Shelter twice refused to help sled dogs

The Canadian press is reporting that the man who killed around 100 sled dogs in what's being called a "slaughter" and a "massacre" twice reached out to the British Columbia SPCA for help with the dogs, and was turned down both times.



From the Vanouver Sun:

The Vancouver Sun has learned the 38-year-old employee of Outdoor Adventures who killed 100 sled dogs in Whistler approached the BC SPCA on two separate occasions asking for its help in finding adoptive homes for some of the company’s dogs.



Both times he was rebuffed.



Officials at the animal protection agency said they didn’t realize the dogs would be brutally slaughtered. But they said they told the man the dogs would not make good pets and were not adoptable.

How did the folks at the British Columbia SPCA make this determination? Senior animal protection officer Eileen Drever had this to say, quoted in Canada's National Post:

“(The employee) didn’t advise me he was going to kill any dogs. He was looking to find homes. I spoke to an animal behaviourist who is also a vet and she spoke with an expert in the (United) States who said they weren’t adoptable,” said Ms. Drever.

And it gets even worse. The Sun reports that after the killings, Fawcett contacted the SPCA again, writing:

“I understood from Joey (the owner of the sled dog tour company) that there were to be some dogs going to you for adoption? Is that indeed happening? Or should I just show up with a truck full so they can get off the chain and get some attention, exercise, stop fighting, etc....I am happy to bring some down to stop cruelty they are going through here.



“This is me as a bystander (I am off due to injury to both arms). I am the only one who has made any effort to move dogs. We still have almost 60 dogs too many, and a new litter of pups to be given away. Can you please give me a call so I know something can be done. It’s breaking my heart.”

Five days later, Drever replied to him, saying, "I just informed Joey that after consulting with an animal behaviourist/veterinarian we have reached the decision these dogs are not adoptable. I will however conduct an inspection of the facility."



The Sun states she did not investigate the facility at that time.



The SPCA's response? Again, from the same Sun article:

BC SPCA head of animal cruelty Marcie Moriarty said the SPCA would have acted had it known the dogs were going to be slaughtered.



But she added it’s not the SPCA’s responsibility “to take on their issues ... to suddenly make a phone call and say, ‘I have 100 dogs that need placing;’ that’s not an answer to their business operation’s issues,” said Moriarty.



“If we had any indication they would have been executed we absolutely would have done something.” But she added it’s likely they would have still been euthanized.

Why might that be? Because apparently, like pit bulls, sled dogs aren't individuals who deserve and should receive individual evaluation. Moriarty continued:

“What people have to realize because of the way they’re raised they’re not highly adoptable animals. Maybe a few could have been adopted but these dogs are on tethers 90 per cent of their lives. Is it fair [Outdoor Adventures] profits — get thousands of dollars from tourists and not have a retirement plan? Is it fair they would dump them on the SPCA and then we’d have the pain of that euthanization?”

It was crap in Wilkes County, N.C., when 145 dogs "rescued" from a fighting ring were killed by animal control authorities without evaluation -- even nursing puppies. It was crap when it was said about the Vick dogs. And it's crap here.



Moriarty did refute one element of the Sun's account, saying that Fawcett didn't reach out to them until after the killings, about other dogs. But whether he contacted them before or after the initial slaughter doesn't change the story all that much. They were asked to help these dogs, either the 100 who were killed, or the others. They didn't.



How's that for "prevention of cruelty to animals"?



Photo: A dog from the sled dog company that owned the dogs who were killed and employed Fawcett. Photo by Claudia Kwan/Vancouver Sun.

Comments

[jo]

Outdoor Adventures had better get their story straight.

On January 31, 2011, they released a statement following a December vet's visit -- with the vet stating (quoted from the release) "Overall, this is a healthy and well cared for group of dogs."

In that same statement, this was also a quote: "It is now company policy that any dogs requiring euthanasia do so at our veterinarian's office. To this effect there are no firearms on our site."



February 1, 2011 -- another statement:"Guns are no longer allowed on site and the company's new policy is that euthanasia must be performed at a veterinary office."



Second press release, Feb 1, 2011: "OAW was aware of the relocation and euthanization of dogs at Howling Dog Tours Whistler Inc. in April 2010, but OAW expected this to be done in a proper, legal and humane manner. OAW learned otherwise for the first time on Friday, January 28 when OAW read the WCB ruling for the first time."



