A Dawson City shelter dog had seven puppies, and the kennel is asking for help

CBC News reported on November 4, 2026, that Humane Society Dawson is caring for 18 dogs after a resident dog, Roxy, gave birth to seven puppies on Sunday. Director Kath Selkirk said the shelter usually houses about five dogs. Eighteen is a record. She called it a cute problem and a real one: more animals than the building can comfortably hold.

The shelter is run mostly by volunteers who walk dogs, take them on playdates, and sometimes host sleepovers. Selkirk said fewer volunteers can get there this season because many live in West Dawson, across the Yukon River, and the river has not frozen enough to cross. One employee works four evenings a week, which leaves three evenings to fill. Selkirk said she has been covering shifts on top of directing the shelter.

The shelter has stopped taking other animals, including cats, until there is space. It is asking people to volunteer, foster a dog, or adopt one. Selkirk said most of the animals were surrendered, not abandoned or found as strays, and that some are adopted in other communities. The news is Roxy's litter, the count of 18, and that public ask. It does not say how many of the seven puppies have homes yet.