Being at a retired sled dog reunion is unlike anything else.
There are generally anywhere from 30-50+ dogs running around, playing or just hanging out. Groups of humans just stand around and watch. Full conversations just can't happen because they continually get interrupted by something funny/cute/silly/all of the above, that one of the dogs does.
And it's quiet. The only sounds you really hear are the humans.  The dogs might bark once or twice in play, but they are content. They go from person to person and dog to dog getting as much or as little interaction as they want. It's a really cool feeling to be a part of and thanks to Penny, this time we had a GoPro and thanks to my friend Jenn, we got a harness, so we found some willing participants, strapped on the camera and let them go! The results are pretty fascinating and hilarious and I'm not sure if I'm going to whittle down the 30 mins of raw footage, or edit it... maybe both. Part of me thinks the footage would just be a good little video to watch if you're feeling blue... will have to let it marinate a little bit more.. Thanks go out to Murphy, Kismet, Question, Ash + Hurricane for their participation! 

April 24th marked the 7th reunion since we cobbled together the first one in September 2013 {see Time to Run HERE]. Back then it felt like such a feat to have gotten as many dogs together as we did. Now, to see how the group has grown (54 sleddies this time!), not just in numbers, but in support is really, well unbelievable, but not surprising. The huge hearts of all involved that have come together is pretty sweet. And though some dogs have left physically, their spirits are always in attendance at the gatherings. In addition to the sleddies who were old hats at the reunion game, having been at the first one (Ash, ChiChi, Galute, Niv, Pique + Shrek), there were even some who'd retired before they even pulled a sled. Everyone got along famously... and by the looks of the photos adopters were sharing that evening... all the dogs were WIPED OUT from their day of shenanigans. 

BIG>HUGE>>GINORMOUS THANKS to everyone who made the trip from both near and far! Your unending love, patience and compassion are the proof needed to show the world what is waiting for sled dogs upon retirement and that what happened in Whistler in 2010 and continues to happen to this day, does not have to happen. To the small army who organized this - from the name tags to the red ribbons for the dogs who had food sensitivities to the amazing human food. And of course to Penny and Jim for once again, opening up their home and yard to 50+ sleddies plus a few sleddie siblings!

I realize that most of the people reading this will already be super sleddie supporters, but if you are new to this... if you don't know what goes on behind-the-scenes of the sled dog industry not just here in Canada, but all over the world, I urge you to do some research. I have met and photographed well over 100 retired sled dogs over the last four years - I've seen what pulling and racing has done to their bodies. What being tethered to their dog houses 24/7 does to them physically and mentally. The arthritis. The cancers. The digestive problems that have arisen out of eating rocks out of boredom. The worn down and broken teeth from chewing their wooden or plastic dog houses, from chewing their chains.. I've seen the vet bills that adopters are paying to keep their family member in as good of health as they can after years of little to no care. Since the Whistler 'cull' in 2010 a revised Sled Dog Standards of Care was enacted, but there is no reinforcement... it's still legal to leave dogs tethered 24/7 and it's still legal to shoot them. I'm not trying to be dramatic... it's the way it is... and it's wrong. We humans can do so much better. We should be doing so much better.

But I will step off my soap box now and share the images from an afternoon of happiness. Of a place and time where humans are trying their best to right the wrongs these dogs have endured... and have formed this not-so-secret society of sleddies!

Silly video clips to come!
[And if you scroll down to the bottom of the page, you can view the group images from the past six reunions!]

[hugs]
~w~

Sleddie Roll Call: Apex, Arctic, Ash, Aussie, Berta, Bubba, ChiChi, Cleo, Cola, Daisy, Eva, Farmer, Fiddle, Galute, GreyGrey, Hooters, Hurricane, Jasper, Jeff, Kirika, Kismet, Lady, Lucy, Lunar, Mars, Midge, Misty, Moon, Murphy, Niv, Pancake, Pique, Question, Reggie, River, Rocky, Sassy, Shrek, Silly, Sky, Snail, Storm, Sun, Wasp, Weasley, Willow, Ziggy.
PLUS... some retired sleddies currently in foster with The Victoria Humane Society: Calli, Copper, Knik, Kusko, Rondy, Summer, Whitman... *just in case...*  
>>[I made up this list on my own, so if in the chaos I missed your sleddie, please let me know!]

>>>To view a large selection of my retired sled dog photo project, THE SLED DOGS OF WHISTLER, please CLICK HERE! 
>>>A 300-page photo book, Meetings with Remarkable Dogs: the road to retirement for Whistler sled dog survivors, is in the works and I hope to have out by summer 2016!

hanging with handsome nico at the park...