Winky's last ride: Death of motorcycle-riding dog prompts call for improved vet care

They were a stunning sight of windswept fur, leather and chrome — turning heads wherever they went.

Sandy MacDonald's hands are clasped tightly around the handlebars.

And just behind the back wheel of his bike, his goggle-clad German Shepherd would sit, drooling over the windshield of his custom trailer hitch.

For MacDonald, no motorcycle ride was ever complete without Winky, but Thursday night, he lost his faithful co-pilot.

Their last ride together was spent driving frantically around Fort McMurray, searching for after-hours veterinary care.

"I called a vet, and another vet, and another vet. And Winky's sitting there sick on the floor, and I'm phoning all these numbers that aren't any good," MacDonald said in an interview with CBC Edmonton's Radio Active. 

"You get all these numbers and they say, 'If it's an emergency, call this vet clinic in Edmonton.' Well what are you going to do? Start driving?

"I threw him in my Jeep and drove over to the SPCA hoping there would be somebody there, but he passed away."

 

Despite being 10 years old, Winky was remarkably healthy and MacDonald believes timely care could have given him a fighting chance. 

"I don't know. Maybe they couldn't have saved him, but he wouldn't have suffered," MacDonald said.

"I got him his first trailer when he was ten months old and we've been riding together for ten years. 96,000 kilometres.

"It's a little rough right now." 

Winky had gained a sort of celebrity status in Fort McMurray, and his death has put a spotlight on what some describe as a veterinary crisis.

​Nearly 7,000 devoted fans of his Winky Rides Facebook page would follow his travels. Proceeds from Winky-branded merchandise helped fundraise thousands of dollars for local animal shelters.

News of his death prompted hundreds of comments from devoted fans, many of whom shared similar challenges in trying to find the necessary care for their pets in recent weeks.

'It's tragic'

The wildfire that ravaged the city in May has also taken its toll on the city's three major veterinary clinics, with many struggling to find staff.

Then in September, the city's largest veterinary practice — the Wood Buffalo Small Animal Hospital — caught fire, causing significant damage to the clinic and its equipment.

The six vets on staff had nowhere to practice, creating a resource crunch.

"Everything is full up for the other two practices that are still open," said Darrell Dalton, the registrar with Alberta Veterinary Medical Association, who recently met with front-line staff in Fort McMurray to discuss some of the ongoing challenges around accessibility.

"Wood Buffalo was a very large practice and the other two clinics are just not able to absorb all the extra work that has to be done."

Dalton said the only option for those in need of emergency veterinary care is to drive down the highway to Edmonton.

"There's probably five animals that have died en route to Edmonton, and that's not to say that those animals would not have expired had they received service in Fort McMurray," said Dalton. 

"But it's tragic that they're not able to get the service right in their hometown."

Dalton is hopeful the problems should be resolved when Wood Buffalo Animal Hospital returns to full operation in a few months.

For his part, MacDonald hopes something is done sooner.

"Hopefully now, with Winky's death somebody will do something about ... I hope so. These animals are like our kids."