Spring is on its way, and the dogs are feelin' full of beans!
With sleddie Kismet in town from the interior, visiting with his mom to participate in my project, I Was a Sled Dog, we met up with the gang at Francis King park for some forest bathing... only Santana didn't get the 'forest part' - she just bathed... and some other silly dogs followed suit. Here's Niv + Cedar, Knik, Boomer + Jinx (the low rider), Saru (the Shiba), Santana, Jasper, Daisy, Mary Kate + Roo and Kismet! p.s. Mary Kate and Roo are available for adoption through the Victoria Humane Society!
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i'm currently working on a NEW photo project of retired sleddogs titled "i was a sled dog" ~ to date I've photographed 35 sleddies at my studio so I wanted to share their "class photo"... the candids from their sessions.
The photos I'm taking specific to the project will be displayed at a later date so be sure to check back! Each of these dog was different when they came for their session (I call them "sessions" as opposed to "shoots" because some of these dogs have survived an actual shoot... with a gun. As well, it's a common way for mushers to thin out the old, sick and dogs who don't want to pull so I like to keep that word out of this project) Some of the dogs were totally comfortable, some were petrified. Some loved mugging for the camera, some I had to just had to sit and wait until they walked in front of my lens, click the shutter and hope for the best. Sled dogs, like all dogs, have their own unique personalities and needs. They don't all love and hate the same things as some lead us to believe... and they are all deserving of the specific care, love and attention they require. . . . I'm still looking for more retired sleddies to participate, so email me if you're interested! Want more retired sleddie stories? Click no further! Their story, although shocking, is not new. Fifteen dogs found abandoned on one foot chains. Three were dead and the others were close behind. Tethered by a trapper’s hut in the Long Lac Greenstone area of Ontario. There was no food. No water. It was February 2017. The OSPCA agents along with Thunder Bay & District Humane Society and Greenstone Want a Pet Rescue worked to bring the dogs into care. “When the 12 dogs entered the shelter, they were unable to walk, were barely breathing, and were extremely emaciated. These 12 are emotionally, physically, and mentally bruised.” These were sled dogs. And if you know me at all or follow my advocacy work, you’ll know my love for sled dogs. I’ve met and photographed hundreds of retired sled dogs since 2012. And although the horrific events in Whistler in 2010 brought to light the plight of dogs used in both the commercial and sport racing industries, the abuse continues and the myths about these dogs prevail. ”They’re working dogs, they’re different”, “They love what they do”. “I love my dogs, I treat them like family” are all statements still claimed by those in the industry. But here’s the problem… sled dogs are actually just dogs. Mixed breeds built for speed and endurance and to make money for the humans who are supposed to take care of them. And like all dogs, they are entitled to a certain level of care. But when the money dries up or is spent elsewhere, the dogs lose. Abandoned, turned loose, sold, given away, or killed. I say this not to be dramatic, but because more often than not, it's the truth.
