Nunavut's only vet service says humane society's free clinic nips at its profits

Nunavut's only vet service and its humane society don't see eye to eye about what's best for the territory's cats and dogs.

On Tuesday, representatives from both sides presented their argumentsto Iqaluit's city council aboutan upcoming free vet clinic put on by the IqaluitHumane Society.

The Iqaluit Humane Society ran a similar free clinic in 2016.

NunaVetownerLeiaCunningham told council itcaused last-minute cancellations and no-shows at her business.

In her presentation, she called the free clinic a "patch" approach to animal health in Iqaluit and suggested it could put NunaVet out of business.

Cunningham said the circumstances are different inNunavutin response to the suggestion that free clinics are offered regularly in the south.

"We're dealing with a 100 per cent owned Inuit businessthe only one of its kind in the entire territory," she said.

"We need to feed and foster that business."

Humane society helps different clients, president says

Iqaluit Humane Society President Janelle Kennedy doesn't feel a five-day free clinic is enough to put the business in jeopardy.

Kennedy said the clinic will mainly spay and neuter pets, but it will also offer vaccines and wellness treatments.

The people who rely on the clinic don't go to NunaVet, she said.

"The social, economic reality in Nunavut is that a lot of people cannot afford [a vet]," she said, adding the closure of the free clinic doesn't mean those potential clients will then go to NunaVet.

She said funding for the non-profit comes strictly from donations.

Kennedy said the humane society has spent around $20,000 at NunaVet,and that they are concerned about NunaVet's financial situation. SinceNunaVetopened,pets are sent down south less oftenfor treatment, and Kennedy wants that to continue.

But she said that at times, the society hashad to wait months for surgeries atNunaVet.

Council won't stop clinic

Cunningham said she wants thefree clinic targeted specifically atlow-income families and elders with pets.

Furthermore, she said she wants to work with the humane society to offer free or low-cost clinics to Nunavummiut, instead of having the humane society bring in vets from down south.

Her business is five years old, but said that even withgrowth, the business is struggling financially.

Cunningham said she has "avery high overhead and a significant financial investment inNunaVet, so we do have to charge for our costs."

"I know that the community wants to support me as their local veterinarian," she said.

"But at the same time you can't compete with free and I can't blame people for going to access free services."

City council was sympathetic to Cunningham's concerns, but won't stop the free clinic.

The clinic runs Jan. 29 to Feb.2.