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14TuesdayFebruary182014ByMEAGANWOHLBERGUnxedlooseandrun-ninginpacks.TensionsoverFortChipewyansstraydogprob-lemcametoaheadlastweekwithoutsideagen-ciesandlocalFirstNationsnallycomingtogetheronanemergencyresponseplantoaddressagrowingthreatofdangerousanimalsroamingthecommunitylastweek.Withcomplaintspouringonlinelastweeksomethreat-eningtoshoottheloosedogstheMikisewCreeFirstNationMCFNandFortMcMur-raySPCAhaveagreedtodosomethingtoputanendtothedogproblemthathasmanyresidentsconcernedaboutthesafetyoftheirchildren.MCFNhiredadogcatcherandbuiltakennelinAllisonBaylastweektoholdallloosedogscaughtonboththeAllisonBayandDog-headreserves.AlldogswillhaveshelterhayandwillbefedonadailybasisstatedapressreleasefromtheFirstNationsCEOGeorgePoitraslastweek.Itisourhopethatanyownersnotknowingthewhereaboutsofyourdogswillcometothekenneltoclaimthem.Wearealsohop-ingthatanycommunityresi-dentswillingtoadoptanyoftheunclaimeddogswilldoso.Wewillassistwithspayandneutereducationondogownerresponsibilitiespro-videtagsetc.ThoughthereiscurrentlynomentionofafeefortheownersPoitrassaidtheken-nelwouldnotbeadogsit-tingservicebutratheratemporaryservicetocatchstraydogsandlocatehomesforthem.Aspayandneuterprogramistobeestablishedinthenearfuture.TheactionwastakenwiththesupportoftheFortMc-MurraySPCAandtheAl-bertaSpayandNeuterNet-workwhichgotonboardafterastringofcommunitymembersangrywiththelackofactionbeingtakenstartedthreateningtoshootanyloosedogsaroundthecommunityifnothingwasdonetotakecareofthepacksofunxedanimalsthathadresultedinseveralclosescaresinvolvingchildreninthecommunity.Asourregionsonlyno-killadvocacyorganizationwewantedtoreachouttosomecommunityleaderstounder-standwhattheyareexperienc-ingandtoseeiftheywouldbeopentooursupportandpartici-pationinndingalong-termsustainablesolutionthatwouldaddresstheirconcernswithoutthecullingofhealthydogssaidTaraClarkeexecutivedirectoroftheFortMcMurraySPCA.TheorganizationrecentlycompleteditsNorthernAni-malManagementandEduca-tionprogramwhichwillbeginreachingouttoruralcommuni-tiesthisJuneandhasinformedtheregionalmunicipalityslead-ershipthatitiswillingtoworkonensuringFortChipewyandoesntendupinthiskindofsituationagain.OfcialsfromtheRMofWoodBuffalosaidthemunici-palityiscurrentlyworkingondevelopingsolutionstotheoffleashdogissueinFortChipbutElenaJacobsmanagerofAboriginalrelationsfortheRMsaidtheirreachislimitedbythefactthatFortChipewyanoptedoutofthe2002AnimalControlBylaw.Wearecurrentlyestab-lishingamulti-stakeholdersteeringcommitteetode-veloptimelymeaningfulandeffectiveoptionsshesaidincludingdealingwithneg-ligentownersandpotentiallycreatingananimalshelter.PoitrassaidMCFNisgrate-fulfortheoutsidesupportandnotedthatpublicsafetyisthenumberoneconcernfortheFirstNationalongwiththewellbeingoftheanimals.ItistheintentionofChiefCourtoreilleandcounciltokeepourcommunitiessafeforthechildrenandothersandtoprovideasafehomeforallourdogs.Weencourageallmemberstopleasetakeown-ershipofyourresponsibilityasadogownerandnotallowyourdogstoberunningfreetherebyavoidinganyunnec-essarydemiseforourdogs.FirstNationbuildskennelafterstraydogscausesocialunrestinFortChipewyanPoliticsMunicipalReadallaboutitThreequartersofCanadians73innon-urbancentresreadacommunitynewspaperaccordingtothe2013studyConnectingtoCanadianswithCommunityNewspapers.ThesurveywasmanagedbyTotumResearchonbehalfoftheCanadianoftheGovernmentofCanadathroughtheCanadaPeriodicalFundoftheDepartmentofCanadianHeritage.TelephoneinterviewswereconductedThestudywasdesignedtomeasurereadershipofcommunitynewspapersinnon-urbancentresacrossCanadaandexaminedreasonsforreadingcommunitynewspapers.Atotalof1000telephoneinterviewswereconductedwithadultsaged18orolderthatlivedinareaswithpopulationlessthan100000servedbycommunitynewspapers.FiveregionswereselectedABSKMBNorthernONNSand200interviewswereconductedwithineach.Theresponserateofthestudywas43.2.CommunitynewspapersremainrelevantThesteadyreadershipsuggeststhatcommunitynewspaperscontinuetohavestrongreadershipintodaysnewmedialandscape.Communitynewspaperscontinuetoremainrelevanttolocalresidentsfornewsinformationandadvertising.saidtheirreasonforreadingcommunitynewspaperswasforLocalNewsorLocalEventsarereadingfortheAdvertisingortheFlyersInsertsarelookingfororEmploymentadsCommunitynewspaperreadershipremainsstrongTheMikisewCreeFirstNationhashiredadogcatcherandbuiltakenneltoaddressthegrowingissueofdangerousstraydogsonitsDogheadandAllisonBayreserves.Filephoto