A Saskatchewan musher is speaking out against the slaughter of the sled dogs in BC. The incident has sparked outrage across North America, and has also lead to indignation in Saskatchewan's sled dog community.
Brad Muir has been raising sled dogs for 11 years. He's says the fate of the 100 sled dogs put down in BC is unprecedented. "My initial response was to think about how sad it was for the dogs and people associated with the dogs, then I thought about the responsibility of people towards the dogs."
Like any pet owner, Muir says sled dog companies have an obligation to put down old and sick dogs in a humane fashion. He believes what happened in Whistler was anything but responsible.
The BC SPCA has said that the incident involving one man killing 100 dogs is shocking. "He shot a dog in the head, with half its head missing and still running around alive, slitting throats, and what's the most sick is that he did this in front of the other dogs that were tethered."
Muir says there are other options - dogs can be placed with other mushers, with proper screening they can become pets, or be placed in a sled dog rescue program. "You always make a plan at the end of their lives or end of their careers. You don't just assume that we're going to destroy the animal when its useful life is up, even if that very early on, so it's all about planning."
Muir admits euthanizing dogs is an unavoidable part of the dog sled industry. But for him it's all about respect. "I just kind of whisper some thanks to the dog for all that it has given us, and say good bye, then the vet does his job and the dog takes one last breath and leaves this world and that means a lot to us to behave that way to our dogs."
One good thing Muir hopes will come out of this is to make an example of the tragedy...so it will never happen again.