These twelve dogs, along with another 17 found on the property survived and are now getting a second chance at life, as pets. Tuesday night I accompanied my fellow Victoria Humane Society volunteers to the Victoria International Airport to welcome and meet the first two of eight of those very special “sleddies” who will be retiring to the west coast. With the remarkable community that has grown because of the sleddies here out west, the staff and volunteers at the Thunder Bay and District Humane Society agreed to entrust us with some of their special crew. Mary Kate and Ashley were to arrive at 8:59, but their flight from Vancouver was delayed once… then twice. At 9:24 they arrived. They were the first "baggage" to arrive at the claim area - Ashley in the lead, then Mary Kate. The kennels were off loaded and moved to the side. Opened carefully so the dogs could be double-leashed for safety. First out was Ashley. She came out willingly and her GPS unit was attached right away. When Mary Kate came out of her crate [leashed and GPS'd], she spied Ashley, tucked in right behind her, and rested her head on Ashley’s back. The production, along with the neon welcome signs had created a stir, and a crowd had gathered to watch. People were wondering what the fuss was all about - why was everyone hugging, laughing, smiling and wiping away tears? And how cute were these dogs!? When we told them they were sled dogs, people were amazed at their size. “They’re so small”, “They’re sled dogs?”. So after a short educational moment with those who were interested, we finished our q + a, gave huge thanks to the wonderful women who helped make their escort to us possible (thank you Debra and Joanne!) and then it was time for the girls to walk on the west coast. A chance for a potty break first and then off to the van where the girls jumped in without hesitation. Once secured inside, off they went. Mary Kate and Ashley will be in foster with the Victoria Humane Society and once they are spayed, they will be ready for adoption. There are so many people who made this possible - I can't name them all and I don't know them all - from the people who first saw them in distress and spoke up for them to those who brought them to safety, to the people who co-ordinated flights and transportation, to those who have cheered them on along the way, to the gem of a woman, Debbie, who will be fostering them. A second chapter is beginning for these girls and if it's turns out like the gaggle of sleddies I know already in retirement, it's going to be pretty fantastic. Donations to help pay for their spay surgeries, food while in foster and flights for the remaining sleddies coming our way are greatly appreciated and can be done through the VHS website with a click of the big orange button on the homepage HERE! To follow more of their story and the remaining sleddies coming into care, please visit the Victoria Humane Society facebook page. If you or someone you know will be travelling from Thunder Bay or Toronto, Ontario, and are interested in being a pet escort to help bring a couple remaining sleddies to Victoria, please contact the Victoria Humane Society. It's super easy and won't cost you a thing! More links about their rescue: Thunder Bay Newswatch Thunder Bay & District Humane Society facebook page Let the love begin! here's a sneak peek... [yes, that's mister coco's head photobombing bella boo's photo] [SPOILER ALERT!!!
...mister coco and bella boo are just test subjects... . . . ...the real project involves this guy! tonight I saw Sled Dogs Film for the second time.
it was harder to watch the second time but you know what? i had to... because even though I know more than i ever wanted to about this industry, it's armed me with more knowledge to fight this ridiculous cruelty. knowledge to make governments accountable and knowledge to educate those who are willing to listen on how they can help end this... Shrek and Grey came out tonight not just as sled dog ambassadors, but as survivors of the 2010 Whistler massacre. And since then, neither the bcspca nor the provincial government have done anything to help the welfare of sled dogs even though they talked the talk and sunk hundreds of thousands of dollars into a new regulation document that instructs how to shoot a dog "properly". yes, it's still legal to shoot a sled dog because as sled dogs they are classified differently than other dogs - even though there are lots of other working dog breeds out there, sled dogs are still considered different and their welfare is at the mercy of the economy and antiquated dog husbandry practices. in b.c. we need to hold those agencies who can effect change accountable. write them. pester them. show them the medical records of dogs who come into care. remind them that sled dogs are dogs and they should have the same rights as the dogs that live in our homes. because animals are regulated under the ministry of agriculture, write the minister [when a new one has been appointed] asking for change. ask the bcspca why they haven't followed up and done any checks on sled dog kennels here in b.c.. ask them why their five freedoms for dogs do not include sled dogs. educate. advocate. stand up and speak out. and... if you're interested in fostering a retired sled dog, please contact the Victoria Humane Society as they continue to take them in when operations fold, abandon their dogs, or even just ask. #pullyourowndamnsled #getsleducated #lookbeyondthebrochure [to see my "sleddie" experiences over the last 6 years please visit: http://www.wendynesbitt.com/the-sled-dogs-of-whistler.html] There are a lot of myths circulating about sled dogs. One of them being that they can't lead fulfilling lives if they aren't 'working', pulling sleds.
