"Rabid dog mauls child" is the headline of a disturbing story by John Thompson in Nunatsiaq News datelined August 12. Two weeks ago a loose sled dog mauled a two-year old child and was subsequently shot in Rankin Inlet, a village on the northwest shore of Hudson's Bay north of the Canadian province of Manitoba. The dog's remains tested positive for rabies.
The child is undergoing treatment in Winnipeg. Meanwhile, a roundup of loose dogs is under way in Rankin Inlet. 25 dogs have been collected, 15 of which have been shot. A zero-tolerance policy for loose dogs is in force. Local officials warn that other dogs might be infected, and speculate that an incursion of foxes into the community may have triggered the outbreak of the disease.
Reference map of Nunavut from "The Atlas of Canada" (a service of Natural Resources Canada).
A related story from CBC News, datelined 11 August, is headlined "Vaccine failed to inoculate musher's dog, veterinarian says". Apparently the rabid dog was vaccinated last November, but by the musher himself, leaving some question about the way in which the vaccine may have been transported, stored or handled. In the circumstances, the dog's teammates must be presumed to be exposed. Some of them have already been destroyed; others will be subjected to six months' quarantine.
Posted by jjeffrey at August 13, 2005 06:28 PM