A team of animal health professionals visited Rankin Inlet and Baker Lake earlier this month from the Grant Park Animal Hospital in Winnipeg.

The veterinarian clinics were co-ordinated by Fire Chief Mark Wyatt of the Rankin Inlet Fire Department. It was the first time Wyatt helped coordinate a vet visit to Baker Lake.

Wyatt said the vets spent six days in Rankin Inlet before travelling to Baker Lake for four days.

While in Rankin, the team did 16 canine spays, 14 canine neuters, two feline spays, two feline neuters, 10 groomings and 30 appointments, according to Wyatt.

SA国际影视传媒淲e had a total of 74 different appointments in Rankin, so they were kept pretty busy,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

SA国际影视传媒淲e still have a ways to go. There are still people here who donSA国际影视传媒檛 vaccinate their dogs and thatSA国际影视传媒檚 the easiest thing you can do to prevent your dog from getting sick.

SA国际影视传媒淭ake your dog to make sure itSA国际影视传媒檚 properly vaccinated and then bring it back to get it done every two years.

SA国际影视传媒淵ou can do that at the fire hall and it doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 cost any money. We are getting the message out more and more. But, still, ISA国际影视传媒檒l see dogs that get parvovirus or distemper and, when I ask if the dog is vaccinated, ISA国际影视传媒檒l be told no. And thatSA国际影视传媒檚 why your dog is sick.SA国际影视传媒�

Wyatt took over the clinic from Page Burt three years ago. Burt had coordinated the visit for a number of years in Rankin.

He said more and more people are asking to get their dog spayed or neutered now and thatSA国际影视传媒檚 a huge step in the right direction.

SA国际影视传媒淲e had a few problem dogs in town, in terms of having three or four litters and theySA国际影视传媒檙e only three or four years old. I keep sending litters of puppies down south, or the puppies get scattered to homes all over town. But if we can spay enough of the dogs that are regularly tied up outside and getting pregnant, then we can start to control the dog population.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 a never-ending cycle. People get puppies and then tie them up at the end of a chain, or just open the door and let them loose. As they get older, the dogs arenSA国际影视传媒檛 properly trained and they run loose.

SA国际影视传媒淭hat leads to us having problems with loose dogs that we have to deal with. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 an ownership problem. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 not the dogs fault.

SA国际影视传媒淓verybody then wants these dogs shot and I donSA国际影视传媒檛 blame the public for being frustrated by loose dogs. Some people leave their caribou on their qamutiik this time of year while theySA国际影视传媒檙e out hunting and loose dogs get into the caribou, causing all sorts of problems.SA国际影视传媒�

Wyatt said if all dogs were vaccinated in the community, there would be far fewer sick animals.

And, he said, if dogs were spayed or neutered as soon as theySA国际影视传媒檙e old enough, there wouldnSA国际影视传媒檛 be any loose dogs in the community.

SA国际影视传媒淲e are making progress. We did 30 surgeries with dogs this time and thatSA国际影视传媒檚 a lot.

SA国际影视传媒淭hatSA国际影视传媒檚 16 females that wonSA国际影视传媒檛 be having any more puppies and 14 [male] dogs that wonSA国际影视传媒檛, potentially, be running around making those puppies.

SA国际影视传媒淭hat will make a difference. WeSA国际影视传媒檒l be having another clinic from Oct. 3-9. Those who didnSA国际影视传媒檛 make the list this time will be first on the list next time.SA国际影视传媒