Regina vet helps control stray dog population

A team of veterinarians from Regina is heading to northern Saskatchewan to help control the stray dog population.

Armed with 50 kennels, eight oxygen tanks and five anesthesia machines, Dr. Lesley Sheppard and 12 others left for La Loche and le--la-Crosse on Monday.

Their goal is to spay and neuter as many dogs as possible in the next week by running free spay and neuter clinics in the two communities.

Sheppard said putting on the clinics will help make the two communities a little safer.

"The biggest concern, obviously, is dog bites," she said.

"The dogs will be running around [and] if young kids are walking around they could be approached by a group of dogs and could be fearful."

Last winter, 10-year-old Keith Iron was mauled to death by a group of stray dogs on the Canoe Lake First Nation.

Sheppard said clinics like hers can help control the animal population in areas where access to vets is difficult.

Her goal is to fix 150 animals this week, and hopefully inspire some people as well.

"To have the kids they're so interested and they're helping us and who knows, maybe we'll inspire a future veterinarian from one of the schools there."

Donations cover the cost of the trips that Sheppard and her team make each spring and fall. It's estimated each trip costs more than $2,000.