BC's Minimum Standard Regulations
British Columbia's mandatory Sled Dog Standard of Care Regulation, the legally enforceable minimum standards for containment, housing and care that supplement the voluntary code.
BC's Sleddog Standard of Care Regulation came into practice on October 1st 2012, supplementing the voluntary sleddog code of best practice developed in January 2012. It gave owners and law enforcement officials clarity on the specific legal requirements for sleddog farms, from containment to health and working conditions, and was made enforceable under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
- Mandatory, legally enforceable standards under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act
- Came into force on October 1st 2012, supplementing the January 2012 voluntary code
- Containment areas must include a dog house and be cleaned of fecal matter at least once each day
- Pen minimum space: 9.3 m2 for one dog, 13.0 m2 for two, plus extra space per additional dog
- Tethers must be at least 1.83 m long with a 360-degree swivel, and never use choke collars
- Dog houses must let a dog stand, turn around and lie down, sheltered from the elements
Definitions and Regulated Activities
The regulation opens by defining its key terms, and prescribes sled dog activities as regulated activities for the purposes of the Act.
- Containment area: a sled dog's pen, or the area within which a tethered sled dog may roam
- Dog box: a crate or other container intended for transporting a sled dog
- Dog house: a shelter meeting the requirements of section 7
- Pen: a contained area from which a dog is unable to escape, including a yard, a run, and a cage, kennel or other structure
- Sled dog: a dog kept primarily or used routinely for a sled dog activity
- Species-typical behaviours: include running, jumping and safe physical contact with other sled dogs
Containment Areas
An operator must ensure that each containment area includes a dog house and gives each sled dog room to move freely and to urinate and defecate away from areas commonly used for eating and sleeping. Each sled dog must have sufficient opportunities to engage in species-typical behaviours. Containment areas must be cleaned of fecal matter at least once each day, and kept, along with any structures or equipment within them, in a sanitary condition.
Construction and Maintenance of Pens and Tethers
An operator must ensure that pens and tethers meet all of the following requirements: sled dogs must be unable to escape, materials must be durable, pens and tethers must be designed and constructed so that sled dogs cannot injure themselves, pens must be free of standing water, and pens and tethers must be maintained in good repair.
Pen and Tether Requirements
The regulation sets hard minimums for both pens and tethering.
- Pen space: 9.3 m2 for one sled dog, 13.0 m2 for two, and 13.0 m2 plus sufficient space for each additional dog to engage in species-typical behaviours and maintain adequate social distances
- Tether build: safe for sled dogs, of a size and weight that will not cause discomfort, at least 1.83 m long, and fitted at the collar end with at least one swivel that can turn 360 degrees
- Choke collars: must not be used as part of a tethering method
- Layout: tethering methods must substantially conform to one of the methods illustrated in Schedule A, allowing safe physical contact between dogs with the lowest possible risk of tangling and no overlap of adjacent tethers
Dog House and Food/Water Requirements
An operator must ensure that dog houses provide an enclosed area large enough for sled dogs to stand, turn around and lie down comfortably, and are constructed and maintained to give shelter from rain, wind, snow, sun and other elements, with protection from excessive heat and cold. The regulation also sets out requirements for food and water provision as part of keeping and caring for sled dogs.
Good to know
- Tier
- Mandatory minimum standards (second of two tiers)
- Enforced under
- Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act
- Cleaning
- fecal matter removed at least once each day
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