{"id":53570,"date":"2024-11-07T17:53:27","date_gmt":"2024-11-07T22:53:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.spca.com\/encadrement-industrie-des-chiens-de-traineau\/"},"modified":"2024-11-07T18:17:54","modified_gmt":"2024-11-07T23:17:54","slug":"oversight-sled-dog-industry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.spca.com\/en\/oversight-sled-dog-industry\/","title":{"rendered":"The Montreal SPCA calls for stricter oversight of the sled dog industry\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Press release \u2014 for immediate release <\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Montreal SPCA calls for stricter oversight of the sled dog industry <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The organization reacts to the cases of Exp\u00e9dition Mi-Loup and Chenil La Poursuite <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Montreal, November 7,\u202f2024 \u2014 Following serious cases of animal neglect and cruelty in the sled dog industry that have been exposed in the media in recent months, in particular those related to the convictions of Exp\u00e9dition Mi-Loup and Chenil La Poursuite, the Montreal SPCA is launching<\/strong> a petition<\/strong> calling on the minist\u00e8re de l<\/strong>\u2019Agriculture, des P\u00eacheries et de l<\/strong>\u2019Alimentation du Qu\u00e9bec (MAPAQ) to impose stricter oversight of this industry in order to protect the thousands of dogs it uses<\/strong>, and to ensure that such cases never recur in Quebec.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

An industry that is not specifically regulated<\/strong> <\/h6>\n\n\n\n

Dog sledding is a popular winter pastime in Quebec, especially among tourists. There are over 130 facilities in the province, in which at least 5,000 dogs are put to work.<\/strong>  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDespite its size and the significant risk it entails for animal welfare, the <\/strong>sled dog<\/strong> industry is not subject to any specific oversight in Quebec,<\/strong> unlike in British Columbia, for example\u201d, explains Sophie Gaillard, Director of Animal Advocacy and Legal and Government Affairs at the Montreal SPCA. \u201cThe Montreal SPCA is therefore calling on the minist\u00e8re de l\u2019Agriculture, des P\u00eacheries et de l\u2019Alimentation du Qu\u00e9bec (MAPAQ) to put in place a regulatory framework specific to this industry, including mandatory standards and strict enforcement of these standards,\u201d she adds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Serious animal welfare issues<\/strong> <\/h6>\n\n\n\n

In the sled dog industry, most dogs spend almost their entire lives tethered to the end of a chain.<\/strong> Deprived of the opportunity to move freely and socialize normally, dogs kept tethered can develop severe frustration and even psychological distress,<\/strong> eventually leading to the development of stereotypical behaviours or compulsive disorders.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Few dogs <\/strong>in this industry are spayed or neutered<\/strong>, which leads to unwanted litters, sometimes resulting in the killing of puppies.<\/strong> Nearly 30 <\/strong>sled dog<\/strong> facilities<\/strong> <\/strong>in Quebec have more than 50 dogs each, and some have as many as 200.<\/strong> Such overcrowding<\/strong> makes it impossible to provide each animal with the care and attention they require, thus increasing the risk of neglect.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, true retirement programs<\/strong> for older dogs, or those unfit to pull a sled, are rare in this industry; such dogs are usually killed<\/strong> or die of old age at the end of their chain<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beyond the incidents of animal cruelty and offences under the law that have made the headlines in recent months, the standard practices of the sled dog industry are problematic. Thousands of pages of documents obtained through access to information requests and reviewed by the Montreal SPCA demonstrate the inadequate \u2013 yet legal \u2013living conditions of sled dogs in Quebec.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA tethered female dog shows signs of illness, she cowers, she doesn\u2019t want to move, her eyes are blank [\u2026]. The dog\u2019s gait is unsteady, she seems very weak. [\u2026] She apparently gave birth to 6 puppies last Saturday (August 12, 2023) and decapitated them the following day.\u201d \u2013 Excerpt from a MAPAQ inspection report (2023)\u202f[our translation from French] <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read further excerpts of MAPAQ inspection reports\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stricter regulatory framework<\/strong> <\/h6>\n\n\n\n

The Montreal SPCA urges the provincial government to impose animal welfare standards specific to the sled dog industry<\/strong>, including: <\/p>\n\n\n\n