Speak Out for Sled Dogs Chained Without Shelter
BACKGROUND
For years, the conditions for Brian Ladoon’s sled dogs in Churchill, Manitoba, have caused outrage among residents and tourists alike. Dozens of dogs are kept chained in extremely cold, windy conditions without any shelter. Reports that dogs are periodically mauled by polar bears and wolves have made it all the worse. Photos provided to PETA can be viewed here.
Manitoba’s Animal Care Act requires an owner to “provide … reasonable protection from injurious heat or cold.” Although the Chief Veterinary Office of the Manitoba Agriculture, Food, and Rural Initiatives reportedly inspected Ladoon’s dogs in the fall of 2010 and recommended that Ladoon provide doghouses and bedding, these animals are suffering through yet another frigid winter without these necessities.
Please politely urge the CVO to act in behalf of Ladoon’s dogs immediately.
WHOM TO CONTACT
Dr. Megan Bergman, Chief Veterinary Officer
Dr. Terry Whiting, Manager, Animal Health and Welfare
Office of the Chief Veterinarian
Manitoba Agriculture, Food, and Rural Initiatives
204-945-7663 (phone)
204-945-4327 (fax)
Click HERE for access to free faxing from your computer. No fax machine, registering, or credit card required. Please remember to confirm the fax via your email after submitting.
Email
animalcare@gov.mb.ca
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear Chief Veterinary Officer Lees and Manager Whiting,
I have learned of extremely disturbing cases of animal cruelty in which Brian Ladoon’s sled dogs in Churchill, Manitoba, are currently suffering in the frigid temperatures. Incidentally, this is not an isolated occurrence and the Chief Veterinary Office of the Manitoba Agriculture, Food, and Rural Initiatives reportedly inspected Ladoon’s dogs in the fall of 2010 and recommended that Ladoon provide doghouses and bedding, which he failed to do.
Please allow me to elaborate. Our global communities share laws, moral and written, and when one person demonstrates such a gross lack of respect for both, our societies must react with concern for the innocent and potential victims. It is our obligation to protect them from cruelty, and Mr. Ladoon’s callous disregard, so easily adopted as demonstrated by his unprovoked and negligent behaviour, needs to be regarded rather than dismissed.
Please respect the victims by demonstrating your commitment to to them and imploring upon Mr. Ladoon to furnish protection from the weather and other animals. Rejecting cruelty by maintaining an unyielding position towards it would be a model for all community members and would serve to characterize this type of behaviour as both impermissible and punishable.
I know your time is limited, and I thank you for your attention to this urgent issue.
NAME
SEE MORE:
how would you feel
left out in the cold
covered in ice and snow
even your heart of gold
as your humans enjoy
a warm, cozy berth
you wait outside
in this frigid
hell on earth
Karen Lyons Kalmenson
Our Compass 
I KNOW THE DOGS HAVE A THICK COAT, BUT REALLY, THEY DESERVE TO HAVE SHELTER FROM THE ELEMENTS. THEY SERVE THEIR OWNER AND GET WHAT ????
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This happens in Vail, Aspen all of Colorado…I could not go on a sleigh ride after I saw all of these poor animals chained up and barking…they were all so skinny…what people will do to make a buck..
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WHAT A DESGRACE…. THESE POOR DOGS DESERVE PROPER TREATMENT/SHELTERS & FOODS, I AGREE WITH BETH ROSS ABOUT HOW LOW PEOPLE WILL GO TO MAKE MONEY !!! PLEASE EVERYONE WRITE IN, MAKE LOTS OF PUBLICITY ABOUT THE DOGS & THEIR SUFFERING.. WILL SOMEONE TAKE NOTE THEN? ONE CAN ONLY HOPE SO… I HAVE ALREADY PUT THIS ON TWITTER !
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how would you feel
left out in the cold
covered in ice and snow
even your heart of gold
as your humans enjoy
a warm, cozy berth
you wait outside
in this frigid
hell on earth
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Why on earth should someone have to be told how to take care of an animal,cause if u dont know already then you dont deserve to have one,let alone a team of helpless dogs that count on people to take care of them.they take care of their owners and make them money.its the least u could do….