February 2, 2011 - most recent Press Release, Joint Statements:

"Mr. Fawcett advised Mr. Houssian that the dogs to be euthanized were "too old" or "sick" and "not adoptable"." (gee what happened to healthy and well-cared for?)

"There were no instructions given to Mr. Fawcett as to the manner of euthanizing dogs on this occasion, and Mr. Fawcett was known to have very humanely euthanized dogs on previous occasions." (were those before or after the guns were supposedly banned from the premises?)



Gonna go hug my unadoptable sled dogs again.

[Christie Keith]

I've left a voice message asking the BC SPCA's community relations contact who the expert was.

[Christie Keith]

There have also been new details about the incident reported in another British Columbia-based newspaper, The Province:

At an online forum for soldiers who suffer post-traumatic stress, Fawcett claimed on Jan. 6, 2011: “I have owned a large dogsled company for the last 15 years. As the economy turned we were forced to sell to a corporation 2 years ago. They did nothing but complain about costs and were not willing to sell some of the herd because they wanted all the animals on deck ‘in case’ it was busy. We had 330 dogs.”



Fawcett claims that in April 2010, “I was told the company was going to fold unless we took drastic action . . . immediate disposal of half the herd . . . I reluctantly agreed to the job . . . I was told I had 2 days to get the job done due to a large tour group we had coming.”

There are additional disturbing details at this Province link:



http://www.theprovince.com/health/Sled+operator+recounts+company+pressure+complete+cull+days/4211809/story.html

[Susan Fox]

This is from the Outdoor Adventures Whistler Media page:



February 1: Outdoor Adventures at Whistler Ltd. voluntarily suspends operations of Howling Dog Tours Whistler Inc.



Effective today, Outdoor Adventures at Whistler Ltd. (OAW) has voluntarily suspended operations of Howling Dog Tours Whistler Inc.OAW is conducting its own investigation and working with authorities to determine the facts.



Until a further decision is reached, Howling Dog Tours Whistler Inc.has ceased conducting tours. Employees will continue to be paid and will care for the dogs.



OAW is shocked and appalled by the events described in the Workers' Compensation Board (WCB) ruling issued late last week related to Howling Dog Tours Whistler Inc.



Contrary to media reports, OAW did not instruct the employee to euthanize the dogs in the manner described in the report. The employee in question was the General Manager of Howling Dog Tours Whistler Inc.at the time and is the Founder and long-time operator of that business.



Furthermore, contrary to media reports, OAW had no input into the WCB ruling, nor the "Employer's Report of Injury" referenced in the ruling.



OAW was aware of the relocation and euthanization of dogs at Howling Dog Tours Whistler Inc. in April 2010, but OAW expected this to be done in a proper, legal and humane manner. OAW learned otherwise for the first time on Friday, January 28 when OAW read the WCB ruling for the first time."

[Christie Keith]

"We had no IDEA our jeans were being sewn by 6 year old indentured servants in the third world!"

[Susan Fox]

There's two more entries on the page. Nothing gruesome, except for the sound of them dancing like crazy to avoid any responsibility. http://www.adventureswhistler.com/media

[Susan Fox]

Yeah, they're SHOCKED, SHOCKED, I tell you.

[Susan Fox]

But they don't deny that they expected some number of dogs to be killed. "...OAW did not instruct the employee to euthanize the dogs in the manner described in the report." And that makes it all ok, I guess.

[Christie Keith]

You know, I'm not letting them, or Fawcett, off the hook. I hope OAW suffers legal consequences for this.

But the SPCA is supposed to be there for the animals, and to prevent cruelty to them. They had a higher obligation. Their abrogation of that responsibility, both when Fawcett reached out to them (whenever in the chain of events that happened) and in the comments they're making to the press now, is in my view particularly heinous.

[Eucritta]

Here's one I found earlier today: 'SPCA drawn into husky controversy,' Calgary Sun -



http://www.calgarysun.com/news/alberta/2011/02/02/17133831.html



The money quote for me, from Marcie Moriarty, head of the BC SPCA's cruelty dept.:



“Why does it suddenly become a humane society’s issue because (a company) decided they want to unload dog, it’s not acceptable to make money off them and then dump them. We are not there to take people’s unwanted animals.”

