IFAW Canada: Northern Dogs - Mano Makes a Major Commitment

This post was filed by the International Fund for Animal Welfare's Jan Hannah, working from remote Cree communities, in the James Bay region of Quebec, Canada.

Tuesday: I was in Quebec City enjoying the first snowstorm of the season when I received an email from a southern Ontario firefighter who was teaching a rope rescue course in one of the communities that IFAW’s Northern Dogs services. In his email he said, “I've only been up here a couple of days but I have noticed there are quite a few dogs around and most are pretty skinny… but very friendly. One large, red coloured lab looks like he has mange -- he’s missing much of his chest and under belly fur and his skin looks quite scarred and flakey. He certainly doesn't look like he'll make it through the winter.” His message went on to say that he had seen IFAW’s work on the web and a) wondered if IFAW was still working in the community, b) would appreciate any help that IFAW could give him regarding this particular dog, and c) that he thought what IFAW was doing was great and would love to get involved in some way on his return!

I emailed him back, thanking him for getting in touch and I explained that while the dogs are roaming, they are not stray (the correct terminology is owned roaming and unowned roaming. Note: most unowned roaming dogs were at some point owned!). In fact, most are owned and they return to their homes to sleep or eat at different times throughout the day. No generalizations can be made about dog ownership because individuals, let alone communities, have different attitudes towards their dogs. Taking dogs from any community (worldwide) can be contentious and needs to be done in a transparent manner if done at all otherwise it can create negative relations between community members and others who enter the communities to work. He responded that he would definitely go through the appropriate channels, including educating the owner about proper care, if he found him.

Wednesday: The next day there was an email update from Mano in my inbox. He is only in the community for another 3 days but has just found a very skinny, young, lab mix puppy chained with a heavy chain to the top of a post. The chain was so twisted that ten feet had become three feet. The make-shift string collar was also so badly twisted that he couldn't get his fingers in behind it. He untwisted it and gave the pup water, which the pup drank and drank and drank. It turns out that Mano has found out who owns the red dog with the skin issue – the same people who own the puppy! It sounds like Major, as the red dog is called, is no longer wanted and will be going home with Mano. As for the puppy, Mano took the opportunity to educate the owners about taking better care of her -- puppies need to be fed at least 3 times a day, they need access to water at all times (just like dogs), the pup needs to be socialized and interacted with, and finally, she needs shelter. Together, he and the young owner cut off the string that was being used as a collar and put on a makeshift, but better fitting collar. Mano said that the owners were receptive to the information he gave them and now he needs to find a crate to fly Major south! If he can’t find a crate, he’s decided to build one. Now that’s commitment. He reports, “My big friend is a super happy dog and the nicest looking in town… except for his poor coat and lack of body condition. But both he and the pup were fed today which is good!”

Thursday: From Mano… “I still don't have a crate for him so I'm going to call the radio station to put out a post for one. In the meantime, I’ll try to build one out of wood over at the firehall.” Crates are not easy to come by so I suspect Mano will be building a crate himself.

3:00 a.m.: “Well I built a makeshift crate at the fire hall. Without the right bits for the screws I had to screw it together by hand (very slow!) and just finished now -- well almost… the saw ran out of juice. I should have enough time to get it done tomorrow morning before I leave. I called Air Canada cargo and the person said he couldn't see why a makeshift crate wouldn't be allowed as long as it has breathing holes and the dog can stand up, turn around and lie down. Well I'm going for it! What I really hope is that tomorrow will come and go without a hitch. I'm hitting the sack for a bit and then back at it”.

Saturday: I had given Mano my home number and told him to call me if he needed help with Major on arrival in Toronto. When I got in this afternoon there was a phone message. “Hey Jan, things were really looking up yesterday until it was time to leave and Major was no where to be found. I had seen him and even tried him out in the crate earlier in the morning but at that point I still had to attach a door. When I was all ready to put him in just after lunch he had disappeared. So, I left the crate to be used as a dog house for the puppy (with a tarp over it, of course). On the flight home I met a couple who will be going back up north next weekend and will take a crate for me. I’m hoping Major’s owner will load him in that crate and put him on a plane to Montreal. So my plan is to drive a crate to Montreal on Saturday and pick up the crate with Major in it on Sunday. Do you have a crate I can borrow?” Yes, yes I do.

Sunday: “Thanks! I do still need the crate. I spoke to the owner over the phone today and he's totally on board for getting Major south. He will put him in the crate Sunday and ship him to Montreal via prepaid shipping. I'll be waiting in Montreal to pick him up. The owner says that Major and the puppy are doing great. The crate I built is now the puppy’s new dog house and is up beside the front door on their deck. They told me they are feeding both every day. It seems they've taken more of an interest in their dogs especially the puppy. So it looks like Major is actually coming! Unfortunately, I still can’t keep him because I already have two but I wonder if you know of a good place who will find him a good home.”

