BC's Voluntary Codes of Best Practice
British Columbia's Sled Dog Code of Practice, the voluntary, higher-standard first tier of a two-tier welfare system, reproduced here as a springboard for other regions.
BC's Sleddog Working Group developed a two-tier system for overseeing sleddog farms to ensure the highest standards of care. The first tier, the Sled Dog Code of Practice, is a voluntary set of best-practice codes guiding owners and operators, veterinarians and law enforcement officials, which farms can certify themselves against. The second tier, a set of mandatory requirements enforceable by law (the Sled Dog Standard of Care Regulation), came into operation 10 months later. We reproduce the code here in full so that other regions can use it as a springboard for their own codes of best practice.
- First tier of a two-tier welfare system: voluntary best-practice codes farms can certify against
- Endorses the 'five freedoms' for sled dog welfare
- No acceptable reason to end the life of a healthy, socially amenable dog no longer suitable for the industry
- Aim for a Body Condition Score of 4-5 on the 9-point Nestle Purina scale
- Pen minimum space: 9.3 m2 for one dog, 13.02 m2 for two
- Tethers must be choke-collar free and allow safe contact between dogs
- Owning a sled dog is potentially a 15-year commitment
General Agreement Principles
The Working Group reached consensus that, on the available scientific evidence, sled dogs can enjoy a meaningful, positive quality of life as part of a team provided adequate standards of care for their physical and mental well-being are met. Sled dogs are bred to run and gain many mental and physical benefits from sledding, and a musher's duty is to care for them so those benefits are fully realized.
Sled dogs are entitled to the 'five freedoms': freedom from hunger, thirst and malnutrition, from fear and distress, from thermal and physical discomfort, from pain, injury and disease, and freedom to express normal patterns of behaviour. The Group also agreed there is no acceptable reason to end the life of a healthy, socially amenable dog simply because it may no longer be suitable for use in the industry.
Body Condition Score, Health Care and Exercise
Body Condition Score (BCS) helps determine whether a dog is too thin, too fat or at optimum weight. Dogs at a BCS below 3, or of 7 or above, must receive veterinary attention and/or corrective action, and operators should aim for a BCS of 4 to 5 on the 9-point Nestle Purina system.
Sled dogs must be given veterinary care to meet their health and welfare needs, with prompt attention for severe pain, suffering, deteriorating health or serious injury. Exercise is vital to physical and mental health and is usually running in harness, but may also include walking, swimming, playing or treadmill work, always under direct supervision when equipment is used.
Full Life Cycle Planning, Breeding and Re-Homing
Owning a sled dog is potentially a 15-year commitment. The transition from working life through retirement, and possible re-homing, requires thoughtful planning and resources, and life cycle planning must be demonstrated before breeding or acquiring a sled dog.
Unplanned breeding can create a major welfare problem. The most effective prevention is to spay or neuter all dogs not intended for breeding, which does not reduce a working dog's abilities. Females in heat must be separated from intact males except for planned breeding. Healthy, re-homable dogs must not be euthanized unless all re-homing options have been exhausted, and euthanasia must never be used as population control for such dogs.
Accommodation, Tethering and Housing
A containment system is a secure area such as a pen, run or kennel, or the area within which a tethered sled dog may roam. Sled dogs are very social creatures who thrive on interaction with their teammates, and isolation has been associated with an increased incidence of behavioural abnormalities.
- Daily release: a sled dog must be released from its containment system at least once every 24-hour period for socialisation and exercise
- Pen sizes: a minimum of 100 sq. ft. (9.3 m2) for one dog and 13.02 m2 for two, with more for each subsequent dog
- Tethers: must not use a choke collar, and must allow safe physical contact between dogs while limiting tangling
- Dog houses: large enough for the dog to stand, turn around and lie down, with shelter from rain, wind, snow, sun and excessive heat and cold
Working Conditions, Equipment and Environment
Selective breeding and training allow sled dogs to run and pull with joy and enthusiasm. The codes set clear limits on how that willingness may be used.
- Workload: dogs must not be worked beyond their willingness, capability or conditioning, and must never be dragged or physically coerced
- Leadership: the operator's role should be enforced calmly and patiently, never by physical punishment
- Equipment: harnesses and equipment must be properly fitted, clean and in good repair, and collars must not damage the skin or restrict breathing
- Weather limits: dogs must not be worked in conditions that result in hypothermia, frostbite, hyperthermia or dehydration
- Cold-weather care: heat stress can occur even at temperatures well below freezing, so protective equipment such as belly protectors and wind-proof jackets should be used in cold, windy conditions
Good to know
- Tier
- Voluntary best practice (first of two tiers)
- Mandatory regulation followed
- 10 months later (Sled Dog Standard of Care Regulation)
- Target Body Condition Score
- 4-5 (9-point Nestle Purina scale)
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