A task force dedicated to reviewing the sled dog industry and the circumstances related to the reported sled dog killings met for the first time last week.
At the first meeting, task force members MLA Dr. Terry Lake, British Columbia Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (BCSPCA) chief executive officer Craig Daniell, and Union of B.C. Municipalities (UBCM) president Barbara Steele discussed their roles, responsibilities, and terms of reference.
“This incident has generated intense public interest and concern from British Columbians and people around the world,” said Lake.
“I’ve been getting phone calls and e-mails since we first learned about what happened. We want people to know that the task force is committed to ensuring the sled dog industry is operating in a humane and sustainable way.”
“We are pleased that the task force will be reviewing and learning more about the current practices of the dog sledding industry,” said Daniell.
“This process will determine what changes are required as we move forward.”
“As local government regulates animal control, it is important and critical that UBCM participate in this process,” said Steele.
On Feb. 2, Premier Gordon Campbell announced that a special joint task force chaired by Dr. Lake would be reviewing the incident. The task force will initially focus on the dog sledding industry, and then secondarily review the specific incident, after liaising with the BCSPCA and
RCMP. This decision has been made to avoid compromising the BCSPCA and RCMP’s separate, ongoing investigation. As the task force begins its work, the members are immediately engaging the stakeholders.