I would argue that myth because I have seen over 100 sled dogs lead incredibly fulfilling retirements. Today was a prime example. The sleddies [our nickname for retired sled dogs] ran and played. They expended lots of energy. and when they got tired, they could choose to walk slower, hang back a bit, stop and sit with some humans and get some treats. They could then run again, play with their dog buddies and ignore the ones they wanted to. They have a choice and these retirees are doing a great job of making up for lost time! Although I was mostly taking video, I had to get a group shot. And I've decided to show all of the photos from that gong show! As ridiculous as some of the photos are, you can get a little look into what it's like to try to get as many of the dogs [and their humans] into one shot all looking at the camera when there are seagulls flying, waves crashing, beachy smells and so many other distractions ~ including a border collie and his orange ball. Always fun times! Roll call - sleddies and their dog friends: Cedar + Niv, Kismet, Boomer + Knik, Pharaoh, Apex + Calli, Copper, Zeus, Shrek + Pique, Grey Grey + Daisy, Willow, Summer + Farmer, Jasper, Sassy, Saru, Cash and Ocea! And click HERE to see my retired sled dog photo project! As I've said before, the BEST part about delivering my latest book is getting to see the dogs!
Yesterday I got to see two of my buddies and meet a new friend. First to the gate was Shrek [Shrekkie]! I hadn't seen him in ages and he just hasn't changed at all. He was one of the first retired sled dogs I met back in March 2012. Back when no one knew what to expect from 'these dogs' . He was a lovey, silly, goofy boy back then and he still is. Only now he's playing with toys - and LOVES his orange ball. His 'sister' Pique was a doll as usual - she spent a lot of time getting right in close to sniff my face and then staring at me with her light blue eyes. She was Question's sister and the resemblance is pretty amazing... except Pique still has her whole tail. Apparently Pique doesn't play with the toys, but yesterday she decided to have a go at Shrekkie's orange ball - pawing at it and all. GAH! And I finally got to meet Coyote. The dashing Coyote was no longer needed or useful on the sled dog racing circuit - he apparently ran the 1000 mile Iditarod race more than once - and ended up in a shelter in the NWT. He's currently a Victoria Humane Society foster with Barb and her family and if he didn't have such a keen interest in small animals, he might have come home with me. His racing years have not been kind on him - with bowed legs and arthritic wrists - this fella is happiest to just trundle around and snuggle and eat. Did I mention how gentle, and sweet and LOVELY he is?! He's looking for a comfy retirement home... *nudge nudge* *wink wink* Big hugs to Barb and family for stepping up for the sleddies! For more information on Coyote and adopting from the Victoria Humane Society, go HERE! To view my collection of retired sled dog photos and goings-on, go HERE! HOLY WOOFERS! Thank you to everyone who helped me along the way with this project! To those who would help wrangle dogs, share their dogs and stories, meet up for walks, hikes and hangouts. Who laughed with me and cried with me. Who travelled to reunions. Who've stepped up for them and have become a voice. Who opened their homes and hearts to these special dogs. Who let me follow them with my camera.
It's all helped raise... $2000! This money has been donated to the Victoria Humane Society who has helped in the re-homing of hundreds of retired sled dogs. They've picked up the pieces, paid vet bills, travelled to remote locations, all to help more dogs... and they continue to do it, because they are dedicated to helping the 'sleddies'. If you'd still like to order a book they are $50 each [shipping extra outside of Greater Victoria] and there are only a limited number left. You can purchase them in person at upcoming Victoria Humane Society events [watch their facebook page for information] or through me. Full ordering information can be found here. For more on this project including photos that aren't in the book, please visit: The Sled Dogs of Whistler The big WHOOPSY: how I will embrace it and how it leads to a half price book.