[Christie Keith]

"We are not there to take people’s unwanted animals.”



Oh, god.

[Rob McMillin]

<brain explodes>

[H. Houlahan]

I was skeptical earlier today when I was told that the SPCA had declined to help, because, well ... people lie.



But what they admit to is far worse than what I imagined they were accused of.



I'm starting to come out of my fog about this, and I wish I wasn't.

[H. Houlahan]

I wonder what the "expert" in the United States would have said about RePoe or Harry or Sassy or Luke or Mr. Barry White?

[Rob McMillin]

... or Maddy. Or, well, any of the ONB dogs.



Who is this "expert"? What are their "credentials"? And is there a professional organization we can parade the corpse of their reputation before?

[CathyA]

Howling Dog Tours



How gruesomely prophetic........



And yes, the SPCA is going to have it's "pitbull moment". Hopefully someone will "cull" employees from their ranks who don't care about animals, from the bottom to the TOP.

[Gina Spadafori]

Shelter ... shelter ... shelter ... what is so difficult to understand about that? It's not your job to help animals? It's your job to condemn them wholesale because of circumstances of birth and housing?



I went to bed grieving and woke up furious.



The shelter industry needs to be cleaned from top to bottom, until attitudes like these are gone, gone, gone.



The man who did this deserves a jail term, not a workers comp check. The company who employed him deserves to go bankrupt. (And the whistleblower who leaked the docs deserves our gratitude for putting her/his job on the line.)



As for the shelter industry ... no stronger case for reform could possibly be made. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty? Hell, they set the stage for it.

[Heather]

this is sickening but not totally surprising(which in itself is sad), unfortunately, not all shelters are good one but I will say that not all SPCA's are bad either. It's not just the shelter industry that needs to learn these dogs are adoptable, it's everyone from breeders, rescue, companies that work them, and the general public - everyone needs to learn that each and every animal is an individual and they all deserve a chance

[jo]

I was really angry when I first heard of this, but not surprised. I know the attitudes there are a bit different, so when I heard charges were being brought, I was glad (because honestly, I didn't think there would be).



However, hearing now that the SPCA declared these dogs "unadoptable" -- sight unseen, no evaluations -- I'm totally incensed! This is reprehensible, just as much as the killings. What kind of "animal behaviorist who is also a vet" would DARE make a determination on any dog without even seeing it??? What kind of an "expert" here in the states would agree with that determination without meeting and evaluating the dogs? Who ARE these people, and why aren't their licenses being examined???? They are the people responsible for this tragedy.



While there is some research on dogs who live their lives on tethers being unsocialized and territorial, those studies did NOT look at the specialized circumstances surrounding a working sled dog.



Two of our four sled dogs were adopted from a professional dog racing kennel. One was 2 and the other 9 at time of adoption. Both are incredible dogs, with temperaments to die for. They can take Cheerios from babies without even leaving spit on their fingers; they adore meeting new people; they just have a slightly different (read:increased) exercise requirement than your normal dog.



Sled dogs may live most of their lives on tether in the dog yard, but that doesn't mean they're unsocialized or territorial. These dogs are bred to work with each other effectively, as well as work well with humans -- while workability is a breeder's main concern, temperament is a VERY close second. Let's face it, you HAVE to be able to handle these dogs constantly in order to get them harnessed safely, etc.



This is especially true of the dogs working in the tourism industry. Not only must they be safely workable, but there's a lot of unknown people around them constantly -- the customers. Many times, those customers have children in tow. How many of us have to remind parents to ask before allowing their child to approach ANY dog you see on the street? Believe me, those kids run right up to sled dogs... and you wouldn't have any sort of a business if those dogs were in the habit of snacking on small kids regularly.



I just can't believe an SPCA or an "Expert" would make such a determination but I'm not surprised. The "expert" they called -- was that a sled dog expert? I doubt it... probably a very good person, very knowledgeable, but not about sled dogs. Why didn't the SPCA get the tour operator in touch with the multitude of mushers all around the US and Canada who may be able to help place the dogs in other working kennels? That's what folks around here do when downsizing...



Please, do find out who these "experts" and "behaviorist who is also a vet" are -- they need to be made responsible for their cavalier attitudes and improper evaluation techniques that have resulted in a mass murder of 100 probably adoptable dogs.



I just want to hunker down with my unadoptable sled dogs and cry all day...

