Canadians from coast to coast to coast are aghast over revelations of the mass slaughter of sled dogs near Whistler, B.C.
About 100 dogs were executed last spring when the company owner could no longer afford to keep them, as business sagged after the Winter Olympics.
The dogs were penned together for the mass execution.
All were shot. Some, who didn’t die immediately, had their throat slit.
They were buried in a mass grave.
Robert Fawcett, the manager who killed the dogs, says he was told to do the dirty deed within two days, because a large tour group was coming shortly afterwards.
He claimed post-traumatic stress disorder and has been compensated by WorkSafeBC, the provincial counterpart to Alberta’s Workers’ Compensation Board.
After the first few dogs were killed, the others knew what was coming and were said to be terribly distraught.
Similar things happen every day for other breeds of animals, and most of us don’t think twice about it.
We happily eat the beef and pork that comes from slaughterhouses.
Pigs and cattle are packed into trucks, penned closely together, squeezed into single files, then dispatched by having a bolt shot through their skulls or had their throats slit on industrial kill lines.
Within days, they are on grocery shelves and kitchen tables.
Dogs are different, at least in our culture.
Dogs are not dinner; they are part of the family.
On farms, dogs are not just pets; they are a revered part of the workforce.
Thousands of years ago, humans brought dogs into their households as protectors. With their exceptional senses of smell, hearing and sight, dogs gave humans early warnings of impending danger.
The relationship has been mutually rewarding.
The image of ancient dogs, huddled around fires with people, warning of and warding off attacks by sabre-tooth cats is part of collective human memory.
Not everybody shares this view about dogs. In some cultures, cats are revered while dogs are considered unclean.
People are entitled to their own views on this topic.
One thing we can say for certain, however: dog-sledding businesses have embraced imagery of humans and dogs as partners.
People who pay hundreds of dollars for a day with a guide and a dog team are not just looking for some exercise in the sun and the snow. They want to share an ancient cultural experience that they believe is based on deep and enduring bonds between humans and dogs.
That’s what dog-sled companies are selling.
If people thought sledding companies did not share their views about the respectful, enduring bond between dogs and humans, they would never patronize them.
If potential customers believed those companies treated their dogs as disposable commodities who meant nothing more than cash flow, they would revile them.
Grimly, it’s hard to envision a more defensible mindset behind the conduct of the company at the centre of this heart-breaking story.
Outdoor Adventures was reported to be running 330 dogs early last year.
When business slowed appreciably after the Vancouver Olympics ended and snow conditions made sledding dodgy, they had to conduct a massive cull.
But it’s hard to fathom how the company could not carefully plan for a substantial downturn in business they had to know was coming.
The media spotlight on Whistler went elsewhere, tens of thousands of tourists went home, people turned their minds and TV sets to different diversions.
Venues that host the Olympics don’t expect to recoup all their investments during the few weeks surrounding the Games.
They invest heavily before the Olympics, hoping that the glow from stunning TV images and positive reviews will help build their clientele for years afterward.
But if they significantly ramped up their business for the Olympics without also making firm plans to deal with its immediate aftermath and treat their dogs humanely, they cannot escape the revulsion that is raining down on their heads.
The company at the centre of this scandal is owned by Joey Houssian, son of the founder of Intrawest. That company bills itself as “the world leader in destination resorts,” which includes Whistler-Blackcomb.
Outdoor Adventure dog-sled trips — costing about $170 for a three-hour tour — could be booked through the resort.
Neither Intrawest, the resort nor the scores of other tourist-related companies in the Whistler area can be blamed for this dog slaughter. But they will have to suffer directly from its fallout.
It will be a bloody stain on British Columbia’s reputation among tourists globally for years to come.
Joe McLaughlin is the retired managing editor of the Red Deer Advocate.