Dogs, Kayaks, and Seal Liver: A Danish Vet in Greenland

Send us Fan MailWATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBEDuring the Greenland National Kayaking Championships, Dubside sits down in Sisimiut with Danish veterinarian Asger von Wenck, who has made the leap from teaching veterinary surgery at the University of Copenhagen to living and working full-time in Greenland.With race starts and kayak songs drifting through the background, Asger shares stories about his work with sled dogs, government vaccination programs, rabies prevention, and the surprising absence of ticks in Greenland. He explains the strict microchipping system for dogs, the realities of veterinary care along the vast Arctic coastline, and what it’s like helping patrol teams in the Northeast Greenland National Park.The conversation ranges far beyond dogs. They discuss Greenlandic food (including raw seal liver and mattak), winter darkness, homelessness in Nuuk, language learning, and the evolving relationship between Denmark and Greenland in a changing political climate.A thoughtful, wide-ranging 30-minute conversation about life in Greenland—from kayak clubs to seal soup—with the sounds of competition echoing in the Arctic air.