Slaughter of sled dogs in BC raises valid concerns about unregulated industry
Thursday, February 03, 2011The Canadian Federation of Humane Societies (CFHS) is troubled by recent reports of a mass cull of 100 dogs by a dog sled touring company in Whistler, BC. We believe this incident raises valid questions about the unregulated use of animals for profit in industries like the dog sledding industry. It also highlights the need to improve Canada’s animal cruelty law and its enforcement.
According to media reports, the dogs that were killed last spring were shot in full view of the other dogs, and some did not die immediately from their first gunshot wound. Clearly this process would have caused unnecessary and prolonged fear, panic, pain and suffering.
It is difficult to know whether this was an isolated, exceptional case, or one instance of a problem that is widespread throughout the industry. Because dog sledding companies aren’t subject to regulations or inspections, abuses will only come to light if and when a complaint is made, followed by an investigation.
In British Columbia, dedicated animal cruelty investigators from the BC SPCA respond to complaints of animal mistreatment and, when warranted, they recommend to the Crown that charges be laid under provincial legislation or the federal Criminal Code.
But what if these dogs had been killed in another jurisdiction, like the Yukon or Northwest Territories? There, it falls to police to enforce the animal cruelty section of the Criminal Code — the only law that exists to protect animals everywhere in Canada. Reports from the public in these territories suggest that the authorities do not always investigate reported animal cruelty incidents. Yet it is in remote Northern communities where the biggest potential for inhumane treatment exists, as animals kept outdoors face extreme cold, and there are usually no local veterinary services available to provide medical care or perform humane euthanasia.
Worse still, the Criminal Code is so full of loopholes when it comes to animal cruelty that even when animal abusers are charged under this law, many cannot be successfully prosecuted. For instance, people who neglect their animals, even to the point of death by starvation, can escape criminal prosecution by simply claiming they did not intend to cause the animal suffering. That’s why the CFHS has been campaigning for years to tighten up the animal cruelty section of the Criminal Code.
The RCMP and BC SPCA (a member of the CFHS) are investigating the Whistler sled dog case, and the premier of BC has assembled a task force to investigate further. We are pleased to see serious attention being paid to this incident. Moving forward, we must reform the Criminal Code so that animals in Canada are given meaningful protection from all forms of abuse. We urge Canadians to learn more about the weaknesses of the current law and take action at www.stopanimalabuse.ca.
We also encourage Canadians to contact their provincial/territorial and federal government representatives to demand proper regulation and inspection of industries which use animals, such as dog sledding, to ensure that standards of humane treatment are defined and adhered to.
For more details on the Whistler case, please see the BC SPCA’s website at www.spca.bc.ca/news-and-events/news/whistler-sled-dog.html.