[Gina Spadafori]

Folks, please share this commentary. We know that fighting pit bulls shouldn't be killed when "saved," thanks to the Vick dogs.



Let's make sure the shelter industry understands that pit bulls and sled dogs deserve the same individual evaluations and effort to get placed that fuzzy little mop dogs do.



If the BC SPCA had even made the slightest damn effort, many if not most of these dogs would be alive now, as the Vick dogs are ... and NONE of them would have suffered such a cruel fate as this mass slaughter.

[Susan Fox]

jo- that is excellent information and it counters something that "everyone knows", which included me. That keeping dogs tethered most of the time is a recipe for creating a dangerous dog. It's why so many communities, including our country, have passed laws against it.



But now, here is another example of "it depends". What tethering means for most dogs, doesn't seem to be the case for working sled dogs. I'd say "live and learn", but unfortunately....

[Dorene]

The "expert" and "behavorist who is also a vet" should be outed. Having known "back-woods" kind of guys**, I can't blame the guy who did the deed as much as he *did* try to reach out, but the people that let this guy down (who probably really went against much of his "back-woods" upbringing to not only contact the SPCA once, but TWICE.)



It's the Canadian "society" and their "experts" that I really blame for this onw -- especially the "society." This is the first sled-dog company to contact them ever? I think not. Know your territory and be prepared to help with the specialities of that territory. Otherwise, why even exist?



I'd like to know what the "society" thinks it's mission really IS.



**Yes, I have a branch of the family tree that has lived in Appachalia (sp) since the 1700s so I have blood relatives with said attitudes.

[Gina Spadafori]

No one is saying that, Heather, just as no one is fingering the ASPCA in New York for this.



But the attitude shown by this so-called shelter is in deed pervasive, and needs to change.

[Jeannie]

the problem across this whole country is that the SPCA does not stand for what people think they stand for. They don't help in many many cases and those that work in this system get very frustrated also :o(

[Jenny]

Keep in mind that the expert behaviorist could have been asked a generalized question without being given details and replied in a general way. I don't know a veterinary behaviorist or MS/PhD behaviorist who wouldn't have added a "I'd have to see them in person to make an evaluation though" when giving a generalized statement on behavior. But there are generalities made all the time with respect to breed/working group behavior all the time. It is a nasty situation but until it all comes out(if it does) we won't know exactly what happened. It was a "perfect storm" of events. Poor dogs...

[Heather]

Please don't lump it as the "society" in Canada....SPCA is not the same in every part of Canada...for instance, here in NB, we have the NBSPCA and then we have SPCA shelters, they are not connected except by their name, and I know that our Oromocto SPCA SHELTER which is small would have helped with these dogs at the very first request. THe NBSPCA is the anti cruelty, investigative part but the have no say in any of the runnings of the SPCA shelters in our province - in NS, this is different, the NSSPCA and the SPCA shelters are all linked....I agree this particular SPCA in BC was wrong and needs to have a major overhaul but that does not mean ALL SPCA's in Canada are that way.

[Jan]

Thing is there are quite a number of smaller rescues in British Columbia and environs that would have been willing to help.

[Rob McMillin]

The man who did this deserves a jail term, not a workers comp check. The company who employed him deserves to go bankrupt.

And if they do, given their track record and that of the local SPCA, what happens to the remaining dogs?

The story just keeps getting worse: in this CBC report, the company admits to telling its general manager, Bob Fawcett (who filed the claim), to cull the dogs!

[Christie Keith]

Marilyn, I'm not a shelter consultant. I don't do PR for the British Columbia SPCA. I'm a journalist and what I do is report what's going on.

Nor is it the job of animal lovers to never raise a voice in protest unless they have a solution. Animal lovers don't have a well-oiled PR machine, a media relations department, a development program, a volunteer and donor base, a CEO... you get what I'm saying?

Animal welfare organizations live and die with their community support. The kind of "focus group" feedback the general public and the media is giving them right now is, frankly, priceless. It's up to them to use this raw material, this valuable information, to change and grow as an organization.

[marilyn]

Really, Susan Fox, et al!

The Canadian Society is now to blame. Really!



Not one of the comments on how to prevent this tragedy happening again. Not one suggestion on a solution, not one offer of support for teaching the communication skills required, for developing the processes to handle large-scale, emergency rescues. Really!



