The BC SPCA issued 65 orders against Howling Dog Tours in January 2006 regarding the health and welfare of its sled dogs. But because the company made all the required changes, the SPCA was powerless to seize the animals and did not have the authority to shut down the business.
The business, which now falls under the parent company Outdoor Adventures Whistler, has been the focus of intense public criticism this week after news became public that 100 of its approximately 350 sled dogs were slaughtered following a downturn in business after the Olympics. The cull came to light because of a successful Work-SafeBC claim for post-traumatic stress disorder by Robert Fawcett, the employee who killed the dogs over two days last April.
The orders the SPCA made in 2006 related to dogs being tethered for too long on chains and not getting enough exercise.
Other orders were written after dogs were found to be emaciated, lacking dental care and when there were concerns about the dogs' housing and lack of socialization. [See post: "Dog expert Dr Stanley Coren and others refute the SPCA's excuse that sleddogs aren't adoptable because they are not socialized."]
"We'd go and do an inspection and an order to fix something was always complied with, so the dogs couldn't be taken into protection [of the SPCA]," said Marcie Moriarty, head of the SPCA's cruelty investigation division.
The SPCA was dealing with Fawcett at the time, who was the general manager and a director with Howling Dog Tours. He is now under investigation for animal cruelty after killing the dogs in mid-April 2010.
While on leave for stress, but still living on site at the compound, Fawcett made his own complaint on July 12, 2010 about the "health and welfare" of the sled dogs.
However, the SPCA did not visit the site at that time,
Houssian did not return repeated calls for an interview, but Outdoor Adventures issued a joint statement Wednesday with Fawcett, who agreed to the following facts: That in mid-April, in a conversation with Houssian, the employee estimated 50 dogs would be euthanized; the dogs being put down were "too old" or "sick" or "not adoptable." The statement also said efforts had been made for the dogs to be adopted both before and after mid-April. The cull happened on April 21 and April 23, 2010. [See post: "Dawson Creek SPCA manager says the SPCA offered to take the dogs in October 2010"
The statement said: "There were no instructions given to Mr. Fawcett as to the manner of euthanizing dogs on this occasion, and Mr. Fawcett was known to have very humanely euthanized dogs on previous occasions."
The Vancouver Sun did not initially identify Fawcett due to concern for his apparent fragile mental state, but he identified himself publicly on Wednesday when he released the statement with Outdoor Adventures.
The company also issued a news release this week stating Outdoor Adventures took operational control in May 2010 of Howling Dog Tours and, with professional consultation and new leadership, made significant changes to the business to ensure the humane treatment of the dogs and to improve safety protocols.
The company also released a veterinarian report by David Lee of Coast Mountain Veterinary Services, dated Dec. 1, 2010, which reads in part: "Overall, I am very pleased at the substantive improvements seen at the facility and have no concerns about the dogs' quality of life or for the care they are provided."