Report: Unwanted Aspen Sled Dogs Shot In Head

[Greylyn58]

Owner Defends Selective Culling Procedure

POSTED: 12:12 pm EDT April 4, 2005

ASPEN, Colo. -- The largest tourist dog sledding operation in the United States has admitted to an Aspen, Colo., newspaper that unwanted sled dogs not given up for adoption are shot in the back of the head and buried in a pit.

The practice is legal under Colorado law, even though some of the dogs that are killed are healthy, the Aspen Daily News reported in its Monday editions.

A former musher at the Krabloonik dog sledding center told the Daily News that he saw dogs shot annually during the years he worked there and that one year, 35 dogs were shot and killed in the culling process.

"I still lose sleep over it at night. I was part of it," Harry Portland told the newspaper.

snip....


Good God, I am just beyond words at this point! Man's evil just has no bounds.

http://www.wsoctv.com/news/4343579/detail.html

[Zuni]

1. that is barbaric

:grr:

[MissB]

2. Bastards.

evil, evil. What must their hearts look like?

[Speck Tater]

3. I seriously hope you don't eat beef, or wear leather shoes!

How many cows are shot in the head every day just to service your appetite?

[Zappa]

4. Dogs & Cows

Cows exist for food; thus, are not wasted. A dog (whom someone would gladly adopt) that is killed for no reason is wasted (not to mention murdered.)

[karlrschneider]

7. Cows exist for food? According to what set of natural laws?

I am not a vegetarian, and I love a good steak, but I find your comment somewhat puzzling and a bit disturbing as well. Would you be willing to take in unwanted dogs and barbecue them so they aren't 'wasted'?

[Zappa]

9. I love dogs.

Actually, I dined on dog in Korea. It is considered a delicacy (and it is quite expensive) and my Korean friends wanted to show me a good time. I wouldn't care to eat it again, though.

I would take in an unwanted dog if I had room for one. However, my wife doesn't like dogs and we both work in any case so that would not be a wise idea.

[donheld]

8. Zappa welcome to DU

:hi:

[Zappa]

10. Kamsahamnida!

n/t

[Bluebear]

11. Welcome!

[newyawker99]

14. Hi Zappa!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Behind the Aegis]

12. Never heard that before

I have never heard of cows being shot if they were being used for food. This is news to me. For me, the outrage is not in how the dogs were put down, put that they were put down and buried. Was there any attempt to relocate them? Especially healthy dogs. I wouldn't be outraged if the dogs were being used for food. But to kill a healthy animal for absolutely no reason other than it was unwanted is unacceptable.

[karlrschneider]

5. As horrible as that is, what is the alternative? No adoption, so...

what to do then? As I have posted previously here, we occasionally are forced (maybe not 'forced' but trying to be as merciful as possible) to
shoot stray dogs that are "dumped" out here at our lakeside community.
Of about 800 residences out here, over 95% of them have one or more adopted pets that have been driven down here and thrown out. They cannot fend for themselves and many of them simply die of starvation or become 'road-kill.'

We have taken in 6 doggies in the last 10 years we've lived out here. If we could afford the shots, spaying, neutering and medical care, we would do more as would most of our neighbors. To shoot an innocent animal is horribly heart-wrenching but seeing them injuredand dying or already dead of starvation is even worse.

[donheld]

6. Very discusting

:grr:

[lawladyprof]

13. Did they even try to work with (Husky, Malamute, other?) rescue groups?

For those who don't know, rescue groups are groups of volunteers who re-home unwanted purebred dogs. I have four rescues myself. For a modest fee (compared to the price of a puppy), which pays for expenses like spaying and neutering, veterinary care, etc. you can adopt virtually any breed of dog. Although some rescue societies will only adopt to in-state homes, others will adopt out of state and many of these will arrange transportation at little ($20 or so) or no cost. There is a group of truckers that ferry these furchildren around the country from rescue group to new forever home.

The great thing about rescue adopting is that you know, pretty much, what you are getting, what the dog looks like, what his or her temperament is (couch potato, very active, likes cats, not good with toddlers, etc.). The foster families post photographs and the rescue societies provide a brief description that tells why the dog came into rescue (puppy mill confiscation, owner surrender (nursing home, death, etc.), found as a stray). And, of course, you have the satisfaction of knowing you are doing a good deed--helping an animal in need.

Just do a Google search using the name of the breed you are interested in plus the word rescue or rescue society or go through the AKC's web site. For some breeds there are literally hundreds of dogs everyday needing homes (they'll typically stay at their foster home for a couple of weeks to a couple of months). But be careful if you go to look at the pictures and read the descriptions of available dogs--you are likely to lose your heart (and perhaps more than once).


Please pass the word along about rescue to your friends and relatives. One of my students' sister and her husband, several states away from me, are adopting an Old English Sheepdog (I have Shelties) because I told them how great this is.

I'm going to send this story along to the appropriate rescue group(s).

[OneBlueSky]

15. hey, it's the American way of dealing with problems . . .

just kill something or someone . . . problem solved . . . a testament to the "Culture of Life" . . .