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Sudden closure of Yellowknife's Great Slave Animal Hospital worsens N.W.T. vet shortage

The closure of Yellowknife’s Great Slave Animal Hospital has left both pet owners and animal care non-profits in N.W.T. scrambling to find veterinary care.

'It was dire even before they shut their doors,' says director of Tłįchọ Animal Care Society

Picture of the sign and building
Great Slave Animal Hospital in Yellowknife closed abruptly on Friday. It was one of only two permanent veterinary clinics in the N.W.T. (Sarah Krymalowski/CBC)

The sudden closure of Yellowknife's Great Slave Animal Hospital has left both pet owners and animal care non-profits in the N.W.T. scrambling to find veterinary care.

The veterinary clinic closed abruptly on Friday, leaving clients just hours to prepare for its closure.

It was one of only two veterinary clinics in Yellowknife, and the Northwest Territories. Some N.W.T. communities get regular service from visiting vets, but there are no permanent vet clinics outside the N.W.T. capital.

"It's pretty scary," said Amy Maund, a director for Tłı̨chǫ Animal Care Society.

The volunteer-run organization provides services like wellness checks, vaccinations and spay neuter clinics in the Tłı̨chǫ region. Maund said the organization worked closely with Great Slave Animal Hospital to get pets the care that volunteers can't provide.

building with ramp
Great Slave Animal Hospital was locked on Saturday, but multiple people visited hoping for pet care. (Sarah Krymalowski/CBC)

"Right now, I have no access," Maund said. "If I have a dog that is hit by a car in the Tłı̨chǫ region and I fly it to Yellowknife under an emergency, as far as I know I have no access to veterinary care for that animal. It's really sad."

She also had to cancel many vital surgeries for animals in the Tłı̨chǫ region that were scheduled to happen next month, she said.

Pet owners were feeling the effects of the closure this weekend.

On Saturday afternoon, CBC News saw multiple pet owners parked outside Great Slave Animal Hospital looking for help, including one person who drove from Behchokǫ̀ to get care for her sick dog, and a man hoping to pick up his dog's ashes.

At Yellowknife Veterinary Clinic — the only remaining veterinary clinic in the city — the parking lot was full on Saturday, and veterinarian Michael Hughes said he saw several pets who were having emergencies.

New vet clinic opening

Some of the staff at Great Slave Animal Hospital have said they will be opening a new veterinary clinic, called Aurora Veterinary Hospital, led by veterinarian Katie Denroche.

Denroche told CBC News in an email that clients with questions should reach out to her team via the new Aurora Veterinary Hospital Facebook page.

The page has information about how to contact the team, and an FAQ document. The clinic said it is currently prioritizing medication refills and emergencies. It will also be working to carry out some scheduled surgeries from the N.W.T. SPCA surgery, the page said.

Man and dog with a snowy background
Shane Pike and his six-year-old husky mix Odin were clients at Great Slave Animal Hospital. (Submitted by Shane Pike)

The news that staff at Great Slave Animal Hospital will continue to offer service is encouraging to Shane Pike, whose six-year-old husky mix Odin was a client.

"They're just a remarkable team," Pike said. "So on the ball. Kind and compassionate and empathetic towards the animals." 

But he still worries about how he will access pet care in the meantime.

"It's left me feeling very uneasy," he said.

Maund said she hopes the closure of Great Slave Animal Hospital draws attention to the ongoing shortage of veterinary care in N.W.T., so pet owners across the territory don't have to face these challenges anymore.

"It was dire even before they shut their doors," she said.

"We have had animals die [in the Tłı̨chǫ region], we've had many animals without the ability to access emergency care when they need it … it's an emergency."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sarah Krymalowski is a reporter with CBC North in Yellowknife. She previously reported from Iqaluit. You can reach her at sarah.krymalowski@cbc.ca.