Dogs and humans hit the trail for the Yukon Quest, one of the most important races in the sport of dog sledding, on 5 February, but instead of featuring news of the race, recent North American news headlines have focused on the tragic killing of 100 sled dogs in Whistler, British Columbia, almost a year ago.

The details of the incident have been recounted in news all over North America and the world beginning with radio station CKNW, The Vancouver Sun. The Associated Press is covering the story and reports have appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle, Bloomberg, The Globe and Mail, and countless other news sources. The Anipal Times is not going to recount them here. In fact, the controversy surrounding this incident is also swirling around The Vancouver Sun and the SPCA of British Columbia in the complicated string of events.

Everyone is horrified by what happened to the sled dogs in Whistler in April 2010. However, that’s where the path of agreement about dog sledding ends and trails diverge toward wildly different conclusions about the sport and its record on animal welfare.

Historically, the picture is mixed on the welfare issue. First of all, this isn’t the only time a lot of dogs were killed all at the same time. Far from it.

The culture of dog sled racing has numerous critics. However, it’s also clear that the sled dog’s lot isn’t all bad either, and it can be very good when the human musher, the term for humans who run sleds and dogs, is a responsible guardian of the dogs’ welfare. Although a lot of members of our anipal community see the breeds that were bred to pull sleds as companion animals in towns – in fact a husky lives across the street from us in Texas – many more of these dogs are working animals, more often living like farm animals than companions. If you think about the treatment of some farm animals, the sled dog’s life can look pretty cushy in comparison.

Although comparing sled dogs to farm animals is controversial, it is not uncommon. Carol Kleckner, vice president of the Second Chance League of Fairbanks, Alaska, said that in that state, sled dogs are commonly viewed as expendable after their pulling days are over, like farm animals.

“There are MANY wonderful mushers,” Kleckner said. “People that love their dogs and take good care of them. And people that love their dogs, feed them better than they eat themselves.  But, many people will not keep a dog past its working life.”

The standards for care for sled dogs both on the trail and in the kennel are, themselves, a controversial subject. Mushers who race in the Iditarod are required to belong to Mush with PRIDE, an organization that puts forth a set of standards and offers guidelines both for how to care for dogs and how to plan for crises, such as the financial crisis that hit Howling Dogs Tours Whistler.

Karen Ramstead, president of Mush with PRIDE, said, “The incident in Whistler has horrified the mushing community. It saddens me to think that people make judgments based on this incident about the whole sport.”

Ramstead has a particular reason to be concerned about the Whistler incident; the man who killed the dogs was on the board of the organization. He was swiftly removed from his position as soon as the news went public.

Ramstead said she has trouble understanding why dog sledding gets so much attention for welfare issues because when she compares it to her experiences in equestrian activities, canine obedience and dog shows, conditions for the animals in dog sledding are much better all around.

“[Dog sledding] really is a sport where the dog’s welfare is the main concern,” she said. She called the relationship between the dogs and the musher “a very deep and unusual partnership” that people who haven’t experienced it would have trouble understanding. For her, dog sledding is one of the only times in modern society that dogs get to use their gifts and participate fully in the partnership with humans.

Ramstead runs North Wapiti Siberian Husky Kennels and has finished the Iditarod, dog sledding’s most famous endurance race. She asks those of us who are not as familiar with dog sledding not to judge the whole sport based on one tragic incident.

The SPCA of British Columbia is investigating the Whistler incident, but criticism of humane conditions for sled dogs is not new.  The Sled Dog Action Coalition calls for supporters to focus attention on Iditarod supporters as a lever to bring change in standards of care.  PETA calls for a boycott of all dog sledding races and tours. Danyne Hoeppner posted “Prosecute for the senseless slaughter of 100 Sled Dogs” on care2petitionsite on 31 January with a goal of 7,500 signatures. By 11 February, the petition had collected 101, 524 signatures. Numerous other petitions about sled dog welfare are circulating on the Web.

People all over North America are holding vigils and calling for a boycott of dog sled races and tourist establishments, USA Today reported. Some of the many people calling for a boycott of racing and dog sledding tours may, indeed be basing their response on this single incident. However, others, including dog sledding professionals and enthusiasts have a lot more information and many of them are also calling for new standards in ethical sled dog care. In fact as of 11 Febrary, 60 sled dog establishments had applied to join the brand new Canadian/International Sled Dog Coalition. The Toronto Sun reported that the organization’s founder, Connie Arsenault, of Snowy Owl Sled Dog Tours in Canmore, Alberta, hopes this coalition will be able to hold mushers to high ethical standards and protect the welfare of sled dogs.

Like Ramstead, the Arsenault family ask us to learn more about dog sledding before concluding that the sport is cruel. They suggest instead that rather than boycotting dog sledding, we ask questions about the care, training and work practices of a particular sledding establishment. The website for Snowy Owl Dog Sled Tours offers information about what ethical work and kenneling should look like and the gives outsiders some questions to ask mushers.

It is clear that the public is aroused now to find out more about sled dogs lives and The Anipal Times will be providing additional information in a series of stories over the next few weeks, the high season for dog sled races. We will look at the life cycle of the racing sled dog from puppyhood to retirement and at the role of sled dogs in the history and society of North America. We will also provide our audience links to learn more on their own about this fascinating and controversial sport.

Tagged as: Canadian Sled Dog Coalition, Mush with PRIDE, sled dog