From the Editor: Romancing the Bone –
Unreasonable notions and unrealistic expectations
Kevin Walton Memorial Lecture
QTC’s Community Consultation Tour
An Examination of Traditional Knowledge:
The Case of the Inuit Sled Dog, Part 3
'The Hunt'
OP Nunalivut 10
CAAT Returns to Baker Lake
New to the Crew: Introducing Adult ISDs to Your Kennel
IMHO: Some Things Never Change
Navigating This Site
Index of articles by subject
Index of back issues by volume number
Search The Fan Hitch
Articles to download and print
Ordering Ken MacRury's Thesis
Our comprehensive list of resources
Talk to The Fan Hitch
The Fan Hitch home page
ISDI home page
Editor-in-Chief: Sue Hamilton
Webmaster: Mark Hamilton
Print Edition: Imaged and distributed by the IPL students of the Ulluriaq School, Kangiqsualujjuaq, Nunavik
The Fan Hitch,
Journal of the Inuit Sled Dog International,
is published four times a year. It is
available at no cost online at:
https://thefanhitch.org.
Print subscriptions: in Canada $20.00, in USA $23.00, elsewhere $32.00 per year, postage included. All prices are in Canadian dollars. Make checks payable in Canadian dollars only to "Mark Brazeau", and send to Mark Brazeau, Box 151 Kangiqsualujjuaq QC J0M 1N0 Canada. (Back issues are also available. Contact Sue Hamilton.)
The Fan Hitch welcomes your letters, stories, comments and suggestions. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit submissions used for publication.
Contents of The Fan Hitch are protected by international copyright laws. No photo, drawing or text may be reproduced in any form without written consent. Webmasters please note: written consent is necessary before linking this site to yours! Please forward requests to Sue Hamilton, 55 Town Line Rd., Harwinton, Connecticut 06791, USA or mail@thefanhitch.org
Print subscriptions: in Canada $20.00, in USA $23.00, elsewhere $32.00 per year, postage included. All prices are in Canadian dollars. Make checks payable in Canadian dollars only to "Mark Brazeau", and send to Mark Brazeau, Box 151 Kangiqsualujjuaq QC J0M 1N0 Canada. (Back issues are also available. Contact Sue Hamilton.)
The Fan Hitch welcomes your letters, stories, comments and suggestions. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit submissions used for publication.
Contents of The Fan Hitch are protected by international copyright laws. No photo, drawing or text may be reproduced in any form without written consent. Webmasters please note: written consent is necessary before linking this site to yours! Please forward requests to Sue Hamilton, 55 Town Line Rd., Harwinton, Connecticut 06791, USA or mail@thefanhitch.org
The Inuit Sled Dog International
The Inuit Sled Dog International (ISDI) is a consortium of enthusiasts whose goal is the preservation of this ancient arctic breed in its purest form as a working dog. The ISDI's efforts are concentrated on restoring the pure Inuit Dog to its native habitat. The ISDI's coordinators welcome to your comments and questions.
ISDI Coordinator Canada:
Geneviève Montcombroux, Box 206, Inwood, MB R0C 1P0; gmontcombroux@gmail.com
ISDI Coordinator USA:
Sue Hamilton, 55 Town Line Road, Harwinton, CT 06791, mail@thefanhitch.org
The Canadian Animal
Assistance Team Revisits Baker Lake
by Sue Hamilton
by Sue Hamilton
After last September's enthusiastic welcome and an enormously successful visit to Baker Lake, the Canadian Animal Assistance Team is looking forward to returning to Nunavut's inland community of about 2000 residents and approximately 270 dogs and cats to continue its animal wellness program there. The visit is scheduled for September 3rd to the 13th.
Upon owners' requests, CAAT will provide physical examinations, vaccinations, wormings, spays, castrations and medical and surgical treatments of injuries and illnesses of pets and working sled dogs, as well as the community's cats. Unfortunately, puppies and kittens are born and illnesses and accidents happen during the other fifty or so weeks in between visits by good samaritan veterinary professionals, so in addition to the clinics, CAAT will offer educational programs for both companion animal owners as well as mushers eager to learn more. Topics to be covered will include animal first aid, the health advantages of neutering, communicable animal diseases, the hows, whys and benefits of vaccinations and wormings, nutrition, safety around dogs (dog bite prevention focused especially towards school age kids) and humane treatment of animals in general. Last year a call-in radio show generated enormous feedback, questions and clinic appointments!
It may not be obvious when reading about the success of CAAT's missions, but a huge amount of effort goes into each of these wellness clinics. Some community residents are responsible for hosting the team, promoting the clinics, serving as interpreters, making appointments, transporting animals to and from the clinic and fundraising to help defray expenses for the approximately two weeks the clinic is in town. CAAT members volunteer their time and services and thanks to the generosity of Calm Air and First Air, a portion of the frightfully expensive air transportation is paid for them. Others, including vaccine, medical and surgical veterinary supply manufacturers and other donors also lend their support. This truly grass roots effort is willingly undertaken in the absence of support and programs for dog team owners and other northern residents, assistance and leadership which should be coming in part from the Nunavut Government, but isn't.
For more information on CAAT projects, to become a member of CAAT or to help sponsor their efforts in the North, visit the CAAT website.