The RCMP says a seven-year-old girl suffered serious injuries when she was attacked by a pack of stray dogs on a northern Manitoba First Nation.

The Mounties say the girl was airlifted to hospital in Winnipeg following the attack on the Shamattawa First Nation last Thursday.

Shamattawa Chief Eric Redhead says the girl remains in hospital and will require extensive surgery. 

"I have heard that she is going to recover but she's very badly hurt," Redhead says in an interview with CTV.

"We're very grateful and lucky that this child did not die."

Redhead say the attack prompted the First Nation to conduct a cull of any stray dog in the community and a total of 101 dogs have been put down. He says that the cull is not something the community wanted to do but became necessary to protect children and community members.