The Canadian Coalition for Sled Dogs Pushes for Humane Practices

CANMORE, AB--(Marketwired - March 28, 2017) - The Canadian Coalition for Sled Dogs is working with the federal and provincial governments to support efforts to ensure the humane treatment of animals in sled dog touring, racing and recreational activities. The not-for-profit is auditing best practices in animal welfare legislation to develop and implement a stringent code of practice to improve the welfare of working sled dogs.

Proposed standards would include humane kennel management, tethering and penning practices, free run requirements, veterinary care, mandatory dog registration, adoption outlines, a strict no-kill policy for controlling numbers and more. An educated, regulated permitting body would monitor kennels to ensure fully-disclosed, transparent operations.

"There are many well-managed sled dog touring companies, racing kennels and recreational mushers in Canada who operate under the highest standards in dog care. But, there is a dark side. We want to ensure every sled dog in Canada is humanely cared for and protected," said Connie Creighton, president of The Canadian Coalition for Sled Dogs.

The Coalition is collaborating with key stakeholder groups responsible for the care of sled dogs: veterinarians; animal welfare groups; government bodies; sled dog communities; and international contacts working to establish similar codes of conduct and auditing programs.

Sled Dog operations contribute to Canada's cultural heritage and tourism. Developing standards and an audit process ensures the industry operates in a more professional, acceptable manner. Standards will help tourists find ethically-managed sled dog touring companies and races.

"Dog sledding is the oldest form of winter transportation within Canada, pioneered over 2,000 years ago. We encourage increased education, deeper accountability and greater responsibility to develop new opportunities for the growth and advancement of the sled dog sport and the care of its star players, the sled dogs," said Creighton.

The Canadian Coalition for Sled Dogs is a not-for-profit, federally registered organization founded in 2012 by a group of Canmore, Alberta-based sled dog enthusiasts.

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