Bad dogs! Bad Canadians! Bad SPCA's!



Have we not moved away from this punishment-based way of looking at our world and how to live in it better. Really! Can we Not? Really!

[Laura Sterner]

Marilyn, let's hear your solution, then.

[Mary]

Being I "re-home" working dogs and have for years, this really pisses me off. Many people have told me through the years that our breed that are in shelters are there for a reason...(yes, human stupidity), they are "working dogs" and thus should be euthanized...



Our group has shown them otherwise, and our dogs all come in from outdoor kennels, needing retraining, and their drive channeled into other activities.



One of our other jobs is to "guide" and organize large seizures, getting many involved. I cannot believe a tiny organization such as ours handled 33 dogs and puppies in such a seizure here in MO...and this SPCA didn't even take a few? Then network to save the animals? Come on...

Cull the jobs at the SPCA...get someone in these shelters with half a brain...give me a break!

[Laura Sterner]

I've been following the news reports on this story and, I have to say, it gets confusing. There are also reports which state that the SPCA was not contacted until after this "cull" took place.



I'm not trying to exonerate them, or exonerate the man who did this, or the company he did it for, but it should be pointed out that there seem to be a lot of conflicting "facts" surrounding this situation which are surfacing in news reports.



Two facts that aren't disputable, however, are that 1) the BC SPCA's statements about their mission are over-the-top unacceptable and, 2) these "culls" happen all the time within dogsledding communities.



This shelter really needs to sort out what its mission is. If these had been 100 dogs reported in a hoarding situation, wouldn't they have been right in there on the evening news, pulling dogs from deplorable conditions while soaking up all that fine publicity?



And a point that should not be lost here is that the dogsledding community (and those who are tempted to do this for sport) needs to take a good long look at its own common practices. This is not an isolated incident. It only came to light because this man filed a disability claim. Those of us who are passionate about advocating for the health and safety of animals need to make sure this practice doesn't slip back into obscurity once this story fades from the press.

[dina]

To say these dogs are not adoptable is an outrage and a cop-out. Sure, not all can be re-homed, but that is true regardless of the breed. My adopeted sled dog rescue was the calmest, most even-tempered, sweet, well-behaved dog I have ever been around. People commented about these traits all the time - my family called him the "buddha" because of his calm nature.



Yes, there were a few behaviors that required some training and desintization, like learning not to react when another dog got in his "space" and teaching him how to play with other dogs, as he'd never had the chance.



But these were overcome in a few months with training and love. He loved small children - they could tug on him, grab his neck and pat him on the head and he just stood there calmly, enjoying the affection. If he made contact with anyone, it only to sidle in closer for petting or bestow one of his rare, gentle, "husky kisses".



Everyone from the business to the employee to the SPCA is complicit in this heinous crime, regardless of all their excuses.

[Valerie]

And here's the BCSPCA officially trying to cop a plea:

http://www.spca.bc.ca/news-and-events/news/update-from-bc-spca-ceo-craig.html

[Christie Keith]

I see things that indicate a failed and cruel SYSTEM, and I'm not saying that I believe they're telling the truth, but from the point of view of internal consistency, I don't see any contradictions there.



I would describe OAW's defense like this:



1. They agree they told Fawcett to "cull" the animals, but say they expected it would be done humanely (which would, in that jurisdiction, including shooting them, as Fawcett had done before.)



2. They described the animals they wanted culled as being, according to Fawcett, old, sick or "unadoptable," which is a vague and undefined term that could mean anything or nothing. Shelters, for instance, sometimes consider an animal "unadoptable" not because the animal has a serious health or behavior problem that can't be treated or managed, but because they failed to find the pet a home. That seems to be the case here, too.



3. Fawcett carried out the culling in a manner OAW claims it didn't know about until they saw the WorkSafe report at the end of January.



4. After they saw the report, they made it company policy that all dogs had to be killed or euthanized at a vet's office, and banned firearms on the site.



Again, not saying I believe this story, just saying it doesn't actually fail the internal consistency test. Whether or not it is TRUE is another question.

[Laura Sterner]

@Christie:



Agree 100%. The big loophole there is "unadoptable," which, if you allow the BC SPCA to define it, would have included *all* of the sled dogs owned by OAW, not just the ones that were killed. Maybe one or two of them were also past their prime. It's awfully vague.

