I Was a Sled Dog
  • Home
  • Galleries + Projects
    • The Sled Dogs of Whistler
    • I Was A Sled Dog, Part One
    • I Was A Sled Dog, Part Two
    • Archives
    • Books
  • About
    • Rescued + Retired Sled Dogs
    • My Remarkable Journey
  • Content Sharing + Image Use
  • Support
    • Resources + How You Can Help
    • Press
    • Fundraising + Donations
  • Contact
  • Blog

I WAS A SLED DOG BLOG

2021 in review

12/31/2021

 
Picture
Luna, pictured in 2017, turned 17 this year!
24 new retirees in 6 sets of new arrivals
1 puppy
12 meet up photo ops
53 gb of raw images
​thousands of shutter clicks
1 sleddie turned 17
6* sleddies passed away

It was a year like no other... but then again, aren't they all?
24 more sleddies joined the 'officially retired' team. I use 'officially' for two reasons: 1) because a few of them had retired while at the sled dog kennel but they didn't have anywhere to retire to; and 2) because the moment they left the kennel and were in care of the rescue, they became 'domestic pets' and thus covered under domestic animal protection laws here in BC. They may be outdated laws, but they're a LOT better than the agricultural animal 'laws' that covered them previously.

I'm not sure of the costs incurred to date, but it would be well in to the thousands - gas, ferry fares, spay/neuter surgeries, lump removals, dentals, specialist appointments (Pumpkin's eyes), food. Plus the volunteer hours provided by foster homes who not only opened up their homes for months to some of this crew, but made sure they got to all their medical appointments.

Some arrivals looked more like what one thinks a sled dog should look like - a bit floofier and husky-like (Ace, Ice, Saturn), some looked more like hounds (Biggie, Ginny), some had piercing blue eyes (Saturn, Centurion, Ice, Batman, Loki, Meso, Toledo), and some were incredibly fearful but are coming out of their shells at their own pace (Ace, Bear, Catty, Bruno, Herman, Stevie). Two were adopted by their foster homes (Pumpkin, Sparkle), one was adopted by her transporter (Portia), and one was just a puppy (Bamboo).
And at the time of writing this, one is still awaiting adoption... Bruno.
It's one thing to photograph dogs at intake as it's not really the best photo op. It's confusing, they may be scared and not themselves, there's new people, smells, they're getting fitted for new harnesses and collars. Their GPS trackers are getting tested. They may be getting a flea & tick or deworming treatment. They may  just want to sleep because it's been a big travel day. They may just be super shut down. All the while I'm trying to be a bit of a fly-on-the-wall to get a photo of them, to document their existence and give them space in this world, while they hide behind another dog, a human, under a desk. It's a lot. This is why I'm so incredibly stoked to meet up a few days, weeks, months down the road. There is always a positive change. To see them more relaxed and comfortable, have time off leash, taking treats, giving eye contact, responding to their name instead of tucking their tail. Sometimes it's a teeny tiny change, but it's celebrated. These meet ups are also a lot, but in a super beautiful way.
With a passionate group at the helm, there were chances for (safe) meet ups and connection for both the humans and sleddies and its inspiring to see this community continue to grow and evolve.


2021, for me, meant year 10 of sled dog advocacy, bringing 24 new ambassadors into my world and the total number of sleddies in this work to 208. There are now 24 more faces and names whose mere presence in this world can help advocate for those who are still being exploited. They don't need to do anything else except learn to be themselves.
2022, for me, will mean 10 years since I clicked the shutter on my first sleddie. Ten years of following the 'after', what some may call the 'hard part'. But knowing there are more sled dogs ready to come into care if foster homes can be found, I will continue to share the names, faces and stories because as long as the sled dog industry exists, there will be dogs in need. I know our transport team is ready, are you?