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It matters not if the animal uses the shelter I have always provided shelter for my sled dogs and confortable bedding if he can not afford to provide shelter for the dogs they should be removed and given to people that will provide for their welfare.
If I was one of his dogs I would not be very happy to run for him or provide him wih love, since he is showing lack or caring and no love for the animals he wants to work for him.
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Corrections: It matters not if the animal uses the shelter or not they need to have shelter and in many cases with the weather is rough they will use the shelter. I have always provided shelter for my sled dogs in fact all of my animals with confortable bedding, dry place to sleep and dry bedding. REALITY: if he can not afford to provide shelter for the dogs they should be removed and given to people that will provide for their welfare.
If I was one of his dogs I would not be very happy to run for him or provide him wih love or even protection if he needs it. In truth he is showing lack of caring, respect, and he reflects a peson who lack love for him self, anyone around him and the animals he wants to work for him.
He needs to be forced to give up all of his animals and prevented from having any more at anytime in his life.
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This decades old issue has been taken on by others as well.
Contacts were made not only to the Churchill SAO, but also the Chief Veterinarians Office, the Premier, the Minister of Environment and the Minister of Agriculture. What few responses that were received from same Ministers remains on file.
Attempts by some have been to deify Mr. Ladoon citing that he is preserving the breed, others are very quick to disagree with this description and rightly so express their opinions.
Thus far, the Provincial Government has not shut this operation down, despite the complaints, despite the raised voices.
Supposedly it is all in the hands of lawyers in order to determine what legal action the Province can take. In the meantime these animals continue to exist in frigid temps, subject to bear attacks while providing a means of income for Mr. Ladoon…as well as tourist revenues for the town of Churchill.
http://sleddogwatchdog.com/sleddogcountry_outside.html
http://www.bear.org/website/bear-pages/polar-bear/22/200-polar-bears-and-dogs.html
Shows bear attacking dog on Ladoons property dog survived. Tail had to be removed.
Below site provides the proper Standards of Care required for these dogs.
http://www.canadianeskimodog.com/care.htm
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I was in Churchill a couple of years ago and they actually took us to Ladoon’s property and drove around while on a small bus tour. I was appalled!! I couldn’t believe they actually took us there. When I expressed my concerns regarding the lack of shelter, the guide tried to tell me that the dogs just destroy the shelters and never use them. Whatever!! Unfortunately, the day we were there, the weather was AWFUL, as it typical for that isolated part of the world. Between this case that I’ve witnessed, and the awful incident in Whistler after the Olympics, and many others that I have heard of in the past, I think the sled dog industry has just blown it and proven their poor reputation for care or respect for their animals. I’m alerting everyone I can about this unethical industry.
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Wow!
How about building shelters for all the wolves running around and the polar bears too.
These “dogs” are one step removed from primeval. The ancestors of these dogs served the Eskimos for thousands of years in the most adverse of weather conditions. You think you want weak dogs accustomed to shelter to help you survive in the Conditions encountered in the North?
Has no one ever read White Fang? All those dogs buried themselves in the snow and never saw a shelter.
I can understand why Brian is doing what he is doing. He is not raising pets. He is trying to preserve the Eskimo Dog. Survival of the fittest must surely play a role in grand scheme of things least the species become weak.
What if for whatever reason human beings had to rely on the Dog Sled again? Would you want breeding stock that was composed of weaklings that man helped survive or would you want breeding stock where the strong have proven their survival ability?
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The Chief Veterinary Office recommended Ladoon provide shelter and bedding. The law states that adequate shelter be provided. He is breaking the law!
Chris, you need to do some research. The Inuits did not chain their dogs. They ran freely in the camps. The dogs also are a working breed and pulled the Inuit’s sleds. Brian Ladoon’s dogs are kept chained and get no exercise. Your comment re: preserving the breed, shelter not needed as they’d become weak is a joke. Shelter is not the only issue . His Eskimo dogs in no way can develop the muscles necessary to run, let alone pull a sled. Talk about the species becoming weak! There are other Canadian Eskimo breeders whose dogs are CKC registered (doubtful his are) and they do not keep them without shelter or exercise. Exercise is a must in order for these dogs to properly develop physically and mentally.
