http://www.globaltvbc.com/sled+dogs+slaughtered+Whistler+when+tourism+slumped/4196889/story.html


WHISTLER, B.C. - The RCMP and the B.C. SPCA are now investigating the slaughter of about 100 sled dogs in Whistler, B.C., an incident the SPCA called "an absolute massacre."

The SPCA's Marcie Moriarty says the description of the April 2010 incident is an "absolutely criminal code offence."

Staff. Sgt. Steve LeClair, of Whistler RCMP, confirmed his detachment has opened a file, but the primary investigator on the case will be the SPCA.

Documents obtained by CKNW radio reveal about 100 healthy sled dogs were killed in a mass slaughter in Whistler last April 21 and 23.

According to the WorkSafe B.C. documents obtained by the station, an employee of Outdoor Adventures Whistler has been compensated for post-traumatic stress disorder after being ordered to shoot the animals.

The documents reveal bookings for dog sled tours collapsed after the Olympics and when the company could not find homes for its animals, it ordered the cull.

"I know I've said in the past that I've seen horrific things involving animal cruelty, but reading this, this blew my mind," said Moriarty.

"It was an absolute massacre. Some of the descriptions were, yeah, just horrifying."

She said some of the dogs were shot in the head, but others clearly suffered and did not die instantly.

A spokeswoman for WorkSafe B.C. said the documents deal with a specific case and can only be released by the claimant involved.

Lawyer Cory Steinberg, who represents the man who made the claim, is to hold a news conference at noon.

Outdoor Adventures Whistler did not contest the details in the WorkSafe documents except to indicate that the injured worker claimed to have killed 70 dogs, but 100 were actually destroyed.

In a statement, the company called the situation "tragic and regrettable."

Graham Aldcroft, a spokesman for the company, said Outdoor Adventures had a financial stake in a company called Howling Dogs, but operational control of Howling Dogs was with the worker referred to in the WorkSafe B.C. documents.

"While we were aware of the relocation and euthanization of dogs at Howling Dog Tours, we were completely unaware of the details of the incident until reading the. . . document Sunday," Aldcroft said in the statement.

Outdoor Adventures took over control of Howling Dogs in May, Aldcroft said, and said it is now company policy that animals needing to be euthanized are treated at a vet's office.


Clearly this has been under wraps for quite some time, and it's about time it came to light. I fail to understand how the company couldn't find homes for such beautiful dogs. I'm beginning to think they didn't bother looking very hard. I can't believe the employee "ordered" to kill the dogs actually went through with it, either. I don't care if my job was on the line, I would have filed a claim with WorkSafe then and there, and I would've involved the police and SPCA immediately.

Disgusting. Absolutely disgusting.

That's really, really horrible. :(

Huskies are beautiful dogs but since they're a spitz breed, they can be quite a handful for some people to handle. I see huskies being rehomed ALL the time on craigslist here. :(

That's NO excuse though. Shooting them in the head? That's just wrong. If they HAD to be put down, at least do it with a lethal overdose (euthanize them instead of shooting).

*sigh* So sad. :-(

I just re-read the article, they say 'sled dogs' - I wonder if they were all huskies or if there was some wolf/greyhound mixed in there or some mutts. I know that wolf hybrids have been used before for sled racing (and greyhounds too) but this doesn't seem like they were for racing but instead just tours. Maybe they were malamutes too.

This is really sad.

How could anyone do something like this to animals?

It's horrible ):

Clearly they didn't try very hard to find homes for these animals. I know there are a TON of people in Wisconsin that would love sled dogs (especially if they're huskies!) and there is only one Husky breeder that I know of around here. I'm sure there would be people who would pay to ship these animals to their homes.

That's so terrible :( Those poor puppies.

Jessica: Why do I find it weird that you only know of one husky breeder in Wis-fucking-consin, yet I know at least 3 in South Florida?

So backwards.

I said one in the area. By area I mean within a two hour drive.

There are tons up north.

....You are up north... :P

Uh, no. I'm not.

:( Wow, that's horrible. Sometimes the human race just sickens me.

This is horrible.

You know what really gets to me? The fact that the worker got compensated for PTSD from the ordeal because he was ordered to shoot the dogs. He then reported it to SPCA afterwards.

Why didn't he do this BEFORE he shot the dogs? I believe he is just as accountable as the rest, he could have just ignored orders and lost his job and contact SPCA, this all could have been prevented. Maybe the dogs wouldn't be adopted out but at least they'd have been put down humanely.
I know the worker says he feels really bad and that his soul is basically destroyed but still. This whole thing could have been avoided. This whole thing just makes me mad. No animal deserves to suffer like that at the hands of a human when we're capable of easing the suffering/offering a humane death.

I agree. I think there is probably something also going on with the person that carried out this act, that isn't yet known to the public. Especially if you go to the video in the link, they mention that the individual also managed ANOTHER business, which was where the dogs were relocated, and where the murders (yes, I'm gonna go ahead and call it that) took place. THEN Outdoor Adventures took over that company the month after this monstrosity occurred! I think there is more of a twist to this story than they know yet... or than WE know, considering this happened nearly a year ago and it's only just been in the news in the past week. I almost feel as though there *has* to be something wrong with someone if they successfully carry out the act of killing ONE HUNDRED intelligent, docile animals, and then decide to file a claim only after it's been finished. I am sure the claim for PTSD is perfectly valid- anyone would be scarred by that, but hmmm, makes me want to follow this story closely. Thanks to OP for posting, even if it is depressing, heh.

I was talking to Aiure about it, he should be charged with the same damn charges as the person that ordered him to kill the dogs. He could have refused, he could have walked away. Jobs aren't that hard to come by up here. As a result, I feel exactly no sympathy for the guy who was "traumatized" and I'm more of the mind that he's saying it to try to avoid the punishment rather than because it ruined him. 70 dogs is a lot of killing.

and what bothers me the most about it... it didn't become public until almost a Full year later