Monday: Mano sent me photos of Major and he looks just like a Labrador retriever. Whenever I am rehoming a dog from the Northern Dogs Project, I like to put the breeds into breed rescue. As far as I’m concerned, there are people who are looking for specific breeds and who will go to rescue to find them. I emailed Lab Rescue (www.lab-rescue.ca) who has taken labs from me before. They are a volunteer run, non-profit organization dedicated to rescuing and re-homing Labrador Retrievers in Ontario. Their mission is to place loving labs into homes that provide them with the safety and security to live the happy lives they deserve. I know that if this committed group of lab lovers has room for Major, he will only be placed into an excellent home.

Fantastic news -- Lab Rescue has room for Major. From the photos, they think he's handsome now but will be gorgeous when he’s cleaned up… and he will be. He will go straight to their vet to figure out what is wrong with his skin. I faxed over our vet records from the Northern Dogs clinics (he was neutered in 2006 and vaccinated in 2007 and 2008). So hopefully Major’s owner can get him on the plane this Sunday to Montreal where Mano will pick him up and drive him back. It looks like all Mano’s commitment and work will pay off. I can’t wait to hear how Major is when he gets in.

Wednesday: I just realized who Major is! I have photos of him from previous clinics when we would go door to door doing vaccinations. I can’t believe that throughout this whole process, I have never put two and two together.

Sunday email from Mano: “Major is on his way here now and is ten minutes from Montreal so we're heading to the airport now. I'm so excited even though it cost me a bunch -- it's going to be so worth it. Off to the Airport!!!”

Monday email: “I'm home! Major is at the vet getting checked out. Unfortunately I didn't get to speak with the vet but I'll go back over to visit him tomorrow. When I picked him up at the airport at 8:30pm he was just resting in his crate and started wagging his tail when he saw me. He was a bit stiff getting up but was happy to walk on leash to the car. Man was he ever thirsty and hungry! When we got him to where we were staying I took him for a lengthy walk and fed him some more. At 5:30am I went out to walk him -- he was curled up but was very excited to see me when I opened the crate. I fed him again, walked him and then gave him a bath....what a great dog! He was so well behaved, only reacting for the first ten seconds or so. Then he totally let me soap him up and rinse him down head to toe. He was also awesome in the car on the way home. I wish I could keep him but I know he'll find a great home. I'll send you pictures when I get a chance to download them.”

Tuesday email: “Major is very happy now even though he is still at the vet’s. Everyone thinks he’s fantastic! Lab Rescue and I both try to visit and walk him daily. Yesterday my nephew and I went to visit him and took him and another lab rescue for a half hour rollerblade. They ran the whole time and came back totally content. Major is so easy to walk and run yet is quite relaxed when inside. What a great companion he's going to be for some lucky person. After the run he was happy to go right into his cage, heading to the water bowl and then relaxing. I gave Major a beef bone knee joint which gave him something to do the rest of the night until his next walk. I'm working today but plan on taking Major out again tomorrow. The vet has given him his vaccinations but they don’t have the results of his skin scraping. I will continue to see him and be involved in his well being until he is fully recovered and adopted out. Every time I see Major he brings a huge smile to my face and it seems that he has become very attached to me as well, following me wherever I go and lightly grabbing my hand every now and then. His tail never stops wagging.”

Thursday: “It turns out that Major doesn't have mange but a fungal infection. His blood work is good, so he will be dewormed again and then he's going to a foster home some time next week.”

Tuesday: “It's hard to believe that Major is the same dog, although he still has about fifteen pounds to gain. His fur is growing back faster than I thought possible. I gave him another bath just the other day and I swear the next day he had even more fur! Major is going to a meet and greet with an interested family. I have my fingers crossed, even though I'll miss him tons. I’ve continued to take him rollerblading each day with my two dogs, and for long hikes. He's great off leash and just follows right along. After spending half the day with me and my dogs the other day, he wouldn't get out of my car. I wish I could keep him! From what I've seen so far he's going to be the most awesome dog. It’s fantastic to see him so happy.”

Major is very much like many of the dogs in the communities that IFAW’s Northern Dogs Project works in. These dogs have been able to live like dogs and to survive, they are resourceful and well mannered. But when you bring them south to rehome them, they are also hugely thankful. Mano and Major’s owner committed to getting Major south and I know that Lab Rescue will find only the best and most suitable home for someone so handsome and deserving.

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For more information on IFAW's work around the world, please visit IFAW.org.