As of today, the three surviving sled dogs, seen in prior post, continue to remain chained outside without shelter, food or water. These animals are suffering and are very sick due to severe starvation, hypothermia and dehydration. Originally discovered in December 2008, a month has now passed with no relief or justice for these animals. Temperatures in that area, drop to -60 celcius, windchill lowers the temperatures even further. Tuktoyuktuk is located in the Inuvik Region of the Northwest Territories, north of the Arctic Circle on the shore of the Arctic Ocean.
Efforts are continuing to help these dogs, in that the Executive Director for the Beaufort Delta Regional SPCA has filed all necessary Cruelty Reports, with the Crown and has spoken again with Const. Ian Diplock, in an attempt to convince him to re-open this case and to formally lay charges against “Lucky’ Pokiak. So far “Lucky” is far luckier than the 3 surviving dogs that were left under his care apparently since June 2008 as the owner/relative is currently incarcerated on other unrelated charges . Please note that “Lucky” Pokiak has stated he has no means of transportation in order to get food to these dogs. Still he will not surrender these animals to SPCA officials.
Under the current NWT Legislation: Prohibitions: Section 3 : “No owner shall allow a dog to remain unfed or unwatered sufficiently long (a) to amount to cruelty or (b) to cause the dog to become a nuisance.”
To reference each of the provisions above: (a) Allowing these dogs to continue suffering from starvation, dehydration and hypothermia is cruelty at its worst. Failing to surrender these dogs to those who can help them is unacceptable. (b) Pokiak’s other loose dogs, entered a yard of one resident and the woman watched horrified as one of these dogs ATE her puppy. Well fed animals do not eat puppies. Is this not proof of neglect let alone becoming a nuisance?
Offence and Punishment : Section 13(1) ” Every person who contravenes this Act is guilty of an offense….”
Seizure : 7(1) “An officer may seize a dog from a person whom the officer (a) finds contravening this Act; or (b) has good cause to suspect of having contravened or being about to contravene this Act.”
Given the evidence which is clearly visible the Act has been contravened.
Section 11: Law Enforcement Policies: 2 (2) R.C.M.P : “Members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police are ex officio officers under this Act”.
Under Section 445 of the Criminal Code of Canada, Animal Cruelty Legislation, the specifics for indictable offenses are quite clear. Further the RCMP are accountable under Federal Jurisdiction to unhold and enforce all laws as contained in the Criminal Code of Canada, which includes the Animal Cruelty Legislation.
“Lucky” Pokiak has broken both the Territorial and the Federal Laws. Why are policing officials scratching their heads and not taking positive action in this matter? Given light of a new development I am unable to share at this moment, and in consideration of this new development, failure to re-open the case and formally lay charges will be in my opinion as well as the opinion of others, a gross miscarriage of justice, the condonement of Officials thereby enabling this form of brutality to continue.
The following addresses are those for the GNWT Legislative Officials to whom you may write to should you choose to voice your concern.
Hon. Robert McLeod, Min. of Municipal and Community Affairs, NWT
Hon. Jackson Lafferty, Minister of Justice, NWT
Legislative Assembly Building, 4570 48th Street, Yellowknife, NY X1A 2L9
These are further addresses to officials in Tutayuktuk to whom you may direct your concerns: Const. Ian Diplock is the Investigating RCMP Officer who has yet to change his mind and press charges.
Matt Hare and Ian Diplock, Constables, Tuktoyuktuk RCMP, P.O. Box 58, Tuktoyuktuk,NT X0E 1C0
Fax: 867-977-2293 Telephone: 867-977-1111
Debbie Raddi, Sen. Admin. Officer, Hamlet of Tuktoyuktuk: debbieraddi@airware.ca
Fax: 867-977-2110 Telephone: 867-977-2286
The Hon. Mervin Gruben, Mayor of Hamlet of Tuktoyuktuk, P.O. Box 120, Tuktoyuktuk, NT X0E 1C0
Fax: 867-977-2110 Telephone: 867-977-2286
Honorable Marys Nassar,Canada Crown Attorney, 107 Mckenzie Rd, Ste. 201, Inuvik NT X0E 0T0
Fax: 867-777-3260 Telephone: 867-777-3075
A complaint may also be registered with The Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP, Surrey, B.C.