I spent five years on my photo book project. Countless hours of photographing, editing, designing, sequencing, more photographing, pushing back timelines, re-writes, more photographing... on and on it went. When I finally gave myself a deadline I was excited and nervous. I wanted this book to be perfect - well, at least perfectly convey what I wanted to share about the retired sled dogs. I went the self-publish route as I had done for previous books and ordered a proof copy and when it arrived, I was satisified. So I put it 'out there' and orders came in. I put in my first bulk order to the publisher and could barely wait the 6 days until they were to arrive. When they did, I eagerly opened the boxes, but my excitement turned to disbelief, then anger, then sadness. There had been what looked like a mis-alignment problem during the printing and there was a narrow white band at the bottom of all the books. NOOOOOOOOO! The people I showed it to said "it wasn't a big deal", "you can barely notice it", "it doesn't look bad" and "at least the inside was right". But it's all I could see when I looked at it. It's as if it glowed extra bright, just for me. There was no way I could feel like the project was complete sending this 'out there'. And besides, people were paying a lot of money for this book so I couldn't in good faith present them with anything less than what it was supposed to be. So I contacted the publisher and it took three weeks of back and forths - photo evidence and emails and a futile phone call - before they agreed to reprint the order. But because they couldn't guarantee that the cover would print exactly like the single proof copy had (what I've now learned is an all-too common result of using an on-line self publisher), they recommended I take steps to create more space around each dog. This meant I had to switch out one of the photos and re-work a couple things. OK fine. But after sending previews to the company and hearing again that there could be alignment issues on a large order, the time came where I had to press that 'order' button and cross my fingers. When the re-order arrived a day later than expected, I was afraid to open the boxes so my husband offered and I took him up on it. I'm not a nail biter, but I was nibbling. Finally, he pulled out the first one and it was OK! They all were OK! I got all the books delivered to their new homes and then wondered what to do about that first order. Do I have some sort of ceremonial burning of them? Do I just put them in the attic and forget about them? Try to print out new covers? After a few days I decided I would sell them as is... at a discount, of course. Because this book is part photo album, part documentary feature, it's also about advocacy, fundraising, education, and telling a very unique story in a very unique moment in time. And really, when it comes down to it, I want to use it to raise funds - 100% of which will be donated back to rescues helping more sled dogs into retirement. As an artist there's ego in there - it's kinda what drives us, but from time to time I have to push it aside for the big picture. So I am embracing what I will now refer to the "PUBLISHER'S WHOOPSY EDITION" for the sake of raising AS MUCH MONEY and awareness as I can for the sleddies. They work hard for the sport and entertainment of humans, but they shouldn't have to. To order your copy of either limited edition printing of Meetings With Remarkable Dogs: the road to retirement for Whistler sled dog survivors, a 300-page, hard cover photo book containing over 350 images over five years, please CLICK HERE! For a bundle of sleddie stories, please CLICK HERE. Last weekend I journeyed up to the Whistler Film Festival to attend one film. Sled Dogs. A ground-breaking documentary made by a woman who not only felt the pull of the sled dogs but was subsequently compelled to take a deeper look inside and share what she saw.
In addition to seeing the premier of what is now an award-winning film [I'll share more about the film in another post], I got to adventure with some of my sleddie family, eat some incredible food and once again realize just how special this group of retired sled dog adopters is here in BC - how the dogs have brought together such a diverse group of people, what a long way everyone has come, and how incredibly special it is to see these dogs doing as well as they possibly can. I followed the sleddies and their families on two snow-filled hikes totalling 11km.... so much running, playing, chasing and a couple dogs even went for an unexpected swim. Here are some photos featuring retired sled dogs and their buddies: Jeff, Elwen + Keeva, Chocolate + Candy and Misty, who survived the Whistler killings in 2010, Apex, Calli, Ziggy and Jasper who survived being commercial sled tour dogs with another operation in BC, and Ben, Otis, Cedar and Maddie - four sleddie friends along for the ride. Thank you dogs and humans for a truly memorable weekend. For more retired sled dog stories click HERE To check out [and/or order] my 300-page photo book, Meetings with Remarkable Dogs: the road to retirement for Whistler sled dog survivors, it's currently only available through print on demand at Blurb.ca HERE. |
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