Health May 27, 2022 – 11:02 a.m. EDT
The health spokesman warns the people of the village to be alert for foxes or dogs showing signs of illness
A domestic dog in Whale Cove has died after being attacked by a fox who tested positive for rabies, according to Health spokesman Chris Puglia. (Archive photo)
By Nunatsiaq News
A domestic dog in Whale Cove has died after being attacked by a rabid fox.
Health Department spokesman Chris Puglia announced the death on Thursday in a press release, and confirmed that the fox in question tested positive for the disease.
This is the second such attack on Whale Cove this month that has killed a dog.
The fox was not available for rabies testing, Puglia said, but the dog has been sent for testing and the Department of Health is awaiting such results.
“Due to the danger of rabies, we advise all residents to pay attention to foxes in the area,” Puglia said in a statement.
Anyone who has been bitten or scratched by a fox or dog should immediately go to the local health center and report the incident.
“Treatment should be started quickly after exposure, as rabies infections are almost always fatal,” Puglia said.
Pets that spend time tied to the outdoors should also be monitored for behavior change and signs of anger, which include strange behavior, wobbling, foaming at the mouth, drowning, or strange noises, he said.
Animals showing these signs should be avoided and reported to the regional environmental health office at 867-645-8071 or the local conservation officer at 867-896-9189.
In January, GN Wildlife Operations Director Jonathan Pynn said the increase in recent reports of rabid foxes in Nunavut is a consequence of the increase in the territory’s fox population this year.
“Fox populations tend to go through rabies outbreaks and rabies is endemic in northern Canada, so it’s something we need to realize,” he said in an interview with Nunatsiaq News at the time.