Fort Yukon dog food shortage reported
We received a report from Fort Yukon that dog mushers in the area are in desperate need of dog food because the chum salmon run was so poor this past summer.
They didn't get enough fish this summer to feed their teams and a request has gone out from an employee of the tribal government for help.
Tamara Henry, who works as the natural resource director, sent an e-mail to legislators, the governor's office and others about the problem. She said that some people are talking about killing their dogs because they have no food.
"Can someone please help me in finding some assistance," she said in her e-mail.
The easiest way to make a donation is to call or stop by Cold Spot Feeds in Fairbanks, 907.457.8555, and buy some food. They are selecting a good quality food that they have a good supply of, knock something off the regular price, and aggregate it to get it to the airport. From there, a few different agencies and maybe an airline or two will get it to Fort Yukon, and the people out there will get it where it needs to go.
I understand that 49er Feed is also participating, but I haven't spoken to them.
The collection point for the food is a hanger at the Fairbanks airport (not the same place as last summer), but I don't yet know if someone is there all the time to accept food. So if you have a quantity of good quality food that you'd like to donate, contact me off list and we can figure out how to get it where it needs to go.
We're still hoping that some of the regional and village corporations will jump in with help, so if you have any contacts there, please contact them.
Thanks for your help in feeding these dogs!
Might be cheaper to use the postal system and send a pallet using by-pass mail. Although this is typically cheaper it may take some time to get there.
I wonder if there are any funds available for things like this from the federal government.
Does anyone know of any?
We really need to help these dogs out - its not fair to them!
What kind of fundraising has taken place in Fort Yukon? I know villages that regularly haul in several thousand dollars to help the families of the sick get to Anchorage and so forth... what's been done in Fort Yukon?
What has the local Native corportation done to supply funds? I've heard Doyon Ltd. is doing pretty well. Isn't the reason for the Native corporations to help Native people in need?
What plans are being made to save dog food for future emergencies like this one? Times will be flush again. How is the community going to save for the inevitable shortage?
Has the community been gracious in the past when outsiders have helped? Please tell me how.
Are there alteratives to either chum salmon or donations from outside? I don't know, but it would good to know how the folks in Fort Yukon are looking at alternatives, if there are any.
I don't mind helping the helpless, but I'm a little burned out helping the clueless. Is this a real emergency, or did the people in Fort Yukon get here by a lack of foresight and planning? The media is supposed to tell me this so we can separate the wheat from the chaff.
My own bias is that they need food through no fault of their own, so I'm going to send some. However, I would at least like a thank you note and some indication that the village is preparing to avoid this in the future.