The territory’s Environment minister says his department is continuing to work with the Ross River Dena Council and the community of Ross River to deal with public safety issues following a Sept. 9 coroner’s report.

Yukon chief coroner Kirsten Macdonald reported on the October 2015 death of Shane Glada-Dick.

Glada-Dick was killed in an attack by dogs running at large in the community.

The report calls on the territory to review its Dog Act and work with the community and various agencies on a plan to address the issue of dogs at large.

“We are encouraged to see many elements of the coroner’s recommendations overlap with work that has already begun,” minister Wade Istchenko said in a statement Thursday afternoon.

“The positive work and success we have already seen will help us in addressing the coroner’s recommendation to continue working with the community, establish a joint working group and implement an action plan.”

Macdonald hosted a meeting in the village last May to gather public input for recommendations to prevent similar deaths.

At that gathering, it was clear that stray dogs continue to be a problem for the community, with numerous reports of attacks happening since Glada-Dick’s death.

Some residents reported carrying pepper spray and hockey sticks with them to deal with the canines that run loose.

While Macdonald was still in the midst of working on her report when she held the meeting, she urged the territory to step in then.

Yesterday, Istchenko said the government will eventually provide a formal response to the recommendations set out in the report.

He also cited the efforts already underway to address the issue with the community.

Those initiatives have resulted in the voluntary surrender of more than 20 dogs, he said.

“This has reduced the number of unwanted dogs in Ross River far more effectively than ‘dog catching’ programs that were attempted in the past,” Istchenko said.

A partnership with the Humane Society Yukon has been formalized for additional funding of up to $30,000 to go to the care and adoption of those dogs and those from other communities that may be surrendered through the new Community Dog Care Initiative.

Funding is also being provided for the Ross River Dena Council to hold a veterinary clinic in the community, scheduled for November.

Finally, the territory has launched a new community dog spay project which provides $250 per spay for one female dog per owner in rural communities with the funding available on a first-come, first serve basis for a maximum of 115 dogs a year. The statement did not specify how many dog owners have used the spay program.

In the report, Macdonald sets out her two main recommendations for the territory.

The first would see a working group established that would include officials from the government, Ross River Dena Council, residents of Ross River and other stakeholders. They would be tasked with coming up with an action plan “on a time-sensitive basis” that would:

• address the history of dog problems in the community while also acknowledging there’s no one size-fits-all solution but that community safety and prevention of future deaths remains paramount;

• identify short, medium and long-term goals to mitigate and eliminate dogs running at large in the community “.... in a culturally appropriate manner that reflects the realities of community capacity and resources”;

• hold dog owners in Ross River accountable for their role and responsibility in dog ownership, including that their animals are properly fed and watered, vaccinated, spayed/neutered, and are not allowed to roam at large and are not part of the public safety issue in the community;

• provide public education about responsible dog ownership;

• address licensing and registration of canines in the community;

• fine dog owners who permit their animals to be at large, or don’t provide the proper safeguards to prevent it from happening; and

• establish ongoing spay and neuter programs, support for voluntary surrender of dogs, enforcement and capture of dogs at large and support for people who need to report incidents involving the animals.

The second recommendation calls for a review of the Yukon Dog Act that would strengthen legislation to deal with dogs that are a risk to public safety.

A stronger act would also address how dogs that are a risk are identified. As well, it would expand and clarify different circumstances of when and under what circumstances a dog may be seized.

Additionally, it would provide a more responsive and inclusive process for complaints, and deal with other sections of the act to address the safety of communities around dog-related incidents.

Before listing the recommendations, Macdonald reached several conclusions in her report.

She noted that Glada-Dick suffered from health conditions that may have made it difficult for him to defend himself against the attack.

The coroner pointed out that while dogs continue to be kept as pets by residents of Ross River, they are not often used for working, hunting and defence against bears, as they once were.

For some, dog ownership means keeping multiple canines and allowing them to roam at large. There are dogs owners who do not provide proper care and don’t ensure their animals are not a public nuisance or safety risk.

At the same time, Macdonald remained clear that every dog owner should not be painted with the same brush.

“Not all dog owners in Ross River allow their dogs to be at large,” she wrote. “It appears to be the actions of a few people in the community who continue to knowingly permit their dogs to be at large, or do very little to prevent their dogs from being at large.”

She went on to note the significant public safety issue that needs to be addressed to prevent future deaths. She pointed out that two reports were delivered to the territory recommending education and consultation on dog management.

While the government didn’t fully endorse the proposal, it did provide funding for dog sterilization and public education around responsible pet ownership.

Efforts in the past to help control dogs in the community have included spay and neuter clinics, vet checkups and the opportunity for community members to voluntarily surrender their animals.

However, dogs that are a problem in Ross River aren’t easily identified and residents don’t always report incidents to authorities.

When reports are made, she went on, enforcement actions are limited to what’s included in the current Dog Act.

“There is limited or no ability to capture free-roaming dogs, to hold them or fine the owners, to license or register the dogs, require the owners to take responsibility, etc.

“The current iteration of the territorial Dog Act is limited in the way dogs are deemed to be ‘vicious’ and the majority of possible enforcement or public safety actions are limited to the determination that a dog is ‘vicious.’ ”

Meanwhile, the Ross River community doesn’t have the authority nor capacity to address the issue. That means various agencies that are involved and stakeholders need to come together to come up with the action plan, Macdonald wrote.

“Responsible dog ownership, education, and enforcement are critical components of any action plan to address this serious issue,” she noted.

Istchenko could not be reached for comment by press time this afternoon, as he was travelling to a conference.