If humans were kept in a box their entire life, What do you think would happen to their gene pool. Heaven forbid if Ladoon’s dogs were needed again to help human’s survive. Not the breeding stock I’d want to pull from.
Yes, I read White Fang. FYI, it’s a fiction book which means not true!
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Kudos to you Carol! You covered the points – and well!! Also, how do these beautiful creature defend themselves against bear attacks – they don’t. I chanced upon the last part of the award-winning docum. last night “The Last Dogs of Winter”. I was appalled. This man is no hero – and he IS breaking the law. How to put an end to all of this….
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I totally agree. I was appalled myself to see that doco (a rerun) on prime TV here in Australia. I have used what (considerable) political contacts I have in Vancouver, but I don’t know whether it will have a result.
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Chris, I made a reply to your June 5th, 2012 post on December 27th, 2012. Others have as well, yet there has been no response to our comments by you. Three thoughts come to me: you didn’t check the box to be notified of follow-up comments or you agree you were misinformed when writing your comment and refuse to take responsibility for this or you really don’t care about the welfare fo these animals.and hate those of us who do. Truly would like to know where you stand, Chris.
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Well I visited Jeff King’s sled dog facility in Alaska in 2012.
http://www.huskyhomestead.com/
If you, Chris Boors have not heard of him, he is a FOUR time winner of the Idarod, a really grueling 13 to 14 day 1049 mile race. The racers put their lives in the hands of their dogs. I am sure Brian Ladoon is not in that class, no where near. Jeff breeds tough dogs, but he respects his dogs, and they respect him. He does not mollycoddle them, but they have kennels, and race with booties when conditions require it. His dogs are amongst the best in the world. They may not be “Eskimo huskies”, they are simply bred and trained for peak performance, with love. And in fact the “Alaskan” husky seems to outperform the Siberian husky. You don’t have to subject dogs to bear or wolf attack, which occurs here. These dog sledders will sleep out to safeguard their dogs. If Brian sleeps out there, even if in a hut, I would consider you have a point. But I gather he does not. I flew over his site in a helicopter.
Finally, unchained animals will seek shelter from driving snow. If sledders are caught out, they let their dogs huddle together. Even polar bears protect themselves.
Geoff
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I have a husky in Canada. He is heavily furred and would rather sleep in a snowdrift than a dog house. The dog house I built my dog on my farm was used to pee on.Brians dogs are twice as thick a coat to any one who hasen’t owned a dog like this you don’t understand the dog itself. You can’t make a dog house for these dogs and then say that’s better because Brian has already done that. It dose nothing for them but make a pee post which is not what they need. Go see them at -60 Celcius and see them happy to be a dog in the cold.
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to futher i hve adopted a Sibirian husky. can you?
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Chris, I made a reply to your June 5th, 2012 post on December 27th, 2012. Others have as well, yet there has been no response to our comments by you. Three thoughts come to me: you didn’t check the box to be notified of follow-up comments or you agree you were misinformed when writing your comment and refuse to take responsibility for this or you really don’t care about the welfare fo these animals.and hate those of us who do. Truly would like to know where you stand, Chris.
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Just the other day my wife and I were out observing the sad situation of the Ladoon dog’s and the tourist suckered into going down to see the dogs and bears. While parked on the crown land road next to his ‘claimed’ property Ladoon decided to pick on us, tho we were not the only folks there. First he asked us to get off ‘his road’ the road that is actually on crown land. When I ignored him he drove away came back and got out of his truck and swore at us profusely, wrote some stuff on a piece of paper and told us, “I’m going to find where you live and you’ll find out what’s what.” An actual threat. I returned to town and filed a complaint with the rcmp. This man should not be allowed to behave like this on land that is public land and open to all.
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Ps watch nz film “last dogs of winter” for balanced perspective
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Please note: If you are going to register a complaint, the CVO for Manitoba is now Dr. Megan Bergman. I just emailed my complaint.
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Thank you, Penelope, I have updated the information.
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