Rudi Posted December 1, 2008 Report Share Posted December 1, 2008 This doesn't look good - the conditions the dogs are being kept in, from what you can see in the photo, don't seem right http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/dorset/7758112.stm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReikiAnge Posted December 1, 2008 Report Share Posted December 1, 2008 I was about to post about that, looks awful doesn't it Glad it has been reported. It's not nice to think of dogs chained up, especially for so-called entertainment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yantan Posted December 2, 2008 Report Share Posted December 2, 2008 It's up for discussion on the Jeremy Kyle(?) show later on Radio 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurel n Hardy Posted December 2, 2008 Report Share Posted December 2, 2008 the pic on the bbc website looks pretty bad, has anyone who visited also posted thier pics on facebook as well. bet they get a rough ride on the jeremy kyle show too poor animals Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClazUK Posted December 2, 2008 Report Share Posted December 2, 2008 It's up for discussion on the Jeremy Kyle(?) show later on Radio 2 bet they get a rough ride on the jeremy kyle show too Vine!! Kyle is the obnoxious git on TV, Vine is the obnoxious git on Radio 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yantan Posted December 2, 2008 Report Share Posted December 2, 2008 Vine!! Kyle is the obnoxious git on TV, Vine is the obnoxious git on Radio 2 Thank you mate. I wasn't sure if I had the name right as I always get them mixed up Listening to the show and viewing other forums it seems a lot of people have been well and truly scammed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClazUK Posted December 2, 2008 Report Share Posted December 2, 2008 The photos on the BBC website are incredible - I think I've run slightly more professional looking dog shows than that Still, at least with all the publicity, no-one else will fall for it. I can't help wonder who the animals belong to and what will happen if/when it's closed down Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lil_angel Posted December 2, 2008 Report Share Posted December 2, 2008 My god how awful is that. How many people got ripped off. The fake polar bear did make me laugh though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cenydd Posted December 3, 2008 Report Share Posted December 3, 2008 I don't know who owns the dogs, nor have I been to the 'attraction' but I have heard a few second-hand bits of information about them (and I'm also no expert on working sled dogs). As I understand it they are working sibes, and perfectly healthy and well looked after - apparently there was a permanent vet on site, and the RSPCA have also inspected them and confirmed that they are fine. In the pic they are 'staked out', which is perfectly normal for racing sled dogs between runs and so on (to keep them safe from running away, getting involved in major pack scraps with each other, and so on), and have access to individual kennels (and their roofs) for shelter, and to get out of any mud. They were apparently only on site during opening times, and were being taken home at night. Sibes do tend to yap and howl and make a bit of noise, but this isn't 'unhappiness' or 'distress' as some people there seemed to think (quite understandably, if they aren't told any different!) - if you visit a racing rally you'd know what I mean - the noise from numbers of sibes, staked out, excited, surrounded by other dogs and raring to go running is incredible! There is no 'evidence' in the scene in the photos themselves that I would find particularly disturbing in itself, unless there was a lack of general care of the dogs alongside it. Obviously, I would be concerned if they were just left chained up all day without being properly looked after, exercised, fed, etc., but as I understand it this was not at all what was going on. I suspect the biggest issue with these dogs in this event is probably one of lack of information rather than welfare. The general public shouldn't be expected to be used to seeing dogs staked out, or understanding the intricate details of sibe language (which is generally non-barking, howly-yowly stuff, and significantly different sounding than most dogs). Many people are also surprised at how sleek working sibes are - when you see them close up, they don't look much like the full-coated, snow-covered arctic dogs in the films! It is easy to see that the impression that people could be left with is one of 'thin', 'chained-up' dogs being 'neglected' (particularly in view of the fact that people are so conditioned to be aware of animal welfare, and automatically see 'chain' as 'cruelty', and so on), but I strongly suspect that is a long, long way from the reality. Personally I think the owners were unwise in opening themselves up to this sort of criticism and publicity, by putting staked out dogs on display in a kids attraction, by not informing the public about what they were doing and why, and by getting involved with the pretty shabby overall event in the first place. I can quite understand how people left with the impression that these dogs were not being well looked after, but from what I have heard this was not at all an accurate impression. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReikiAnge Posted December 3, 2008 Report Share Posted December 3, 2008 I saw/read on the news that the RSCPA had inspected too and said there wasn't a problem, but given the dogs have shelter and presumably water, I figured there wouldn't be much they could do anyway. I will be very glad if those dogs are having a better life than they appeared to be in the photos. I can't imagine wanting to leave my own dogs chained up all day for "entertainment" but I will be relieved if they do have a better life away from that place. I am glad that visitors reported the place to the RSPCA though - so often people "turn a blind eye" to things that should be reported and in this sort of situation, where I can fully understand visitors were concerned from the media coverage I've seen, it was good that people bothered to contact the relevant organisation to express their worries If only more people did that for