Community and Family Needs

Intermediate Determinants

Intermediate Determinants act as the source for the more local Proximate Needs, and include things like local and regional legislation – factors that affect many local dogs, families, and whole communities.

Artists: Dog Health IS Community Health

One of the determinants of health for the Woodland Cree appears to be the maintenance of good community relationships (Roberts, 2005). This finding is reflective of kinship systems as one of the determinants of Indigenous people’s health (Reading, 2015) – an interesting concept considering animals as participants in kinship systems within many Indigenous worldviews (Legge & Robinson, 2017)

^{[Ch1, Pg. 13]}

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Audio: Vet Med Students – Comments on Tri-Community

Local Services

Canadian veterinary researchers have largely published studies regarding dog management in underserved communities based on their own observations and impressions regarding community-dog dynamics. Since veterinarians are unlikely to meet existing dog health needs in all areas currently underserved, implementing alternative approaches like lay-vaccinator or community animal healthcare worker positions could support community self-determination in tackling complex community health concerns.

In the absence of formal training and oversight for layperson-delivered care, residents will take matters into their own hands:

This research privileges the voice of the community, resulting in community-led strategies for addressing the ongoing and pervasive issue of dog management in northern, remote and Indigenous communities.

^{[Ch1, Pg9]}

Some participants were able to recall times when they could take an injured dog to the hospital to have x-rays taken. However, increased restrictions on use of resources through the Saskatchewan Health Authority (Allin & Rudoler, 2019) and fears about the legal ramifications of providing these services have led to this approach to filling dog health care gaps becoming inaccessible

^{[Ch5, pg 23]}

I do worry sometimes about the whole rescue aspect and where these dogs are actually going. I know that some of the area – for me, where the issue comes down to the rehoming. And this is why I had a lotta problems with the fostering – is not being able to follow that dog to find out where it ended up. Like did it end up getting a good home? (LaRonge_6)

[Ch4., Pg. 21]

Stop Gaps

In the Tri-Communities, Northern Animal Rescue or NAR acts a stop-gap to help care for animals, but their coverage is incomplete and asymmetrical. For example, The Village also does not have a dedicated pound facility, but rather a small holding facility with capacity for two dogs; the only operational pound in the area is owned by the Town of La Ronge, and is currently operated by Northern Animal Rescue board members and volunteers

^{[Ch6, Pg56]}

Boarding and grooming facilities are also needed, and these services would provide business opportunities for local individuals while also potentially reducing the number of roaming dogs and welfare concerns associated with poor grooming

^{[Ch.5, Pg. 39]}

Moving Forward

Locally provided animal healthcare delivered by trained laypeople, in collaboration and consultation with licensed veterinary professionals, would fill many of the gaps currently experienced regarding dog health, particularly if these individuals were also trained to provide end of life support and euthanasia care.

^{[Ch.5, Pg.39]}

Keeping Research Local

Community Defense (90 Minutes)

Questions & Feedback

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COMMUNITY AND FAMILY NEEDS

Intermediate Determinants

Intermediate Determinants act as the source for the more local Proximate Needs, and include things like local and regional legislation – factors that affect many local dogs, families, and whole communities.

Artists: Dog Health IS Community Health

Local Services

In the absence of formal training and oversight for layperson-delivered care, residents will take matters into their own hands:

This research privileges the voice of the community, resulting in community-led strategies for addressing the ongoing and pervasive issue of dog management in northern, remote and Indigenous communities. [Ch1, Pg9]

Stop Gaps

Boarding and grooming facilities are also needed, and these services would provide business opportunities for local individuals while also potentially reducing the number of roaming dogs and welfare concerns associated with poor grooming[Ch.5, Pg. 39]

Moving Forward

Keeping Research Local

Community Defense (90 Minutes)

Questions & Feedback

Explore More Quadrants

This research privileges the voice of the community, resulting in community-led strategies for addressing the ongoing and pervasive issue of dog management in northern, remote and Indigenous communities.

^{[Ch1, Pg9]}

Boarding and grooming facilities are also needed, and these services would provide business opportunities for local individuals while also potentially reducing the number of roaming dogs and welfare concerns associated with poor grooming

^{[Ch.5, Pg. 39]}