The Whistler, British Columbia Company at the center of an animal cruelty investigation has voluntarily suspended operations days after a leaked WorkSafeBC document showed a worker who developed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was awarded compensation after killing upwards of 100 sled dogs last year.
According to Canadian OH&S News, on Feb. 1, Outdoor Adventures at Whistler Ltd (OAW) said it had suspended operations and ceased conducting tours at Howling Dog Tours Whistler Inc (HDTW), the company it assumed control of in May, 2010. The announcement follows a Jan. 25 WorkSafeBC review decision awarding the former general manager of HDTW compensation for euthanizing the dogs on April 21 and 23, 2010. (WCxKit)
The ruling overturns a previous WorkSafeBC decision that denied the claim on the basis that the workers PTSD did not "arise out of a sudden and unexpected traumatic event." WorkSafeBC spokeswoman Donna Freeman confirms that the organization did not release the document – which was leaked to the media – as compensation claims are protected by privacy laws.
In the decision, review officer Allan Wotherspoon says an incident in which the worker was attacked by a wounded dog was unexpected and traumatic.
"Notwithstanding the absence of physical injury to the worker, the circumstance where the worker found himself on his back, fighting off a wounded sled dog and eventually dispatching it with a knife, was emotionally shocking such as to constitute a sudden and traumatic event," Wotherspoon writes.
The British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SCPA), who has launched an animal cruelty investigation, says that the decision to euthanize the dogs followed a downturn in tour bookings following the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics.
"In most cases, dogs were shot more than once or had their throats slashed before they were dumped into what is described in the documents as a mass grave," says an SCPA statement, adding that animal cruelty charges are pending.
The worker – who OAW says ceased managing the business shortly after the culling – first saw a clinical counselor on April 28, 2010 and also visited his family physician and a psychologist. In an Oct. 3, 2010 assessment, the decision says, the psychologist noted that the worker "complained of panic attacks, nightmares, sleep disturbance, anger, irritability and depressed mood since culling approximately 100 dogs."
There is some dispute over the number of dogs euthanized. In a Feb. 2 joint statement between OAW and the worker, Robert Fawcett, the former general manager estimated that 50 dogs that were "'too old' or 'sick' and 'not adoptable'" would be euthanized. The statement also says that "considerable efforts" were made to arrange for dogs to be adopted, which were "not as successful as hoped."
The WorkSafeBC decision adds that "a veterinarian was contacted, but refused to euthanize healthy animals."
OAW also disputes claims that it instructed Fawcett to euthanize the dogs in the manner described in the report. "There were no instructions given to Mr. Fawcett as to the manner of euthanizing dogs on this occasion, and Mr. Fawcett was known to have very humanely euthanized dogs on previous occasions," the joint statement says.
The company admits that it was aware of the "relocation and euthanization of dogs at Howling Dog Tours Whistler Inc in April 2010, but OAW expected this to be done in a proper, legal and humane manner. We only learned otherwise on Friday, January 28, when we read the [WorkSafeBC] ruling for the first time."
Since the incident, the company says it has improved safety protocols. "Guns are no longer allowed on site and the companys new policy is that euthanasia must be performed at a veterinary office," the release says.
On Feb. 2, BC Premier Gordon Campbell announced that he appointed Dr Terry Lake, a veterinarian and MLA for Kamloops-North Thompson, to lead a task force to review the case. "The task forces review will examine the circumstances leading up to the killing of the dogs, as well as the chain of events following any initial reports of the killing to WorkSafeBC or any other agencies and why the information was not communicated to appropriate authorities." (WCxKit)
In response, WorkSafeBC says in a statement that it "has never encountered a situation like this. We will be considering the direction and guidance that should be provided within the organization regarding reporting to other agencies."
Sad, very sad situation. The one dog who attacked the workers should receive an award, posthumous. This brave dog is my hero.
Author Rebecca Shafer, JD, President of Amaxx Risks Solutions, Inc. is a national expert in the field of workers compensation. She is a writer, speaker and website publisher. Her expertise is working with employers to reduce workers compensation costs, and her clients include airlines, healthcare, printing/publishing, pharmaceuticals, retail, hospitality and manufacturing. See www.LowerWC.com for more information. Contact: [email protected] or 860-553-6604.
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