More on PETA and sled dogs

More on PETA and sled dogs
May 14th 2008
wolfmoonsleddog
Southeast
Location: Northwest GA
Time - 8:59am
Temperature: 57 degrees F
Conditions: Clear, cool
Forecast: Showers tonight, thunderstorms tomorrow

This is sort of a follow-up to my post a few days ago. In that one I was discussing PETA and some of what they said against the Iditarod - most of which is misinformation. I said I was going to post about REAL sled dog cruelty soon. So here it is.

From: http://www.ktuu.com/global/story.asp?s=8286742

Valley officials rescue 25 emaciated dogs


by Megan Baldino
Wednesday, May 7, 2008

PALMER, Alaska — Mat-Su Animal Control officials say they have uncovered one of the worst cases of animal cruelty they have ever seen.

Officials found 25 dogs, many of them nearly starved to death and some chained to a short wire, left in a remote location with no food or water. Investigators seized the animals over the last two days.

Dr. Katrina Zwolinski is still disturbed by the condition of the dogs taken from a kennel on Lazy Mountain over the last two days.

One dog did not survive.

“It was evident it had died in the previous day or so,” she said.

Animal Care Chief Dave Allison says all were emaciated, dehydrated and clearly neglected.

“If you put your hands on them you can feel pretty much every bone in their body,” he said.

Allison says the dogs’ teeth are broken from trying to eat rocks too.

Doug Bartko owns the dogs. He says it’s been a rough spring.

“My system broke down and I was just in the process of getting it back up again,” he said.

That system is clearly flawed, even for Bartko. His food supply has been rotted salmon heads.

It appears Bartko let things go too far and it’s not the first time. Court records show he was cited for animal cruelty back in 2006.

Iditarod officials say back in 1983, Bartko was disqualified for not adequately caring for his team.

Bartko claims Animal Control overreacted and he will try to get his dogs back.

But it could be too late if some of his dogs even survive.

Bartko was cited for five counts of interference with an investigation, ten counts of failure to provide humane animal care and his kennel license has been revoked.

Additional charges are pending.

The borough plans to retain the seized animals.

Contact Megan Baldino at mbaldino@ktuu.com

Below are two pictures from the article. That a musher (or anyone else for that matter) could let their dogs get to this point is disturbing:


The animals lived in dire conditions. (Courtesy Mat-Su Animal Care


Officials have been closely monitoring the animals (Courtesy Mat-Su Animal Care)
Now those pictures are pretty darn upsetting. So when I initially glanced at a recent PETA release saying that a musher whose dogs were confiscated, I assumed they were talking about Bartko. I thought, ‘okay, maybe this is one thing we can agree on - that this case is horrible.’ But when I got ready to put together this post, I saw that the PETA article was on a completely different case altogether. It’s one I knew absolutely nothing about so I will have to look into it. In the meantime, here is PETA’s release on it.

From: http://www.peta.org/mc/NewsItem.asp?id=11395

PETA Demands Jail Time, Psychiatric Intervention if Alleged Dog Abuser, Killer Is Convicted

For Immediate Release:
May 9, 2008

Contact:
Peter Wood 757-622-7382

Leadville, Colo. - This morning, PETA sent an urgent plea to Lake County Deputy District Attorney Shasta Smith urging her office to vigorously prosecute Ron Wyatt of Leadville. Wyatt faces charges stemming from authorities’ April 6 discovery of 19 reportedly dead and neglected sled dogs.

News sources state that three of the dogs were in the fetal position and had apparently frozen to death while 10 were chained–some for so long that their collars rubbed the hair off their necks–without food, water, or shelter from the elements, including heavy snow. Six additional dogs were reportedly confined to a pen without any shelter or food. News sources state that there were no tracks in the snow that might indicate recent human attempts to look after the animals and that some dogs’ ribs, hips, and backbones were visible. PETA understands that at least 80 dogs remain in Wyatt’s custody. He is scheduled to face these charges in court this Monday, May 12.“Wyatt appears to be either unable or unwilling to provide even the most basic care to animals,” says PETA cruelty caseworker Peter Wood. “People who demonstrate such blatant disregard for life and desensitization to suffering can pose a serious risk to all animals–including humans–with whom they come into contact.”PETA is asking that–if convicted and in addition to serving a period of incarceration–Wyatt be prohibited from owning or harboring animals, that authorities seize all other animals currently in his custody, and that Wyatt be required to undergo a thorough psychological evaluation followed by mandatory counseling.PETA’s letter to Lake County Deputy District Attorney Shasta Smith follows.May 9, 2008The Honorable Shasta Smith
Deputy District Attorney
Lake County District Attorney’s Office
505 Harrison Ave.
Leadville, CO 80461

Dear Ms. Smith:

PETA is the world’s largest animal rights organization, with more than 1.8 million members and supporters dedicated to animal protection. This letter concerns a recent case of cruelty to animals that your office is handling, involving Ron Wyatt, 55, of Leadville. As you know, Wyatt–whose first appearance before the court is scheduled for May 12–faces 16 counts of misdemeanor cruelty to animals stemming from authorities’ reported April 6 discovery that 19 of his dogs were penned and tethered in the wilderness without any food, water, or shelter. According to media reports, three dogs had frozen to death, and three others “looked to be badly malnourished.” We are alarmed to hear that 14 of the rescued dogs have since been returned to Wyatt and that there are approximately 80 additional dogs in his custody. Mental health professionals and top law enforcement officials consider the blatant disregard for life and desensitization to suffering evidenced by all forms of cruelty to animals to be a red flag. In fact, the American Psychiatric Association identifies cruelty to animals as one of the diagnostic criteria for conduct disorders, and the FBI uses reports of these crimes in analyzing the threat potential of suspected and known criminals. Experts agree that it is the severity of the behavior–not the species of the victim–that matters. On behalf of our thousands of members and supporters in Colorado, we respectfully ask that–if convicted and in addition to serving a period of incarceration–Wyatt be required to undergo a thorough psychological evaluation followed by mandatory counseling at his own expense. Because repeat crimes are the rule rather than the exception among animal abusers and given the suspect’s apparent prolonged and utter disregard for the lives and suffering of animals in his custody, we implore your office to take every measure necessary to ensure that the defendant, if convicted, is barred from possessing animals for as long as possible and that all animals who are currently in his charge be immediately seized.Thank you for your diligence in this matter and for your time and consideration.Sincerely,Peter Wood, Cruelty Caseworker
Emergency Response Team
Cruelty Investigations Department


Since I don’t know anything more about this Colorado case, I really can’t comment one way or the other.

But I will say one thing. Yes, abuse and neglect of sled dogs exists. I never said it didn’t. Abuse and neglect of house dogs also exists. But that does NOT make it the norm. In fact, it’s a minority and very rare. For these two cases, I could point to a hundred mushers who take great care of their dogs and I could post a hundred pictures of healthy, well-cared-for sled dogs. Because that, happy, healthy sled dogs, ARE the norm.