Urgent: Sled Dog Action
The following is from Terry Cumming of SleddogWATCHDOG.com. The Iditarod, Yukon Quest and greyhound racing use "man’s best friend" in the most unjust, hideous ways. I think we have a chance of abolishing these uses of dogs in my lifetime, so we must give it our all whenever we have the opportunity. . . .
UPDATE for those who care about sled dogs:
Our organization has been conducting a poster campaign in Whitehorse, prior to the first 2008 (25th anniversary version) Yukon Quest fundraising event which will be held on Friday, October 12th at a popular coffee shop in Whitehorse. This coffee shop has been the prime Yukon-based fundraising venue since 2005 (Alaska has its own Quest fundraising events and race sponsors). On two occasions I have contacted the owner of the business in order to educate her about the cruelty inflicted on dogs who are forced to run in the race (no response of any kind received – I suppose outright ignoring is a type of response). We have noticed that posters are being ripped down or defaced by Quest supporters, nameless cowards who will not put up posters of their own in support of the Quest (with their contact info), or write a letter to the editor in opposition to the very few Yukoners (myself included) who regularly write letters attempting to educate ignorant Yukoners who either support the Quest or who are apathetic with regard to the various cruelties inflicted on these dogs.
Please take the time to write to the owner of the business (a business that sells coffee online) who is hosting the 2008 fundraiser (three dogs were killed and many more were injured in the 2007 Quest). ‘Anonymusher’ and his or her friends can place an online order for some coffee from this establishment.
mailto: coffee@midnight-sun-coffee.com
http://midnight-sun-coffee.com
Thanks for thinking about sled dogs.
Dear Mary – thank you as always for your kindness and support. There was a big jump of visitors to the SDWD web site which I will credit you with. Today I received a forwarded email from a private animal rescue organization in the interior of British Columbia which recently rescued a large number of sled dogs from a seized property.
Here is the narrative of the rescue from the organization's website (the photos are in my estimation, indicative of how most sled dogs are kept – cheap houses, dogs tied up on short chains. Many of these dogs appear to be starving):
"Sometimes life’s road curves away from reality and takes the person down a dangerous path. So it did for this person in the Regional District of Bulkley Nechako. The exact location doesn’t matter for this story because it ends at Turtle Gardens. A few weeks ago we received a call from the Court bailiff looking for a safe haven for dogs on a seized property. He didn’t know how many or what breed they were. Could we help? I answered to please call the SPCA as they have the funding and facilities to take in multiple dogs. But that we would help if need be. Famous last words!!
Monday he called back that there was no one else to help the dogs and that they were sled dogs, possibly as many as 30. Could we help? Otherwise it was a bullet. I said yes and prayed silently and fervently that the resources to do this would fall into place. That we would have the money for the gas to pick them up. That we would have extra help. That there wouldn’t be too many. That they would be in good shape. That the money for speuters, vaccinations and vet care would be there when we needed it. And the biggest prayer of all – that they be mentally stable and adoptable.
Two days ago he called to give me the address and he still did not know the condition of the dogs but the owner was in hospital. Alarm bells went off in my head and I told him Dave and Stan would be there.
I will let the pictures tell the story. Sometimes rescue hurts the soul."
Mary – your devoted website visitors should visit the Turtle Gardens Animal Rescue web site to see the pictures of these dogs – horrors like this are allowed to happen in a rich country like Canada. There are many, many pictures of the dogs in dire straits at the yard in which they were kept. Thank heaven they were rescued, but they still need help if anybody can help.
Please visit http://turtlegardens.org
"Exploitation" of dogs in the Yukon appears to have support from just about everyone.
The money that goes into this "entertainment" is shocking.
And it is no surprise that letters to the editor by Terry and i never get the response they deserve.
Thank you Mary for posting this information. And thanks so much to you too,Terry, for having the courage of your conviction. 🙂
*Praise the Dogs*