[Rob McMillin]

Jo -- thanks for providing that chronology. Very interesting.

[CathyA]

Marilyn,

I don't know why Canadians get so exercised when they're hauled on the rug!



Yes, it IS your problem, much as the problem with treatment of pitbulls as trash is in the US of A. Do you see anyone giving US organizations a pass here? Why should the BC SPCA get one?

[jo]

Christie, according to the initial press release, the company policy regarding euthanasia procedures went into effect in May 2010:



"In May 2010 Outdoor Adventures assumed operational control of Howling Dogs. With professional consultation and new leadership, Howling Dogs made significant changes to the business, the intention of which was to ensure humane treatment of our dogs and improved safety protocols of the operation. Measures included:It is now company policy that any dogs requiring euthanasia do so at our veterinarian's office. To this effect there are no firearms on our site."

[Tom Cushing]

@CK re failed system: I agree. Although I've read the protestations of mushers over this story, I am concerned that this may be just the worst example of an industry practice among sled-dog touring enterprises. The scale of those companies (hundreds of dogs) surprised me. Sounds potentially puppymillish.



I am hopeful -- tho' I'm not sure why -- that this incident will provoke a wider investigation of conditions and practices among dog tourers and racers. Maybe the BC SPCA could start its redemption by undertaking such an effort? They have a big bunch of redeeming to do.

[Robbie]

Disgusted by everyone involved in this senseless killing

Ms E Drever and Ms Moriarty should get off the TV and concentrate on what they were hired to do, help the animals

Spokespeople for Animals my ASS !

Where's Donald Trump when you need him, "YOU'RE FIRED"

The idiot who didn't have the balls to say, NO I CANNOT AND WILL NOT KILL THOSE BEAUTIFUL ANIMALS

Well, he should just be locked away from the rest of civilized society

Owners of Outdoor Adventures, Business shut down, no ifs ands or buts

Who gave you the right to decide these Dogs should be killed ?

God, Why did they have to die, and these heartless cruel individuals be allowed to live among us ?

When I look into my Pets eyes, and see the unconditionl love and trust coming back at me, the question that comes immediately to mind is, How could this happen



Disgusted by everyone involved

[H. Houlahan]

Yes, I've noticed that "vee knew NUTTING" until vee saw the workman's comp report -- but vee also instituted policy changes the month after the massacre.



Interesting chronology, that.

[Susan Fox]

Since you called me out by name, marilyn, help me to understand in what possible way that this is ok for an SPCA-



"But she added it’s not the SPCA’s responsibility “to take on their issues … to suddenly make a phone call and say, ‘I have 100 dogs that need placing;’ that’s not an answer to their business operation’s issues,” said Moriarty.



“If we had any indication they would have been executed we absolutely would have done something.” But she added it’s likely they would have still been euthanized."



I don't think any of us are questioning the ability of Ms. Moriarty to communicate.



It's WHAT she's communicating that we have a problem with.



Under what circumstances, if any, WOULD they respond to a sudden phone call to help save 100 dogs? Did Fawcett need to say, "I'm holding a gun and I'll start killing dogs if you aren't here in ten minutes."?



Why, without ever having seen the dogs, much less evaluated them, would she give them a probably death sentence? Does this sound like someone who is passionate about saving animals?



I don't know about punishment, but if she got reorganized out of her job, I'd be ok with that.

[Christie Keith]

It's like any dog-related endeavor where the dogs retire. When I was at NAVC, one session was questioning what happens to service dogs who are too old to work. The same issues hold for all kinds of dogs -- racing greyhounds, sled dogs, etc.

Consistent or inconsistent with how it views other animals, the fact is, society is at a stage where it holds businesses and organizations to a higher standard for how they treat dogs today than ever in the past.

I don't think the sled dog world is any different from any other segment of society, nor do I think sledding is intrinsically problematic any more than racing is intrinsically problematic. Dogs doing what they were bred to do are, as I said before, among the happiest dogs in the world, as long as the standards of "The Five Freedoms" are being met.

But when it comes to what happens to dogs when they're too old to do the work they were bred to do, or when they prove, for whatever reason, unsuited for it -- well, we have a long, long way to go before we have a system in place that ensures those dogs don't get thrown out with the trash.

