N.W.T. teen speaks out after family dog is killed in cull

Kobe Alexie refused to look at his dog's half-burnt remains when his dad found them at the garbage dump.

"I didn't want to see her. I didn't want that to be my last memory of my dog," said Alexie, a 17-year-old boy from Fort McPherson, N.W.T.

Just the day before her remains were found, Alexie's dog, Baby, escaped from the family's front yard after she was let out to pee.

The German shepherd, who was almost two years old, was gone for 10 minutes before her owners noticed and immediately began looking for her. They were afraid she would be caught, brought to the pound and they would have to pay a fine.

But after hours of searching town and the pound, Baby was nowhere to be found.

The family went to social media, hoping that someone in the community saw her and they would be able to get her back. But the next day, Alexie heard that dogs were being shot and burned at the garbage dump by the hamlet.

"My dad went to go check and sure enough — there was part of my dog," Alexie said.

Along with Baby's remains were the collar, tag and bell she wore daily, as well as other dogs who were killed. They brought her remains home and burned the rest of her body with a tobacco offering.

"She was probably one of the nicest dogs in town. My friends come over and stay over late, and my dog would end up walking them home," said Alexie. "She was a pretty good dog."

Three months after Baby's death, Alexie is speaking out to raise awareness for other dog owners, and he isn't the only one with this experience. CBC News spoke with another community member whose dog was seized and killed. They were in such an emotional state that they declined an interview.

Protecting the community's elders and children

Fort McPherson, a hamlet of approximately 700 people in the Beaufort Delta region of the N.W.T., is one of many northern communities that culls problematic and stray dogs.

According to Gary McBride, the hamlet's senior administrative officer, there have been multiple reports of dogs attacking community members — including a recent incident where several dogs attacked an elder and her daughter.

"It's an unfortunate position to be put into," said McBride. "But as a community, we have to protect the elders and the children in our community."

He added that the hamlet has received calls from schools saying that dogs are chasing after students, and from community members who have to walk their kids to school because they're afraid the dogs will attack.

Fort McPherson Mayor Richard Nerysoo declined to comment.

According to Nicole Spencer, president of the N.W.T. SPCA, the organization has been working hard to get unwanted dogs out of northern communities.

"We're taking as many dogs as we can from community governments and people that don't want them anymore," said Spencer.

However, she said there is a bigger issue at hand — people bringing in dogs from various places like Yellowknife and the southern provinces.

She said it's a "vicious circle" and dogs are suffering because of it.

Improving the dog bylaw

According to the hamlet's dog bylaw, all dog owners must obtain a dog license, which is to be renewed each year.

To improve the system for owners, the Hamlet of Fort McPherson is offering a free dog license program. That way, seized dogs can be returned to their owners instead of destroyed.

Alexie's dog was wearing her tag when she was seized and killed, but the family says the tag had expired. They weren't aware they had to renew her license, and said the community currently has no bylaw officer.

While Alexie would like to hear an apology from the hamlet, he wishes that Baby was never killed.

"I wish they gave us 24-hour notice or a fine for our dog being loose," said Alexie. 

"My other dog would have had someone to play with. My friends would have someone to walk them home. It would have been nice to still have her."