Who Are We?
Our mission
The formal purpose of the Grey Bruce Aboriginal Qimmiq Team is to partner with First Nation communities in Northern Ontario to improve community and animal welfare by assisting with sustainable humane dog population control. Spay and neuter services as well as vaccination against communicable diseases, parasite control and animal identification is provided to dogs in rural or remote communities. Our team members travel to northern communities with the necessary equipment and pharmaceuticals for a full service accredited spay neuter clinic once invited to do so. The Grey Bruce Aboriginal Qimmiq team is a volunteer driven registered charity.
Geographical Isolation
Many First Nation communities lack access to veterinary care because of geographical isolation. Lack of education and information about animal welfare contributes to the challenges that many rural communities in Northern Ontario experience, such as animal overpopulation, poor health, or aggression. Historically, in communities where there is a high incidence of human morbidity or mortality due to dog aggression, feral dogs are shot or culled, which are inhumane practices and do not solve the problem.
Assisting with humane population control
GBAQT has developed a model whereby we first select communities to assist based on their need, and their willingness to address and to continue to address dog population control in a humane manner. Our model is geared to achieve our goals while remaining culturally sensitive and respectful to each community that we partner with.
Education for rural and remote communities
We offer education and advice for the development of companion animal care and control within the community. On each visit to the community there is a component of education offered to the school children on topics such as dog bite prevention, and basic animal care. Assistance with dog by law development and dog control is offered.
During our time in Wabaseemoong Independent Nations this past fall, we collaborated with students from the local high school. Some of our team members in the recovery station taught the students how to care for animals post surgery. We were thrilled to see the students dedicated to providing compassionate care to the animals, and keen to help our team with other clinical tasks. Our hope is to encourage community engagement with the educational component of our spay and neuter clinics.
Volunteer-driven
A team of 10-12 veterinarians, veterinary technicians and assistants are assembled in order to travel to the community to conduct up to five annual veterinary clinics. Each of the veterinary team members volunteers their time and expertise.
The model
An annual visit to each community is planned until successful dog population control is achieved and also based upon the continued commitment of each community to our shared purposes. Further veterinary visits are made based on need for dog or animal population control as well as the support from the community and the availability of the team.
Success stories
Bonds & partnerships
Bonds & partnerships
Since 2012, GBAQT has partnered with communities throughout Northern Ontario to perform spays and neuters, and conduct wellness checks on over 1500 dogs. All these animals have received identification by tattoos or microchips and their individual pictures and health information has been left in the respective communities as well as a microchip scanner.
- Since 2013, GBAQT has made several annual visits to Wabaseemoong Independent Nation at Whitedog, Ontario. Our last visit was in September 2022.
- Onigaming First Nation at Nestor Falls, Ontario partnered with GBAQT in 2015, 2016 and 2017.
- In 2016, 2017 and 2019, our team collaborated with Beat the Heat Kenora and the OSPCA to assist Naotkamegwanning First Nation with their dog population control effort.
- In 2017, we partnered with the Northern Spay Neuter Program to provide humane veterinary care to Big Grassy River First Nation.
- GBAQT travelled to Rocky Bay Biinjitiwabik Zaaging Anishnabek and Lake Helen Opwaaganisuing with the Northern Spay and Neuter Program in 2018.
- Some of our team members have visited Moose Factory and Kashechewan First Nations along the James Bay Coast to assist other animal welfare groups with veterinary clinics.
- During 2024, GBAQT partnered with Big Grassy River First Nation and Wabseemoong Independent Nations to improve community and animal welfare.
Bonds & partnerships
Bonds & partnerships
Bonds & partnerships
Over the years we have forged bonds and friendships with many people in the north. We've been fortunate to see the northern lights, experienced the ceremony of sweat lodges, ice fished, seen lots of bears, moose and wolves, been smudged, driven through a snowstorm on May 24th, been “drummed in” to welcome us and “drummed out” to say goodbye, and listened to many stories from elders about the Creator as well as Ojibway traditions.
Roscoe’s story September 2022, Wabaseemoong Independent First Nation
While our team was assisting Wabaseemoong Independent First Nation with their dog population control, we had the pleasure of admitting Roscoe to be assessed on day 3 of our clinic. He was presented to be neutered, but missed the cut off time for surgery. He received a physical examination, a heartworm test, and vaccinations for DHPP and R, as well as internal parasite control for roundworms, hookworms, and tapeworms, and external parasite control for sarcoptic mange, fleas, and ticks. Roscoe was found to be heartworm positive, so he received a heartworm slow kill protocol. His wonderful owner was advised to keep him quiet and warm overnight and to present him in the morning for his neuter surgery. If the dogs that have heartworm worms are too active after their treatment, they may develop life threatening pulmonary emboli among other complications.
