” she said. “They eat the garbage. … Thats really sad.”

Melina was taken by ambulance to the Labrador Health Center in Happy Valley-Goose Bay. (Submitted by Mary-Lou Nuna)

Nuna’s daughter was treated with antibiotics and facial wounds were treated with surgical tape. Luckily, her injuries didn’t require stitches, Nuna said.

She worries about the danger to other children, especially as summer approaches.

“A lot of kids will be playing outside,” Nuna said. “I know my daughter will be very scared when she plays outside with her friends and she was really traumatized.”

Mary-Lou Nuna said Melina was afraid to play outside after the dog attack. (Heidi Atter/CBC)

The First Nation says work is underway to control dogs

Greg Pastitshi, the operations manager for the Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation, says work is currently underway to control the dog population.

Pastitshi said a dog catcher is hired by the First Nation when there is aggression or attacks, and they work with the SPCA to speak to an owner or rehome the animal. It is rare that aggressive dogs cannot be retrained and are euthanized, he said.

However, the work is complicated, said Douglas Ashini, the public works director.

“We get a lot of complaints that we don’t do anything, but we actually do,” Ashini said. “Any time a dog catcher is visible, they yell at him or say, ‘Hey, don’t touch my dog,’ and things like that.”

The dog catcher would ask people to tie up their dogs, Ashini said, but they didn’t listen. People are used to dogs running around freely because there is no bylaw forcing people to tie up their dogs, Pastitshi said.

“We’re told to leave the dogs alone and whatever, and sometimes you feel like you’re stuck,” Patitshi said. “Then what should you do? Like, should we help the community?”

Gregory Pastitshi, the operations manager for the Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation, says some people yell at the dog catcher when he rounds up loose dogs. (Heidi Atter/CBC)

Pastitshi said the First Nation will work with the City of North West River and the Happy Valley-Goose Bay SPCA to create a bylaw. Meetings with both groups are being planned, he said, and he has contacted Nuna to get her input. If a bylaw were passed, there would also have to be money for a full-time dog catcher, he said.

Ashini said Sheshatshiu has also been working to control the population with the help of the Chinook Project, a volunteer initiative to spay and neuter pets in remote communities. Ashini said work is underway to bring the volunteers to Sheshatshiu in 2025, which would be the group’s fifth time in the community.

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