This discussion took place in early 2011. There is some debate about confusing the terms "traditional practices" and "cultural practices". The suggestion is that any attempt to legislate how a cultural group must care for their animals could be seen as an attempt to change or even destroy a culture. Fortunately, others involved in this debate are clearly stating that cultural practices should not be confused with "humane practices"....the reality is, sled dogs deserve to be treated in a humane manner, just like all dogs, whether living in the north or elsewhere. I am pasting in excerpts from a recent article that appeared on the CBC North website entitled "NWT Dog Act Changes Debated in Yellowknife. I have put the excerpts in italics.
A debate is heating up in the Northwest Territories over changes to its Dog Act, including one proposal to exempt owners from penalty if they are using the animals for "traditional" uses like dog-sledding.......Unlike animal legislation in southern Canada, the N.W.T. Dog Act has historically focused on dealing with sled dogs, which have been used for transportation in the North.
At a public hearing in Yellowknife on Monday, MLAs heard from people who commented specifically on one proposed amendment that would exempt dog owners from fines or jail time if they caused distress to a dog while carrying out "generally accepted local or traditional practices of dog care, use and management".
"The word 'tradition,' with respect to dogs, has been a cover for many people not willing to take care of their animals properly, for whatever reason," Nicole Spencer, president of the N.W.T. SPCA, told MLAs at Monday's hearing.
Many at the hearing, as well as MLAs on the review committee, agreed that "traditional practices" should be better defined. "There's different views that we have to wrestle with," Sahtu MLA Norman Yakeleya said. "We've got to understand each other." George Erasmus, a negotiator for the Dehcho First Nations in southwestern N.W.T., warned the committee to "be careful going down the road of tradition." "I'm chief negotiator for the Dehcho. I'm trying to define tradition. Good luck — not an easy job at all," Erasmus said.
But people who spoke at the hearing agreed that dog neglect and abuse must stop, with some suggesting things like spay and neuter programs. Others suggested that the N.W.T. government help send veterinarians to remote communities that do not have a veterinarian......The MLAs will hold similar public hearings later this week in Hay River and Inuvik, N.W.T.
The territorial government hopes to officially amend the Dog Act this spring.
There is some interesting discussion on the website regarding this matter. Virtually no-one posting comments on this site suggests that "traditional practices" should be seen as a way to justify the abuse of animals, specifically sled dogs. I clearly remember my introduction to sled dogs in the early 1970's. Our first dog was a small pup purchased for $5.00 from a musher in Fort Resolution, Silver arrived at our home in a cardboard box. I was told that sled dogs live outside, that they are chained up and that they eat frozen raw fish....when I looked around Fort Smith at the time, that is how virtually all of the sled dogs were cared for. I suppose that this method of dog care could be called "traditional practices". Apparently in the past in the NWT, this would have been justification enough to continue these unacceptable standards of care without any consequences to the owner.
Fortunately our attitudes have changed significantly. These changes are due to a signficant awakening in terms of attitudes regarding the humane care of all living things. It is due to the fact that we now know and believe that feeding little puppies frozen fish while they are chained out at 40 below with no shelter is cruel. We also know that if sled dogs are properly cared for i.e. kept dry and warm, have shelter and shade, are properly socialized, are fed a balanced (and warm in cold weather) diet, are fed and watered daily, are exercised, are kept free of parasites....the dogs will perform in ways that were unheard of in the "old days". Not only have there been changes in our attitudes about humane care, but our knowledge of animal husbandry has improved significantly.
When listening to stories about the past exploits of dogs and dog mushers, it is often difficult to separate fact from fiction...one result has been the perpetuation of myths regarding the "toughness" of sled dogs in the past. Unfortunately, the tough "old ways" of the north have become romanticized....nowhere is this more true than when talking about sled dogs and dog mushing. While some of this is the result of novels like White Fang and Call of the Wild, unfortunately some of it is also simply due to the lack of awareness and even ignornace on the part of those who perpetuate these stories. It is time for this to change once and for all, and the debate that is presently taking place in the NWT regarding the Dog Act is one step in this direction.
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