The media (across Canada and – unfortunately – in lots of other countries) is a-buzz these days about the killing of some one hundred sled dogs at a tourism operation in Whistler, BC. These animals were apparently deemed as an over-supply of inventory by the operators of a dogsled adventure company whose business reality did not match expectations following the over-hyped 2010 Winter Games.
In our mixed-up world of skewed priorities, there has been far more media attention paid this unfortunate situation than to the wholesale execution of dissidents in countries like Iran, or the daily slaughter of women and children in some struggling third-world countries. This having been said, however, there is certainly something discomfiting about the judgements that led to the killing of these dogs, let alone the apparently questionable methods by which the slaughter was carried out.
It was noteworthy, therefore, when CTV followed up on the Whistler story by interviewing one of Canada’s premier dogsled adventure operators, Brad Muir of Sundogs Excursions at Waskesiu, north of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Brad runs a small, high-quality business which focuses on demonstrating to his guests the close relationships between the dogs, the forests and frozen lakes, and the people who use dog teams and sleds for trade, transport and enjoyment in their traditional habitat. An email from one of Sundogs’ recent guests (in early February 2011), speaks to this better than I can:
Hello Brad and Marcia,
Both L… and I would like to say a huge thank you for your warm hospitality. This was truly a day to remember for the rest of our lives. The passion you show for this sport is channelled through to the enthusiasm of your huskies. Since we returned home, we have not stopped talking about the experience, and have been updating all our friends on this remarkable excursion. We really do intend to do this again sometime, so you might see us some time soon.
Take care
F… and L…
Brad spoke on-camera to the CTV television reporter of the occasional necessity for euthanizing a sick or injured animal. When he is faced with this necessity, he talks of it as a sad time, a time of thanks for a life well-lived, and – perhaps above all – a time to use a professional to undertake the killing in a painless and peaceful manner. It is, indeed, all about respect.
And perhaps respect is at the core of this whole affair. Dogsleds were, in fact, never a feature of life on the west slope of the coast mountains. While there is nothing evil about establishing a dogsledding business there, it smacks of building a ride at a theme park, far removed from any cultural or even geographic context. It should therefore not surprise us that, while cash flow governs the business decisions at a theme park ride, love and respect govern the business ethics of an experience offered in a place where these magnificent animals have been a beloved part of day-to-day life for centuries.
Captain Peter Kingsmill
http://www.canadanatureescapes.ca
Sunday, February 6, 2011
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