[...] of this date January 28, 2009, I have no news to report on the 3 surviving sled dogs, whether they are alive or now [...]
this is shocking. utterly shocking. Thanks for posting this. We have to change things up there.
Change is always something that far too many are adverse too unfortunately. But change is a must, if we are to grow as a humane race. Thank you for your support. Vices such as yours need to be heard.
why dosn’t somebody go take these dogs for christ sake.If it’s illegal i’ll do it .I’m not afraid of a little time to save 3 innocent dogs
RCMP were called in. Unfortunately the SPCA’s here have no legal authority to seize animals, it must go through the RCMP, who chose Not to do so. You must remember the NWT is a vast area, with no shelters and only 1 vet hospital located in Yellowknife. Transporting sick, injured and rescued dogs from areas as remote as the Beaufort Sea area requires air transport. You are also dealing with a decades old mindset and attitude regarding animals. Dogs are considered disposable items for the most part. The President of the BDRSPCA did everything she could, which included filing an Animal Cruelty Investigation Report to the RCMP. Even PETA tried to get involved, and PETA’s letter to the media was published in the newspaper. Still no legal action was taken to seize and care for the three dogs. At the time of this incident the NWT did not have an Animal Protection Act, after winning my three year battle with the Territorial Government, the new NWT DOG ACT became law in May 2011. This new act protects only dogs and no other companion animals in the NWT. A great deal more work must be done for a Comprehensive Animal Protection Act (what I was actually fighting for) will ever be legislated here. A motion to continue to work towards that was passed in the NWT Legislative Assembly the same time the new Dog Act passed, however the current Premier has stated that he does not feel it is necessary at this time.
THIS IS ALL BULL SHIT, THERE ARE WAYS TO RELEASE THESE DYING, INNOCENT DOGS, LEGAL OR NOT LEGAL.. TIE UP THE DEMON HIMSELF, HE,S TAKING THESE DOGS SUFFERINGS OUT ON CARING PEOPLE, JUST TO SPITE THEM, THE DAMN FOOL
DO SOMETHING ELSE YOU COWARDS
The least someone could have done was to release them from their chains, they may have had a chance then to live as wolves do.
how terrible that a human being if he can find the means or anyway to save an animal would let these beautiful dogs starve and leave them to the elements I hope what goes round comes round for the people that have done this Shame on them
discraceful, people should try harder to save these animals.please see the report of a german animal lover in the story of rescuing zeus. get some balls and release these dogs so they might have a chance.
IF PEOPLE GET AWAY WITH STEALING, AND LOOTING, THEN DO THE SAME THING , TO RIGHTFULLY RESCUE THESE DOGS… THERE HAS TO BE A SICKLY GORY DESIRE FOR POLICE FORCE TO BE ALLOWING THIS, ALERT THE TOWNS PEOPLE TO GET IN AND PROTEST THIS EVIL, SICKLY GAME GOING ON, IT,S SICK SICK SICK
If only it were that easy…..The RCMP are the only legal authority in the NWT with the powers of seizure period. Tuk is an extremely remote area on the Beaufort Sea, there are NO animal shelters, NO vets in these remote areas. Agreed that these dogs should have been seized, removed from their situation and the caretaker charged with animal cruelty. This incident happened prior to May 2011 and at that time no Animal Protection Legislation was in place in the NWT. This incident as well as others occurred prior to and during my own 3 year battle for Animal Protection Legislation here. I won the 3 year battle and the First actual protection was Legislated in May 2011 with the New NWT Dog Act. It is not the comprehensive animal protection I fought for as no other companion animals are protected. Gaining the support of three of Canada’s biggest Animal Advocacy Groups and so many individuals around the world and in the NWT and the rest of Canada, exposing the truth in this Blog and drawing international attention to this issue is what applied the needed pressure for this new Legislation. However the Territorial govt. also chose to leave a ‘deadly loophole’ in the new Act that continues to put dogs at high risk of continued inhumane treatment and means of death.
