"In every Province across Canada and the North West Territories animals are being starved, neglected, tortured, abused and abandoned."

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B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell has ordered the creation of a task force to investigate the killing of 100 sled dogs in Whistler. BC Canada!

Victoria, BC - February 2011

The task force will be led by Liberal MLA Terry Lake, who is a veterinarian, and will include representation from the B.C. SPCA and the Union of B.C. Municipalities, Campbell said in a release Wednesday.

"The tragic and disturbing details that have emerged around how these dogs were inhumanely treated are not acceptable to British Columbians or to their government," said Campbell. "No creature should ever have to suffer in the manner that has been reported, and we want to ensure that nothing like this ever happens again in our province."

The dogs were owned by Howling Dog Tours, and revelations surfaced this week that they were shot last April and dumped in a mass grave.

The B.C. SPCA is investigating the slaughter and said Monday it likely would recommend charges to the Crown prosecutor.

Evidence gathering has been an issue, with the animals' mass grave located in frozen ground and under deep snow in the Whistler area, about 100 kilometres north of Vancouver.

Business drop prompted killings

The animals were shot after bookings for dog sledding dried up following the 2010 Olympic Games and the company had more dogs than it could afford to keep.

Earlier on Wednesday, a group that sets voluntary guidelines for the treatment of sled dogs has removed the man who admitted to the slaughter from its board of directors.

The man, who is the former operator of Howling Dog Tours, was the vice-president of Mush with Pride, a U.S.-based group that encourages responsible sled-dog care and sets voluntary guidelines for the industry.

The organization's board voted this morning to remove the man from his position, said the group's president, Karen Ramstead.

Ramstead said she told him about his removal by email, and he responded that he understood.

Threats investigated

She said Mush with Pride isn't assigning blame or guilt, but felt having him remain on the board would bring unwanted attention to the group and hamper its mission.

The RCMP Tuesday said it was investigating serious online threats made against the man who shot the dogs, both in emails and in comments made on news websites.

The man who carried out the killings has filed a successful compensation claim for post-traumatic stress from the incident, but hasn't responded to requests for comment.

Reaction to the news of up to 100 sled dogs being shot to death in Whistler last April was swift and widespread.

Tourism Whistler immediately halted bookings for dog sledding tours operated by Outdoor Adventures Whistler.

"Right now, we have suspended the sale of the dog sledding activity offered by Outdoor Adventures on our whistler.com and through our visitors' centre pending more details coming out of the investigation that's currently under way," Tourism Whistler spokesman Breton Murphy told The Province.

"A large number of the bookings when dealing with groups come through a number of different channels, and we're just one of them."

Two Facebook pages were instantly set up and soon began receiving posts of seething outrage from dog lovers around the blogosphere.

NDP leadership candidate Mike Farnworth called the incident "despicable," and advocated tougher punishment for animal abusers.

"We need to treat animal abuse as the horrific crime that it is," he said.

Farnworth, his party's former law-and-order critic, proposed doubling the maximum fine under B.C.'s Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act from $5,000 to $10,000, and called on the federal government to stiffen penalties for animal abuse in the Criminal Code.

He also called on the provincial government to contribute to the cost of animal-abuse investigations.

"B.C. is one of the few provinces that provide zero funding to its animal cruelty investigators. It's shameful and it must end," said Farnworth.

The Huffington Post ran a story calling the incident "heinous."

One comment on the story from eyelashviper said:

"It is deeply disturbing that this occurred, like many other instances of horrible cruelty towards animals or other human beings. It is simply beyond my comprehension that a human could order such an action, and that others could actually carry it out ... this is barbaric, in a supposedly 'civilized' society."

People also used Twitter to register their revulsion with the sled-dog tour operator.

"Then email info@adventureswhistler.com or call 604 932 0647 #OutdoorAdventures in #Whistler & tell them how disgusting & deplorable they are," tweeted Stephen Gillis.

I know in financial times people will be pushed to do some bad things. Murdering 100 sled dogs because business is beyond bad!"

A heated Meghan Gross tweeted: "Hearing the story on Outdoor Adventures in #Whistler makes me want to be sick & kill someone. I can't even tweet a news link. It's disgusting."

Tweeted Craig Windrim: "Take a good look. This company shot 100 sled dogs as result of post-Olympic business decline. www.adventurewhistler.com #Whistler @BOYCOTT."

"Planning a trip to #Whistler? Make sure Outdoor Adventures Whistler isn't on your itinerary," tweeted Cynnamon Schreinert.

On Facebook, there was a similar degree of outrage.

"I write this to you in Red, the same colour as the blood of those healthy dogs that you slaughtered, which is now on YOUR hands," wrote Emily Forget, group administrator for "Boycotting Outdoor Adventures in B.C., Whistler."

"You bloody murderers. Justice better be served for you people. Your business should go down and hard. It's even SICKER that you can live with yourselves after a stunt like that. You make me ashamed to be Canadian. Feel free to call me so I can scream at you more."

Melanie McInulty, another member of the Facebook group, included her email which asked whether all avenues for the dogs had been explored.

