Lapland Park Scam

[cenydd]

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.

 

As I said, I'm no expert, and don't work sled dogs (or have huskies) myself, but as I understand it, it's quite normal for working huskies to stay in those sort of circumstances for some time, while they are 'at rest'. They are being run in the morning (so will be doing some hard pulling sled work, which will tire them out), and are effectively being taken there to have their normal rest, as they would at home, but in a different location. They'll be spending time sleeping, having a stretch and a little wander (knowing they can't go far), jumping up on their kennels, having a 'chat' with each other, and generally watching the world go by (having expended a big burst of energy earlier in the day). The 'tethering' is only done to stop them getting into trouble, and is something they are used to, and don't concern themselves with like a pet dog would, and if they were out for days (as working huskies are) being worked, they would be running all day (apart from odd rest periods), and often tethered for the night (there being no other way to keep them safe) wherever their driver decided was best to stop - this is the sort of regime and routine they are trained for, and used to. I understand why it makes people uncomfortable, but it's because people tend to think in terms of what they are used to - this is why it should have all been explained to visitors. These are not average house dogs, that wander around, go for a little walk and run around, lie about, go for another little walk/run - they are running and pulling machines, with two basic 'modes' - 'run/pull/work' or 'relax/chill out'. They do one, then the other, and this will be them 'chilling out' for the day after having a good hard 'run/pull' in the morning, and I'm sure they are quite happy and relaxed doing that, especially if there are strange people to look at, 'talk' to and so on. They aren't territorial or guarding dogs at all, and are used to race meet situations, so having people wandering round like that isn't going to be stressful for them either.