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Exploiting the sled dog image |
In the Yukon, a large amount of money and energy is invested in the Yukon Quest by the Yukon territorial government (the tourism department is a major race sponsor), private businesses and individuals, and by race volunteers. Many Yukon businesses serve the sled dog industry and profit from the labours of working sled dogs, including Yukon Quest dogs, who are used as sources of entertainment for northerners. Proportionately, very little money is invested in improving the conditions in which many of these dogs live and there is little concern on the part of government about the health of the dogs being forced to run in the Quest. This lack of concern does not only apply to the welfare of Yukon Quest dogs, but to the dog yards of some hobby mushers, sled dog tourism operators, and 'dog collectors.' In a letter to a local newspaper in 2005, I referred to some of these dog yards as 'canine gulags,' which is a perfectly apt description. The sled dog business is a growing industry in the Yukon with several sled dog tourism operations springing up in the last few years. Outside of the city limits of Whitehorse, there are absolutely no regulations stipulating the proper way to treat and house sled dogs. There is no restriction on the amount of dogs a tourist operation may own. It is worrisome that without any regulations, the provision of proper housing and general dog care may be of secondary importance to the actual collecting of the dogs who will 'earn their keep' pulling sleds or carts for tourists, winter and summer. Should a business fail, there may be little or no refuge available for the dogs who are no longer needed. Recently, the organizing committee for the 2007 Canada Winter Games in Whitehorse, which will be jointly hosted by Canada's northern territories, chose 'husky mascots' to represent each of the three jurisdictions. The games committee also decided upon a 'dog mushing logo' for promotional purposes. The Yukon Territory, NWT, and Nunavut have shameful records for providing animal protection laws along with the necessary personnel to enforce them. Because of this, there is much suffering inflicted on real husky-type sled dogs and northern dogs. Dog mushing was under consideration as a 'demonstration sport' for the 2006 Winter Olympics and mushing proponents continue to lobby for its inclusion as an official sport. This would undoubtedly exponentially increase the number of people who will be motivated to take up competitive mushing, and will attract untold suffering on the dogs who will be drafted into bringing glory to existing and new mushers. 2008 UPDATE: The cowards at the Yukon Quest have abandoned heading up their 'own quest' for an expensive permanent dog mushing arch/monument close to the traditional Yukon Quest starting line near the end of Main Street in Whitehorse. But 'never fear' as the RCMP Auxiliary has stepped in to complete this vital project that is estimated to cost several hundreds of thousands of dollars and to create employment for at least three local carvers who will take a year-and-a-half to complete the masterpiece. The RCMP Auxiliary is a logical choice to manage the project as apparently the RCMP, like their Yukon Quest allies, apparently have a history of killing sled dogs themselves. |