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

With a Sheshatshiu girl recovering at home after being attacked by a dog, her mother is calling for action to manage the stray and loose 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 an ambulance to the Labrador Health Centre in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, about 40 kilometres away. She said she's shocked and saddened by what happened to her daughter.

"It's not even safe to play outside for the kids," she said.

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

"That's really scary. I really want something to be done, like to remove those dogs cause they're really hungry and there's really sad," she said. "They're eating the garbage.… That's a really sad thing."

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

Nuna's daughter was treated with antibiotics, and surgical tape was used for wounds to her face. Her injuries thankfully didn't need stitches, Nuna said.

She's worried about the danger to other kids, especially with summer nearing.

"A lot of kids are going to play outside," Nuna said. "I know my daughter's going to be really scared to play outdoors with her friends, and she was really traumatized."

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

Work being done to control dogs, says First Nation

Greg Pastitshi, the Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation's director of operations, says work is underway to control the dog population.

Pastitshi said a dog catcher is contracted by the First Nation when there are instances of aggression or attacks, and they work with the SPCA to talk to an owner or rehome the animal. It's rare that aggressive dogs can't be retrained and are put down, he said.

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

"We're getting a lot of complaints that we're not doing anything, but we actually are," Ashini said. "Every time a dog catcher is visibly seen, they yell at him or say, 'Hey, don't touch my dog,' and stuff like that."

The dog catcher will ask people to tie up their dogs, Ashini said, but they don't listen. People are used to dogs roaming free as there isn't a bylaw requiring people to keep their dogs tied up, Pastitshi said.

"We're being told to leave the dogs alone and whatever, and sometimes you feel like you're stuck," Patitshi said. "What are you supposed to do, then? Like, are we supposed to help the community?"

Gregory Pastitshi, the Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation's director of operations, 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 Town 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 been in contact with Nuna for her input. If a bylaw is enacted, he said, there would also need to be money to have a full-time dog catcher.

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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