HOW IT BEGAN FOR ME... Rescued + Retired Sled Dogs |
I met my first 'sleddie' back in 2012 and I've been under their spell ever since. A spell that goes beyond the first time I heard about the massacre in Whistler, BC Canada after the 2010 Olympics. A spell that goes beyond those who survived.
What is a 'sleddie' you may ask? A sleddie is a term of affection we give to former sled dogs. Back in 2012 we were calling them sledders, as 'retired sled dog' doesn't roll off the tongue as smoothly. But soon after, someone in our group said 'sleddie' and it stuck. It didn't matter if they were rescued or fired or old and retired, new-into-care sled dogs were all, from then on, lovingly referred to as a 'sleddie'. There are thousands of sled dogs working in commercial and sport operations in my corner of the world on the west coast Canada. It's a tough life and being 'just a dog' is not an option because as sled dogs they're considered different than the dogs we share our homes with; in the eyes of the public, those who use and exploit them and even the lawmakers. I hope that the stories and photographs shared throughout this site of the more than 200 former sled dogs I've met over the last decade, will help prove to you, and anyone else who insists otherwise, that 'sleddies' are just as deserving as, and no different than, the dogs we share our homes with. |