both humans and animals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cenydd Posted December 3, 2008 Report Share Posted December 3, 2008 I should also add (having re-read some of the information I have seen on a sled dog forum) that the dogs were apparently being run every morning before being put 'on display', were getting plenty of rest from it, were thoroughly enjoying themselves and the attention they were getting, and the kennel area was apperently built to exheed the normally accepted sled sog welfare standards. Apparently the dogs' owner asked the RSPCA to report on conditions, and the comments from the vet and RSPCA will be published on the web when available. As I said, I don't know the dog owners personally, have not visited the site, and am no expert on sled dog working and so on (I have visited events, but don't run dogs myself), so I'm just passing on what I have heard on the subject elsewhere, for your information. I am glad that visitors reported the place to the RSPCA though - so often people "turn a blind eye" to things that should be reported and in this sort of situation, where I can fully understand visitors were concerned from the media coverage I've seen, it was good that people bothered to contact the relevant organisation to express their worries If only more people did that for both humans and animals. I absolutely agree! I suspect the owner has been foolish in going about things in the way that they have on this event, and that there wasn't actually much to worry about, but I'd rather here about the RSPCA being called in where they are not needed than not being called in where they are! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redditchlady Posted December 3, 2008 Report Share Posted December 3, 2008 But why shove them on display?? I have only read the news and seen comments on forums etc. Seems to me it is people wanting to make a few quid quickly. The animals from what I have seen do NOT look happy at all. It's a damn shame so many parents were ripped off. You can't honestly tell me that dogs are happy to be tethered as nothing less than a peep show. I know my 3 wouldn't like it 1 bit. Kazz xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happylittlegreensquirrel Posted December 3, 2008 Report Share Posted December 3, 2008 I have only seen some small photos of the dogs online so I can't see make a comment on if I think the dogs looked happy or not I guess the differance is they are not the same as my pets or anyone elses here and being tethered outside would be more normal for them than it would be for our pets I don't know anything about sled dogs other than watching them on telly sometimes ( top gear race to the pole type of thing ) and the dogs did get tethered at night or when they stopped Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cenydd Posted December 3, 2008 Report Share Posted December 3, 2008 I have only seen some small photos of the dogs online so I can't see make a comment on if I think the dogs looked happy or not I guess the differance is they are not the same as my pets or anyone elses here and being tethered outside would be more normal for them than it would be for our pets I don't know anything about sled dogs other than watching them on telly sometimes ( top gear race to the pole type of thing ) and the dogs did get tethered at night or when they stopped Absolutely - these are not somebody's house pets, they are working dogs, selectively bred and highly trained to perform a specific task. They are perfectly used to being tethered, because that is part of the job - if you are out racing in the wilds, or travelling to the pole, or whatever, you can't carry a nice big house, or even a dozen large crates. These dogs have been bred for thousands of years for living outside in all weathers, and as part of their job, for just as long, they have been tethered while resting to stop them disappearing over the horizon, or deciding to sort out an issue of pack heirarchy for themselves (remember, a team of racing huskies is quite a large pack of various exceptionally fit and strong dogs - not something you want let loose to sort out their differences unmanaged)! Being tethered like that won't bother them one bit, as long as they are not left like that for too long a period - it's part and parcel of their 'job' and something they are trained for, because it has to be. Whether they 'look happy' is impossible to tell from a couple of small photos (and whether they sound happy to you depends to a very large extent on whether you are used to the sorts of noises they make). You can't really judge how 'happy' they are based on whether a different dog, unused to their working role and all that has to go with it, would be happy or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReikiAnge Posted December 4, 2008 Report Share Posted December 4, 2008 Apparently the place has closed: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/dorset/7765080.stm Shame. Being tethered like that won't bother them one bit, as long as they are not left like that for too long a period - it's part and parcel of their 'job' and something they are trained for, because it has to be. Whether they 'look happy' is impossible to tell from a couple of small photos (and whether they sound happy to you depends to a very large extent on whether you are used to the sorts of noises they make). You can't really judge how 'happy' they are based on whether a different dog, unused to their working role and all that has to go with it, would be happy or not. I can appreciate they are working dogs - but how long would you consider "too long a period"? I might well be wrong but I had assumed the dogs were being kept like that while the park was open during the day as they wouldn't be going in and removing the dogs while the public were around would they? I am not making a judgment on working dogs, or working huskies even, just on those particular dogs in that situation and appreciate what you have said, but, I wouldn't want to see my own dogs spend hours chained up like that during the day, whatever exercise/stimulation they were getting outside of that, so it makes *me* uncomfortable to see them that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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