The track greyhound model is a good one, but even they don't save ALL the dogs who come off the track. Still, it's a model of a functional system that works within the racing industry to provide a structure through which the dogs can move from farm to track to foster home to forever home. I believe there is also at least the skeleton of a similar system within the mushing/sled dog world, although I don't know enough about it to discuss it.

The public has to continue to turn up the heat on the animal world, including the racing and sled dog industries and also shelters and national animal welfare organizations, to make sure we vote with our dollars and our voices for the practices we support and want to see utilized.

[jo]

Mush with PRIDE is a great organization, actually. They've done a lot to educate kennels and operators as well as recreational mushers. However, it's a voluntary thing -- you have to apply to have your kennel observed, checked out, etc. Their pretty strict, too, and there are many vets associated with the organization. I know a couple of other folks involved with this org, and there has been no mention of Fawcett's looking to rehome any dogs in the newsletters, etc.

[Mary]

"Moriarty said she found it interesting that Houssian seemed to “proactively” be asking for adoption help for his company’s herd of sled-dogs after the cull in April. She said the SPCA has always maintained it is difficult to find adoptive homes for sled dogs because of the way they are raised and kept on tethers...."



This is total BS on the part of the SPCA, what about all of the hunting dogs we get...the ones that have been kept in outdoor kennels their entire lives? What about the ones from the mills with no human interaction whatsoever?



They go into experienced foster homes, learn house training with crates, learn how to play, learn how to be social...we have mill dogs here now! They have had an opportunity of time and patience, and a few thousand treats...



If the SPCA cannot provide dogs such as these the opportunities that smaller experienced organizations that can help and do the evaluation of those that stand a chance, then they had better get out of the business....



I believe these dogs are like ours very breed specific...and there had to be someone else out there to do a referral to...would really like the truth however...

[Glenye Oakford]

Agree with Mary on this. Particularly in light of of the Vick dogs' rehoming, can anyone really believe that this entire large group of sled dogs were completely beyond retraining? Or that sled dogs as a class are "unable" to be retrained for use as companion animals? I think we all know better by now.

[Laura Sterner]

I think I may contact some Malamute and Husky rescue groups and aks them to share what their experiences have been with retired sled dogs. If anyone is in a position to know what really goes on here, it's probably them.

[jo]

Christie, you are 100% correct -- just like any working dog (guide, assistance, racing, etc), there needs to be a plan for their retirement from their jobs. And, just like in those instances, you have people who look at these dogs as things to be discarded, and others who have appreciated their help and will take care of them.



You said, "I believe there is also at least the skeleton of a similar system within the mushing/sled dog world, although I don’t know enough about it to discuss it."



It's not as organized as greyhounds (who I have fostered as they come off the track), but it could be.



In the mushing world, what generally happens to a dog at a good mushing kennel when he begins to slow down is that they get a new job: helping to train the younger, up and coming dogs. Then, they graduate to being valued senior citizen "house huskies" who live out the rest of their days in nice warm houses, hanging out on the sofa, watching tv with their owners - really (mushers will post pictures of this).



Another thing that happens a lot is that dogs don't fit on a particular team. Say you have a competitive team. Dogs usually run in pairs; for the most efficient work, you want to match the gaits of the dogs on your team. If a particular dog has a tail set that's too high, causing a bit of a wiggle when running, then that dog would be found a home on someone else's team that had another dog to pair him with. Most mushers stick with particular lines of dogs, and are constantly in contact with others who run the same lines, so dogs are kind of kept in the same 'families'.



Similarly, if a musher is downsizing, they will connect with others through email, Sled Dog Central, or the various breed-specific clubs that exist in order to rehome their dogs. I remember not too long ago, a musher became seriously ill and had to rehome all of his dogs -- this was posted on numerous sled dog sites, and the dogs were rehomed to either competitive or recreational teams.



Other times, dogs who don't have the drive to compete but who are great recreational dogs will go to small, family owned tour operators. Usually, a good musher who appreciates their dogs will already have a relationship with someone, and will always keep in contact with them.



And,let's also look at mushers who breed responsibly. This is very similar to finding a regular responsible breeder! If they have dogs who do not show drive or who have a trait that would not suit a sled dog, these dogs are sold to pet homes. Like any good breeder, a responsible breeder will insist on a spay/neuter contract, take the dog back for any reason, and will screen the family appropriately.