How outrageous for a human being to let this happen won’t someone step up and get these dogs fed and freedom to allow this to even happen I at at lost for words of the way of man and some people with heart and soul may they get their suffering as they inflected on these poor dogs let to die
Somebody must be able to do something – legal or not!!
To just go in and take the dogs would mean charges being laid under the Federal Criminal Code of Canada. This all took place a number of years ago, and while further updates on these dogs was not forthcoming, it is logical to assume they likely died. Despite the efforts made by the BDRSPCA President and the filing of her Animal Cruelty Investigation Report, as well as attending the animals with RCMP, these animals remained in the custody of the person, received no help and were not seized. No charges were ever laid, and the Constable who viewed the animals wound up being transferred.
In addition read up on the Blog Post “You be the Judge” about the 30+ dogs that had to be humanely destroyed in Beh Choko that were owned by a reknown Dene Artist. The charges against Archie Beaulieu were stayed by the Crown.
damn all you cowards
Just like many parts of the world we have cowards and savages still in the dark ages regarding living creatures.They disgust most of us who are human.Pity there is not a world without animals these perpertrators can live in.I would gladly help to remove them to an alternative world.AND it would be not far enough for me.
I agree totally with you. Bus loads of them…but unfortunately such a place does not exist. In a purrfect world it would. Not having strong legislation in place and the legal authorities actually taking seriously the protection laws that we do have in place, amplifies and perpetuates the horrific ongoing cruelty period, around the world. Offenders that are charged usually just get a slap on the wrist. Court Officials and all legal authorities, need to take the issue to heart, need to become well educated on what constitutes animal cruelty and become aware of the Facts that Animal Cruelty is Linked to Human Violence. For the most part legal officials are ignorant of that Link.
Did you know that it is now considered Politically Incorrect to use the term Animal Rights Activists; it apparently conjures images of nut cases, the prevalent term used now Is Animal Advocates. When you consider that in some of our schools now the Lord’s Prayer is no longer allowed because it is Politically Incorrect one must truly wonder where society is headed….but then I do believe we are all tragically aware of where….
Thank you for your valued comment.
this is unacceptable and a disgrace to the so called humans….about time that some peoplle called *humans*woke up…and start acting in favor of all animals.all creatures great or small….
Are thse dogs still alive?
Unknown, I seriously doubt it since this was a number of years ago
Obviously the laws that govern such a situation need to be IMMEDIATELY changed.
After three long years battling the NWT Government, the New NWT Dog Act came into force in May 2011. I began that fight in 2008, and the government here moved exceedingly slowly. Note that the new act pertains ONLY to canines and no other companion animal is protected. The Comprehensive Animal Act is what I wanted!! This is however a First and Historic Victory even if the Territorial Govt went a half measure.
this has been going on too long now, those dogs have to be dead by now….is this a fraud or whattttttttttttttttt
Those dogs are surely dead, if you look at the date of the post, they could not have survived for very long after the photos were sent to me from the BDRSPCA and PETA’s letter to the Town Officials, and NO this is NOT a Fraud.
Dogs are treated like this all the time in the North and there are dedicated individuals working their butts off trying to rescue and relocate them.
Woah! I’m really loving the template/theme of this website. It’s simple, yet effective.
A lot of times it’s very hard to get that “perfect balance” between superb usability and visual appearance. I must say you have done a superb job with this. Additionally, the blog loads extremely fast for me on Firefox. Excellent Blog!
Thank you so much..I try.