Vancouver Humane SocietyA new study of illness and injury among dogs in the Yukon Quest international sled dog race lays bare how many of the animals experienced “abnormal” health conditions while participating in the long-distance race.
The research focuses on the races held in 2018, 2019 and 2020, when the Quest was still a 1,000-mile (1,600-kilometre) race between Whitehorse and Fairbanks, Alaska.
The government has so far been inactive on the VHS’s recommendations to improve laws for sled dogs and wild animals in captivity. Will you ask your MLA to speak up to change the laws? Take action now!
Many wild and exotic animals are legally kept in captivity throughout B.C., including:
The VHS has been documenting the conditions of animals at the Greater Vancouver Zoo and Vancouver Aquarium for years.
Undercover investigations and whistleblowers have shared evidence of:
In fact, B.C.’s current Sled Dog Standards of Care allow for sled dogs to be tethered or caged for prolonged periods of time, as they are only required to be released once a day and there are no requirements for how long. Sled dog tour companies are permitted to shoot surplus sled dogs, so long as the operator has made reasonable efforts to try to rehome the sled dog.
Get in touch with VHS at info@vancouverhumanesociety.bc.ca for a quick way to call on your MLA to take action on these issues.
You may have seen the recent W5 investigation, “Dogs in Distress”, which exposed the commercial sled dog industry in Canada. The investigation found disturbing evidence of dogs chained outdoors for prolonged periods; repetitive pacing behaviour; and inhumane forms of euthanasia.
The welfare issues highlighted in the investigation reiterate the need for updating B.C.’s Sled Dog Standards of Care Regulation, which are overdue for review.
You can watch the full investigation below. Please note that the images and stories shared in this story may be very upsetting.
A recent concerning decision by Iditarod officials also highlights welfare issues in the long-distance sled dog race across Alaska. Despite claiming that participants would be disqualified for inhumane treatment of dogs, race officials penalized those who made the decision to shelter their dog teams safely indoors during a dangerous storm.
Officials noted that the participants who decided bring their dog teams indoors gained a competitive advantage even though they “did the right thing for their dogs”.
This concerning decision highlights a prevailing attitude that sled dogs can be exploited for human gain, even at the expense of their well-being.
With warmer weather fast approaching, sled dogs will soon find themselves in the sled dog tourism industry’s off-season. Current regulations allow dogs to be chained for more than 23 hours a day, and many outdoor dog houses provide little protection from the summer heat. Use the quick email tool below to help protect sled dogs now.
Vancouver – Video taken by animal advocates and provided to the Vancouver Humane Society (VHS) allegedly shows sled dogs being held in cages and on chains in a barren yard at a kennel operated by Blackcomb Dogsled, a Whistler-based sled dog tour company.
The dogs in the video, seen here, are showing stereotypic behaviour, which is a purposeless repetitive action indicating psychological suffering. The dogs can be seen pacing back and forth in cages and repeatedly running in circles around the posts they are chained to.
“No dog should have to live like this,” said VHS projects and communications director Peter Fricker. “The dogs in the video are being denied the freedom to engage in normal behaviours, including socializing with other dogs or with human companions.”
VHS is launching a campaign calling on the B.C. government to update the provincial Sled Dog Standards of Care Regulation to conform to the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association’s Code of Practice for Canadian Kennel Operations, which states that: “Tethering of dogs (i.e., chains or ropes used to tie the dog to an immoveable object such as a stake or building) is not allowable as a method of confining a dog to a primary enclosure, nor as the only means of containment.”
The Kennel Code also requires that: “Dogs are housed in such a way as to allow them to display natural behaviours, to socialize with or without other species of animals and humans, as appropriate, and to protect public safety.”
Fricker said the conditions shown in the video are not uncommon in sled dog operations across Canada and are not illegal. “These conditions are deplorable, yet there is nothing in the law to protect sled dogs from being treated this way.” He said VHS is urging the public to boycott sled dog tours.
B.C.’s Sled Dog Standards of Care Regulation, introduced after the infamous 2010 killing of 56 sled dogs in Whistler, still allows dogs to be tethered for up to 23 hours a day. The standards also allow sled dog tour companies in B.C. to shoot surplus sled dogs, provided the operator has “made reasonable efforts to rehome the sled dog, but those efforts have been unsuccessful” and the operator follows certain guidelines.
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Contact Peter Fricker: 604 603 5401
Join us in calling on the B.C. government to update the “Sled Dog Standards of Care” regulation.
More than 10 years after the infamous 2010 killing of 56 sled dogs in Whistler, sled dogs are still suffering in British Columbia.
