British Columbia Dog Slaughter Leads To Toughest Animal-Cruelty Laws In Canada

Workers dig up a mass grave of sled dogs near Whistler, B.C., last year.

British Columbia now has the toughest animal-cruelty laws in the country, a year after the discovery by the SPCA of a mass grave of up to 100 sled dogs in Whistler.

The provincial government has introduced the Sled Dog Code of Practice, which sets standards for health, nutrition, housing, working conditions, transportation and euthanasia.

Marcie Moriarty of the SPCA says the code will provide minimum standards that will improve the welfare of working dogs.

The issue arose last year when a leaked workers’ compensation claim indicated a man working for tour company Outdoor Adventures had developed post-traumatic stress disorder after killing the animals following the 2010 Winter Olympics.

The discovery of the slaughter horrified the province and led to amendments to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, increasing fines for animal cruelty convictions to a maximum of $75,000 and allowing jail terms of up to two years.

It also increased funding for the SPCA, which hired a team of internationally recognized forensic experts and exhumed the bodies of 52 of the dogs in May last year.

Outdoor Adventures has since been transformed into a not-for-profit foundation that uses its proceeds to improve animal welfare. No criminal charges were ever laid.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
12 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Maureenhandley
Maureenhandley
12 years ago

disgraceful ……heart breaking …un-nessasary murder

Ross
Ross
12 years ago

Thank god this disgraceful waste led to something positive.

Anne
Anne
12 years ago

I just read yesterday…that they are still allowed to shoot their dogs…if unwanted

Richelleme
Richelleme
12 years ago

How can man kind justify its actions on a helpless animal ,so disgraceful

Babsrichar
Babsrichar
12 years ago

Obscene, completely and totally heartless!

 

Bgubryn
Bgubryn
12 years ago

No criminal charges were ever filed? Wow!!! 100 helpless,innocent dogs slaughtered and the person(s) responsible for making that decision didn’t pay for their cruelty???? There is no justice in this world!

Susanstrong
Susanstrong
12 years ago

SERIOUSLY????????????….no charges filed?….WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!

wunder
wunder
12 years ago

too little too late.  and protection for ‘pet’ animals is still very weak as they are only covered by the same laws that ‘protect’ farm animals.

Laura
Laura
12 years ago

I hope there will be no more killings!! That other huskies will be adopted out and find loving people to take care of them as a pet!! And not in a mass grave like the photos of injustice we have seen!!!

Antionette Mckinney
12 years ago

My God they had no reason do that they could have done something else that was so cruel I dont understand why this is done to animals.
 

Sharon McCullough
12 years ago

I believe the time is here to make demands of an animal rights charter and an overhaul to update our over 100 year old laws on animals. In an election year, and the worst prime minister the animals have ever had to deal with in history insisting on one last baby seal slaughter ( while the rest of the world condemns it), who cares nothing for the wildlife, salmon streams, water ways, elk, caribou and deer if they are in the way of oil and mining. Just look at gag orders he has put on scientists who keep trying to tell us of the dangers of his so called ‘leadership’.

 For all steven harper and peter kent care, the animals of Canada can all drop dead so they aren’t bothering their time and interfering with the ass kissing harper’s giving the oil and mining companies. Animal rights activists should all drop off the earth and get out of his way so he can continue to sell off our country to the highest bidder so he can say ” hey I made you money, you should all adore and idolize me as the world’s greatest dear emporer.” Go figure that the individual responsible for the slaughtered sled dogs got off without a charge. With our anti-animal gov’t ??Give me a break. 

In a recent guideline set out by the same gov’t, it gives details of how to properly kill sled dogs so they don’t suffer!!!!!

The only progress this country will make towards animal rights will be to rid ourselves of the harper regime and throw the dictator in a pit of hungry grizzlies. I don’t hate harper but I very much hate what he is doing to my country and our dying wildlife.

Truth
Truth
12 years ago

why weren’t criminal charges laid!!??

SUBSCRIBE TO
DOG FILES

Top Posts

More Articles...

12
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x

Why haven't You Signed up For our Newsletter?

Find out why over 8000 Dog lovers have already Joined!

Receive our newsletter, get special deals & stay updated.