"To think that you claim to be animal lovers, yet you have allowed the cruel destruction of those beautiful dogs in the most heinous of ways makes me believe that you are money lovers, not animal lovers," she wrote. "There are agencies that would have helped and other dog sledding operators (who TRULY care about the dogs) that would have lined up to help so don't even for one second try and defend your cold and heartless actions. I for one hope that your business goes under for all the bad press you are now receiving. You and your employees do not deserve to profit any more from your murderous spree."

Articles Special by the Vancouver Sun and The Province

CFAWR abhors the practice of ANY animal used for sport and or entertainment and is going to watch this "INVESTIGATION" closely

AS REPORTED IN THE VANCOUVER SUN ,BC CANADA

Asked why they didn't visit the site the SPCA spokesperson Marcie Moriarty said they didn't have enough staff to make the trip but a phone call was made to Houssian who contacted "them back on July 16" — four days after the complaint was filed with the BC SPCA.

At the time we weren't able to get up to the property from the volume of calls the (SPCA's cruelty investigation) constables were doing (elsewhere). We simply didn't have the staff," she said

"I understood from Joey that there were to be some dogs going to you for adoption? Is that indeed happening? Or should I just show up with a truck full so they can get off the chain and get some attention, exercise, stop fighting, etc....I am happy to bring some down to stop cruelty they are going through here. "This is me as a bystander (I am off due to injury to both arms). I am the only one who has made any effort to move dogs. We still have almost 60 dogs too many, and a new litter of pups to be given away. Can you please give me a call so I know something can be done. It's breaking my heart."

Drever replied five days later, apologizing for taking so long to respond as she had not been in the office.

In her email, dated Sept. 15, 2010, she wrote: "I just informed Joey that after consulting with an animal behaviourist/veterinarian we have reached the decision these dogs are not adoptable. I will however conduct an inspection of the facility."

THE CRUELEST RACE IN EARTH

The Iditarod is race with SLED DOGS over 1150 miles of the roughest, most rugged terrain Mother Nature has to offer. She throws jagged mountain ranges, frozen river, dense forest, desolate tundra and miles of windswept coast at the mushers and their dog teams. Add to that temperatures far below zero, winds that can cause a complete loss of visibility, the hazards of overflow, long hours of darkness and treacherous climbs and side hills This is a cruel and barbaric race in which dogs are killed and maimed every year

Zorro, the prized sled dog of Lance Mackey who just won the 2008 Iditarod back to back with the Yukon Quest, was seriously injured on the trail by a snowmobiler while participating in the All-Alaska Sweepstakes. This was to have been his last race before retirement.

Despite warnings by Mackey, the snowmobile rammed the sled on which Zorro was riding, breaking his ribs and possibly injuring his spinal cord. He is at an emergency hospital in Anchorage, and has no feeling in his back legs.

Read the BCSPCA press release.
Read the truth behind the race of death for sled dogs.

Bill C-544 tabled by MP Alex Atamanenko

Canada has its first Bill to ban horse slaughter!

Thu 17 Jun 2010
OTTAWA – New Democrat Agriculture Critic, Alex Atamanenko (BC southern Interior) tabled a Private Members Bill (C-544) yesterday that would effectively shut down the slaughtering of horses for human consumption in Canada.

"The fact is that drugs which are prohibited for use during the life of any animals destined for the human food supply are routinely being administered to horses," said Atamanenko. "It is irresponsible for Canada to allow the sale of meat from horses as a food item when they have never been raised in accordance with the food safety practices required for all other animals."

According to Atamanenko, at least fifty per cent of the horses being slaughtered in Canada are imported from the US where horse slaughter has been banned.

Background In February 2010, the CHDC received covert footage from two horse slaughter plants, Bouvry Exports in Fort Macleod, Alberta, and Viande Richelieu in Massueville, Quebec.

The evidence of inhumane practices as an industry norm was overwhelming. It is evident from this investigation that horses cannot be humanely slaughtered in an assembly-line manner.

A big thank you to NDP MP Alex Atamanenko and horse supporters everywhere for this huge, historical step toward banning horse slaughter in Canada.

Please write, call or email the individuals below and implore them to have this bill passed:

Hon. Gerry Ritz
Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
781 Confederation Bldg., House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6
Email: Ritz.G@parl.gc.ca
Website: www.gerryritzmp.com
Tel: 613-995-7080; Fax: 613-996-8472

Ms. Carole Swan, President
Canadian Food Inspection Agency
1400 Merivale Rd., Tower 1, Floor 6
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0Y9
Email: carole.swan@inspection.gc.ca
Website: www.inspection.gc.ca/english/toce.shtml
Tel: 613-773-6000; Fax: 613-773-6060

Dr. Brian Evans
Chief Veterinary Officer of Canada
Canadian Food Inspection Agency
1400 Merivale Rd., Tower 1, Floor 6
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0Y9
Email: brian.evans@inspection.gc.ca
Website: www.inspection.gc.ca/english/toce.shtml