A W5 investigation, “Dogs in Distress”, exposes the commercial sled dog industry in Canada, highlighting evidence of dogs chained outdoors for prolonged periods; repetitive pacing behaviour; and inhumane forms of euthanasia.
In February 2021, the BC SPCA seized 40 dogs in distress from Spirit of the North Kennels, a West Kootenay sled dog operator, citing concerns including inadequate shelter, hypothermia, suspected dehydration and stereotypic behaviour by the dogs, which is a purposeless repetitive action indicating extreme boredom and frustration.
Meanwhile, video taken by people concerned for the well-being of the dogs and provided to VHS allegedly shows dogs at another sled dog facility, Blackcomb Dogsled in Whistler, being held in cages and on tethers in a barren yard.
The dogs appear to be showing stereotypic behaviour and can be seen pacing back and forth in cages and repeatedly running in circles around the posts they are tethered to.
No dog should have to live like this. B.C.’s Sled Dog Standards of Care Regulation, introduced after the deaths of the 56 sled dogs in Whistler, still allows dogs to be tethered for more than 23 hours a day. The standards also allow sled dog tour companies in B.C. to shoot surplus sled dogs, provided the operator has “made reasonable efforts to rehome the sled dog, but those efforts have been unsuccessful” and the operator follows certain guidelines.
The provincial government needs to update the regulation to, at the very least, conform to the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association’s 2018 Code of Practice for Canadian Kennel Operations, which states that “Tethering of dogs (i.e., chains or ropes used to tie the dog to an immoveable object such as a stake or building) is not allowable as a method of confining a dog to a primary enclosure, nor as the only means of containment.”
The Kennel Code also requires that: “Dogs are housed in such a way as to allow them to display natural behaviours, to socialize with or without other species of animals and humans, as appropriate, and to protect public safety.”
If the B.C. regulation conformed to these requirements of the Kennel Code it would put an end to the tethering of sled dogs by tour companies.
Please use our simple email tool below to send a message to B.C. Minister of Agriculture, Lana Popham, who is responsible for the Sled Dog Standards of Care Regulation. You can also sign the pledge not to take part in sled dog tours.
Learn more about the sled dog tourism industry.
Sled dogs are tethered for long periods and it is still legal to shoot surplus dogs
Who can forget it? The 2010 killing of 56 sled dogs in Whistler shocked B.C. and made headlines around the world. The public outcry prompted government intervention but has life really changed for sled dogs?
Many questioned whether justice was served when the sled dog tour company employee who killed the dogs was sentenced to three years’ probation, a $1,500 fine, 200 hours of community service, and a ten year firearms ban. It was alleged he had been instructed by the company to “cull” the dogs due to a downturn in business following the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Nevertheless, there was hope that public outrage would lead to positive change. The “Whistler sled dog massacre,” as it came to be known, shone a light on the sled dog tour industry and its treatment of the dogs. The provincial government responded with a code of practice and standards of care for the industry. But the effectiveness of these actions has long been questioned.
In a sad irony, it is still legal for tour companies in B.C. to shoot surplus sled dogs, provided the operator has “made reasonable efforts to rehome the sled dog, but those efforts have been unsuccessful” and the operator follows certain guidelines (as illustrated below).
A major problem with the provincial government’s regulation of care standards for sled dogs is lack of enforcement. This became clear when the regulation was introduced and no government funding was allocated to the BC SPCA to enforce the regulations. Tour operations are not inspected and action can only be taken if a complaint is made to the BC SPCA. In short, no one is watching to ensure regulations are followed.
Although the sled dog standards of care were a step forward, they did not ban tethering or chaining of dogs, which VHS and many animal advocates had called for. The standards only require that: “An operator must ensure that each sled dog is released from its containment area at least once in each 24-hour period, for the purposes of socialization and exercise.” This means a dog could be tethered for 23 out of 24 hours with violating the regulations.
Tethering is a contentious subject, with sled dog tour industry claiming it is humane while many animal advocates call for it to be banned. The 2016 documentary Sled Dogs, which revealed how tethering is the norm in the industry, quoted animal behaviour and animal welfare scientist Dr. Rebecca Ledger: “When they’re tethered they may live in community with other dogs, but that’s not a community – it’s a prison.”
The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association’s Code of Practice for Canadian Kennel Operations states that “Tethering of dogs (i.e., chains or ropes used to tie the dog to an immoveable object such as a stake or building) is not allowable as a method of confining a dog to a primary enclosure, nor as the only means of containment.” If true for a dog kennel, why not for a sled dog kennel?