Sled Dog Watchdog - Sled Dog Country (Yukon)

Shoot One Dog, Shoot 74 Dogs - Perfectly Legal in the Yukon

In late June of 2006, Yukon media reported the mass slaughter of 74 dogs (originally reported as 56),
who belonged to a Dawson City area 'dog hoarder.' The dogs were killed in one shooting spree that
took place two months earlier. Area residents and the Humane Society Dawson became concerned
about these dogs' horrible situation and the RCMP were notified as well, for up to a year before the
killings took place. The dog owner moved his dogs outside of Dawson town limits to a more remote
location in order to avoid Dawson animal protection laws and the prying eyes of Dawsonites. The dogs
were moved to a property on the Dempster Highway where they suffered until their deaths. The dog
killer escaped prosecution. The story received wide exposure nationally on CBC Radio.

CBC Yukon interview about dog shootings

Sources:

Dog deaths bring laws into question (CBC)

Yukon Courts Judgement: 'Scheer v. Howe and Foesier'

Plea for Yukon animal protection legislation - Dawson Citizen's Forum

[Letter to Yukon newspapers from Andrea Lemphers - Past President/Founder of Humane
Society Yukon]:

July 6, 2006

Letter to the Editor/commentary

Should you be concerned that a man, with forethought, deliberately, systematically killed 74 dogs,
simply because he didn't want anyone else to have them?

I lie awake at night wondering how many women and children were terrified beyond speech, when
they heard why this man killed all of his dogs. How many women have heard their male partners say to
them, "If I can't have you, nobody else will."? How many children have heard it being said to their
mother? It's terrible to know that we'll never know the answers to these questions, because the victims
are too scared to seek help.

What rational and sane society would sit back, yawn, and think since it was legal, and they were just
dogs, there's nothing I can do and it doesn't concern me? Our Yukon society, the collective "we", is
doing just that.

Our collective lack of VOCAL concern sends a strong message to our politicians that "we" simply don't
care enough, about the most helpless and vulnerable victims of abuse (including abused people) in our
society, to demand change. If individual people don't speak loudly, the status quo remains unchanged,
which I find very disheartening.

"Protection of animals is part of our criminal law because a person's treatment of animals, like the
treatment of children, the infirm or other vulnerable parties, is viewed as a barometer of that person's
treatment of people. As with all other criminal offences, harming animals amounts to hurting
everyone." (Extracted from: R. v. Campbell Brown, 2004 ABPC 17: Reasons for Sentence of the
Honourable Judge A. J. Brown]

When anyone is capable of carrying out the willful slaughter of 74 pets, whether legal or not, and
makes a statement that effectively says "If I can't have them, then nobody will," it should raise alarm
bells that signal a potential threat to people may exist within our community.

The link between human violence and animal abuse is now officially recognized as being very real, and
is an issue that needs be taken very seriously, by everyone.

"Well documented cases include; Gary Ridgway, the Green River Killer, the most recent US convicted
serial killer, suffocated a cat as a child, Jeffery Dahmer, notorious serial killer impaled frogs,
decapitated dogs and staked cats to trees before turning the violence toward human victims. Luke
Woodham at 16 killed his mother and two high school students and injured seven others. Prior to this
he beat his dog with clubs, doused her with lighter fluid, set her on fire and threw her in a pond.
Andrew Golden, 11, told friends he shot dogs with a .22 all the time. He and Mitchell Johnson, 13
killed four students and one teacher ambushed during a fire drill. Animal abuse is not a cause and
effect issue but it is not surprising when there is a link. Often the first step of violent acts is abuse of
animals." [Source: http://www.spca.bc.ca/link/research.asp]

The existing Animal Protection Act (territorial legislation) and the Criminal Code of Canada's Cruelty to
Animals Act completely failed to protect these animals from suffering distress long before they were
killed. Some of the dogs were in such horrible condition, that the Dawson City Humane Society was
going out again to seize some very distressed dogs from the owner and determine if more charges
should be laid against him. Despite their best efforts, the humane society could not save a single one of
them, as [their owner's] answer to the seizure order was to kill every single dog he owned.

Our existing territorial legislation is obviously seriously flawed and will continue to completely fail to
protect animals from suffering terrible distress over extended periods of time. Our politicians need to
hear from you that this is not acceptable.

After 18 years of unsuccessful lobbying of five successive territorial governments to amend our Animal
Protection Act, I am still steadfast in my belief that if the Animal Protection law is strong, it will have a
trickle up effect and will improve the lives of people who suffer abusive situations.

In our small community of the Yukon, it should be easy to facilitate effective cross-reporting between
agencies on the human/animal violence link, to better serve people at risk, or who are in abusive
relationships.

There is also a need for comprehensive workshops specifically dealing with animal and family
protection issues to share information and to raise awareness of the issues effecting animal welfare and
social service agencies.

In order for this to work, there must be a strong network between the various agencies. Each should be
aware of the connection between their particular area of focus and that of other professionals, effective
identification and reporting of cases and what to do with the information they have gathered.

There is a desperate need for two "special officers" who are specially trained to: investigate complaints
of animals in distress and the duties associated with it; provide public and professional workshops on
the link between human violence and animal abuse; work closely with agencies in cross-reporting;
provide education to all school age children on the responsibilities of animal ownership and care.

I am asking all of you who care, not to rely on articles such as this to be your voice. This is just me,
one voice speaking alone, and it's just not enough.

I implore you to email, or make a telephone call, or write (an anonymous call or note if you prefer) to
your Member of the Legislative assembly, to let them know that you DO care. All you need to do is tell
them that you have read this and let them know what it means to you. I would ask that you go back
and re-read the very first sentence, and then decide.

Your voice does count and it will make a difference.

Andrea Lemphers
Whitehorse, YT

Animal Rescue Links:

Humane Society Yukon - Mae Bachur Animal Shelter, Whitehorse