Thank you to the Victoria Humane Society who foots all the bills for these retirees, and to the volunteers who arrange fosters, help with adoptions and support in any way they can. Also, to the transporters of this  precious cargo: Jillian+ Debbie, Jillian + Charla, Bobbie, Jillian + Amanda, Debbie + Jillian and Jillian and her mom.

In alphabetical order, meet the new I Was A Sled Dog ambassadors!

Ace, Bamboo, Batman, Bear, Biggie, Bruno, Cally, Cap, Catty, Centurion, Ginny, Herman, Ice, Kerri, Loki, Meso, Portia, Pumpkin, Saturn, Sparkle, Stevie, Teddy, Tig, Toledo

*this is the number of sleddies I've heard passed away in 2021, the number could be higher

Comments are closed.

    Archives

    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    November 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    October 2018
    November 2017
    March 2017
    July 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    July 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014

    Categories
    (of dogs named in blog only)

    All
    Ace
    Angel
    Apex
    Argus
    Arwen
    Ash
    Baloo
    Bamboo
    Batman
    Bear
    Bella
    Berta
    Betty
    Biggie
    Birch
    Blizzard
    Blue
    Blue's Pups
    Bran
    Bruno
    Calli
    Cally
    Camino
    Cane
    Cap
    Casey
    Catty
    Centurion
    Chase
    Cherry
    ChiChi
    Clyde
    Cola
    Cola2
    Colby
    Comet
    Copper
    Cruz
    Cuddles
    Cutie
    Daffy
    Daisy
    Dandelion
    Dave
    Farmer
    Felix
    Fiddle
    Flash
    Frankie
    Galute
    Ginny
    Goldie
    Grey
    Herman
    Holstein
    Hurricane
    Ice
    Jack
    Jasper
    Jo
    Kayou
    Kc
    Keni
    Kepler
    Kerri
    Kerry
    Kirika
    Kit
    Knik
    Lefty
    Lion
    Loki
    Louie1
    Louie2
    Louise
    Lucy
    Luna1
    Luna2
    Lunar
    Maddy
    Magic
    Mars
    MaryKate
    Meso
    Millie
    Moon
    Morley
    Mossy
    Nike
    Nina
    Niv
    Nordique
    Oman
    Otter
    Pancake
    Peaches
    Penny
    Pharaoh
    Picasso
    Piper
    Pique
    Pluto
    Porsche
    Portia
    Pumpkin
    Punk
    Question
    Red
    Rio
    River
    Roo
    Samwell
    Sassy
    Saturn
    Serabe
    Shivers
    Shrek
    Siku
    Silly
    Sinatra
    Sky
    Smokey
    Snickers
    Sonny
    Sparkle
    Sparky
    Sparky2
    Spinner
    Splash
    Stevie
    Storm
    Stuart
    Stuart Little
    Sun
    Teddy
    Tig
    Tiger
    TJ
    Toledo
    Trixie
    Troy
    Twister
    Vinnie
    Watsit
    Whistle
    Whistler
    Willy
    Willy's Pups
    Yale
    Yamaha
    Yang
    Ying

    RSS Feed

About

  • Rescued + Retired Sled Dogs
  • My Remarkable Journey

Galleries + Projects

Support

  • The Sled Dogs of Whistler
  • I Was A Sled Dog, Part One
  • I Was A Sled Dog Too, Part Two 
  • Archives
  • ​Books
  • Blog
  • Content Sharing + Image Usage
  • Resources + How You Can Help
  • Press
  • ​Fundraising
  • FAQ

Contact

  • Contact
All content on this is site is copyright protected.
© Wendy Nesbitt  // All rights reserved.
  • Home
  • Galleries + Projects
    • The Sled Dogs of Whistler
    • I Was A Sled Dog, Part One
    • I Was A Sled Dog, Part Two
    • Archives
    • Books
  • About
    • Rescued + Retired Sled Dogs
    • My Remarkable Journey
  • Content Sharing + Image Use
  • Support
    • Resources + How You Can Help
    • Press
    • Fundraising + Donations
  • Contact
  • Blog