The next morning our team was alerted to Roscoe’s owner rushing into the clinic extremely distressed. The team rushed to assist and triage Roscoe. It became clear that Roscoe was hypothermic, and needed to be warmed and assessed. We were able to place a surgical warming blanket on him. Roscoe received compassionate and competent care from the GBAQT team, and was placed on intravenous support and continuous monitoring. By noon, Roscoe was up and walking. He was kept quiet, and re-assessed over the day. And released to his happy owner at the end of our day.
We learned that Roscoe had been placed in a crate and in a quiet environment, but Roscoe managed to escape the crate and adventure all night in the rain. In the morning, his owner found him comatose in a ditch, and then wrapped him in a blanket and ran to our makeshift clinic. Roscoe survived, and was admitted to the clinic on day 5 of our clinic, for his successful neuter surgery.
The Team
Dr. Linda Bolton - President
Dr. Linda Bolton graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College in 1984. She has lived and
practiced in the Grey Bruce area ever since. Along with Dr. Sally Parks she became the owner of
Mullen Small Animal Clinic in 1993. She lives in the country with her husband, Russ, and a
plethora of dogs and pet chickens, turkeys and geese.
Dr. Bolton is the former Chair of the Awards Committee of the Ontario Veterinary Medical
Association, a past president of the Grey Bruce Veterinary Association, a retired St. John
Ambulance Therapy Dog Handler, and a newly retired coach for the Art of Veterinary Medicine
at the Ontario Veterinary College. She received the OVMA Award of Merit in 2009.
Starting in 2005, Dr. Bolton began a relationship with First Nation Communities in Northern Ontario and helped provide veterinary care in a number of remote communities. Dr. Bolton formed the Grey Bruce Aboriginal Qimmiq Team in 2012. Since then, GBAQT has grown into a large group of veterinarians, veterinary
technicians, and support team members, and became a registered charity in 2017. Dr. Bolton
devotes her spare time to working with communities interested in achieving successful dog population
control and coordinating the trips to these communities. Dr. Bolton is hoping that with collaboration between interested Aboriginal communities and groups like GBAQT, we can achieve success and sustainability with Aboriginal dog population control.
Gary Sheppard RN- Vice president/Treasurer
Gary has been an Respiratory Therapist for over 30 years. Became a RN next. Loves flying and building planes. Is a wonderful musician. Worked as an OR nurse and flight nurse in the U.S, and Fort MacMurray, then eventually made it to the Grey Bruce area and became a client of Linda's. Taught nursing at Georgian College and then Conestoga College, and has now retired to Port Dover.
Barb Sheppard RN- Director
Barb has been with Gary forever! She is also an RN. Barb met Linda as a patient care manager for ER and ICU nurse in Hanover, on. Barb is also a diabetic educator and ended her career at Conestoga College in Kitchener teaching nursing. Loves to make glasswork and soaps and stained glass among other crafts. Both Gary and Barb have been raising Sullivan, an Irish Wolfhound for the last year.
Erica Potestio - Director of Public Relations
Erica graduated with a Masters of Biomedical Science in Applied Reproductive Biotechnologies from the Ontario Veterinary College in August of 2023. She pursued undergraduate and graduate studies at the University of Guelph with the hopes of pursuing a career in healthcare. Erica worked at a small animal clinic in Thunder Bay for many summers, and currently volunteers with numerous organizations that promote the welfare of animals and humans. She joined GBAQT's board of directors in the fall of 2023, and assisted with the spay and neuter clinic in Wabaseemoong Independent Nations this past September. Erica hopes to recruit new team members to help promote the mission of GBAQT.
Brianne Kudlacek - Director
Brianne is currently completing her degree in Animal Biology at the University of Guelph, hoping to continue her education to obtain a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree. Brianne grew up in Northwestern Ontario and has always had a passion for improving access to veterinary care for members of remote communities. She has been on trips with GBAQT and looks forward to learning more about northern communities and collaborating with them. In her free time, Brianne loves exploring the outdoors, volunteering with Skate Canada and playing with her dog, Fergie.
Bianca Del Bois - Director
Bianca is a long time animal welfare advocate who has been active in animal rescue leadership for the past decade. A multi-hyphenate at her core, Bianca founded an animal rescue charity based in Toronto, Canada, is the CEO of a Marketing and Communications consultancy and has spent over 8 years working in the veterinary medicine industry in varying capacities.
Bianca is passionate about supporting animals and the communities they're in. She is active in research and development surrounding sustainable One Health models that service both animals and people in marginalized and remote communities. Bianca has an affinity for old and sick animals. If she's not working, you can find her caring for her 14 animals on her farm.