Prince George, B.C.- The Task force report on the slaughter of up to a hundred sled dogs in Whistler may be complete, (see previous story) but the cruelty investigation by the SPCA into the deaths of the dogs, is not over.

 

The investigation team plans to exhume the bodies of the slaughtered animals for forensic evidence as soon as the ground has thawed sufficiently.

 

The cost of the BC SPCA investigation currently under way into the slaughter of the 100 Whistler-area sled dogs could be as high as $200,000. “Enforcement of animal cruelty laws, and the subsequent care of the thousands of injured and abused animals the BC SPCA seizes each year requires significant resources” says Marcie Moriarty, general manger of cruelty investigations for the BC SPCA.

 

One of the recommendations , #7, calls for the Province to “ enhance the capacity of the BC SPCA to undertake cruelty investigations”.   The Province has immediately said it will provide another $100 thousand dollars. 

 

“Without a doubt we need more constables and funding,” says Moriarty,  “Currently we have 26 full-time constables for the entire province and all of our funding for cruelty investigations comes from community donations. We carried out a record 7,147 cruelty investigations last year but there are so many more animals out there we don’t have the resources to reach. We look forward to working with the provincial government to find ways to enhance the enforcement of animal cruelty laws.”

 

Moriarty says she hopes the B.C. government will review funding models from other provinces, where the SPCA receives significant support for cruelty investigations.