A task force examining B.C.’s sled dog industry met for the first time yesterday.
Premier Gordon Campell announced the task force last week in response to media reports that 100 sled dogs were shot and stabbed to death in Whistler by an Outdoor Adventures employee in April 2010. This after the tourism industry experienced a post-Olympics downturn.
Kamloops-North Thompson MLA 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 make up the task force, that will review both the dog sledding industry and the specific incident, which is currently being investigated by both the BCSPCA and the RCMP.
The task force met yesterday to discuss roles, responsibilities and terms of reference.
"This incident has generated intense public interest and concern from British Columbians and people around the world," Lake said in a press release. "I’ve been getting phone calls and emails 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."
A task force report, with recommendations, is due to Minister of Agriculture Ben Stewart by March 25, 2011.
"We are pleased that the task force will be reviewing and learning more about the current practices of the dog sledding industry," Daniell said in the release. "This process will determine what changes are required as we move forward."