It may have taken 9 years, but it happened!

Super Sleddie Reunion #8 happened on September 27, 2025 and it was a sight to behold.

27 sleddies gathered to run, play, steal snacks, swim, get muddy, explore, sniff, make new friends and even nap. 
You may think it would be noisy with over 30 dogs in all, in attendance, but it's not. The dogs have found new routines that are more than just being "on" or "off" for work. They've found a middle ground that allows them to make their own choices on their own time. To choose friends. To have some license when it comes to their daily lives.

The reunion took place at Victoria Humane Society’s new property - the site of what will be an incredible animal care and adoption centre - located in a magical forested area, just outside of Victoria. 

Since the first gathering in November 2013 to this latest almost 12 years later, I’ve had the honour to meet and photograph 278 former sled dogs who’ve had the opportunity to leave working life behind and live life as beloved family members. 

Aside from sweet Smokie who’s 15 (maybe 16?), the dogs at this gathering is a new generation of sleddies. The inspiration for this project - the survivors of the Whistler sled dog massacre - have all passed away, but their names and faces live on in some pretty cherished memories from those who knew them, along with photographs and stories on this site. And some of those original families have continued to adopt sleddies!
The majority of this crew have come from the Whistler area, but some are from the Yukon and beyond. 

To the new friends visiting this page/post, you will see many photos below. I haven’t picked out just the single portraits because I share as many photos as I can as this project is not just about the ‘pretty pictures or posed portraits - it’s about sharing the realness - the fun, the messy, the eyes closed, the turned away faces. 

There is a magic that comes along with sharing your home with a sleddie, a camaraderie between the human and the dog as you both learn about each other. The comfort that can be found in new routines. The time for the dogs to learn that life is not just about being “on” and “off” for work because there are now opportunities for mid-range adventures, hikes, or afternoon naps with their bestie.

But as it can be when bringing any new dog into your home, some assimilate very easily and some need a little more time. Time to learn about their new roles in a home. Time to trust.
But this group has stepped up.

These days I generally only get to see the dogs upon arrival, so it’s super special to see how those sweet, yet fearful dogs, have learned to relax and bond with their family. 

As long as there are sled dog operations, the Victoria Humane Society will need foster and adoptive homes, so if you’re interested, please contact them.

Sleddie roll call: Bagheera (adoptable!), Baloo, Biggie, Blue, Clyde, Dawson, Elton, Gadget, Heart, Idéfix, June, Keelah (formerly Akeela), Lady Arthur (adoptable!) (formerly Arthur), Louie, Louise, Oman, Patsy, Peach, Penny, Pepper (adoptable!), Raksha (adoptable!), Shine (formerly Shining), Smokie, Star, Titan, Toledo, Zuzu

As it's taken me over a month to actually get to sharing this post (life sometimes takes over), some super cool news has come in! At the reunion there were 4 adoptable sleddies (Bagheera, Lady Arthur, Pepper and Raksha), and I'm happy to say Bagheer, Raksha and Pepper have all been adopted! Our sweet Lady Arthur is, however, still awaiting her forever home.  I ask you to just take a look at the photos of this sweet girl near the end of this post -- most of the dogs had gone home, but Lady Arthur continued to request loves and attention in her very gentle way from any human close by. This girl is a 100% a gem. So sensitive and sweet. Whoever adopts her is going to be very lucky. 

Some other friends came too — whether they were sleddie siblings, honourary sleddies or “fake” sleddies… they all had a blast! Flurry, Murphy, Rachel, Wesley, Zoe

Thank you so much to the organizers (Jill + Deb) and all the fosters, adopters and supporters of this incredibly special group of sweet dogs!
Names and captions are included for all photos (fingers crossed I got them all correct!)

~wendy
​xo

p.s. printable versions of images from this reunion can be ordered for $10 each, with the money raised going back to help sustain this project and fund future sleddie-related advocacy. Please contact me for to order!

Gadget, Hailey, Junebug, Loretta, Oak, Penny, Shanti - seven sweet sleddies who arrived into care March 28.

When the van pulled up to the shelter, Hailey was the first sleddie I saw, right there on a lap in the passenger seat. She was very much not a fan of being in her crate so she used her voice to express this to her drivers. Hailey probably would've preferred to ride in the driver's seat, but all parties came to an agreement and Hailey got the chance to show off her lap-dog skills.
Gadget & Penny being besties, shared a kennel for the trip and Oak, Junebug, Loretta and Shanti had their own private kennels.

As always, for safety and security, before the dogs get out of the van, they're fitted with a martingale collar, flat collar with GPS, harness (with top & front clips), two leashes (one to attach to the martingale & one to attach to the waist leash/belt) which the dogs wear when outside and on walks. Some may think this is overkill, but experience has been a very good teacher. The most well-known story in our group being that of Apex, whose new adopter slipped, dropped his leash and he was missing on the Sunshine Coast for 5 months. Thankfully he was found safe (which isn't always the case with missing dogs), but we don't want that to ever happen again, so safety first! 

Ranging in age from about 3ish to 7ish, this group made the trek from Whistler to Victoria where they were met with the welcoming crew made up of intake helpers, fosters and a couple senior sleddies.
Each dog has been matched up to their foster home according to variables such as other dogs in the home, ok with cats, someone home most of the time, etc. and most of the prep with the fosters is done in advance to help make the arrival process a bit more streamline. But each dog still has to get weighed as well as de-flea and de-wormer (if needed) and any last-minute bits of info learned from the trip is shared with the fosters. 

My job is to get photos. Not only for this work of I Was A Sled Dog, but to ensure we have photos for their file, should one of the dogs go missing. Having created an archive of 264 former sled dogs over the last decade, my hope is that it brings to light the diversity in what is considered the 'sled dog breed', or 'Alaskan Husky' while hopefully dispelling some myths about their behaviours when it comes to life after being a working dog and living in a home. With the diversity of personalities and behaviours amongst former sled dogs, each intake is a learning opportunity. And when we learn something new, we can apply it to new intakes as well as sharing it with the growing sleddie adoption community. 

I have no idea how each of these dogs is going to settle in. Some take longer, some know retirement the second they walk through their foster's threshold. I'm writing this the day after their intake and have heard that all had a good night, some are confused about being indoors and some don't want to go outside (the weather here today has been sunny and cloudy). That sounds pretty typical for a new group! The next few days will be time to decompress and learn new routines while their fosters learn more about their likes and dislikes, which will ultimately provide info for their adopters. All seven will get wellness exams with the vet and any medical treatments taken care of before they're available for adoption.
A new chapter has started today for each of these dogs and I'm thankful I can help share their story.

Here's my take on meeting each of the dogs last night. It's by no way a personality assessment or indicative of how the dogs will be once in homes or anywhere else... it's just how they interacted with me for the approximately one hour I got to spend with them after their transport and intake and all the newness they were experiencing:
Hailey (~1ish), this youngster was sweet from the moment I saw her. She's in heat so Oak, the only male in this group, was very interested in wherever she was. His sniffer was go-go-going the whole time he was outside. Hailey loved treats gently and her kisses warmed up my cold hand!
Gadget and Penny wanted to be close to the humans, especially Penny. If you stopped petting her, she'd make a fuss and then all you'd have to do is rest your hand on her side and she'd be ok. Take your hand off, she'd start again. It was as if her whole body was an on/off switch (see video below). These two are besties and word on the street is that they're possibly sisters which wouldn't be a surprise. Once Penny was at her foster, we were told she settled and slept on a cushy bed by a fireplace. Both girls took treats very gently and easily.
Shanti (~7/8ish), who has one blue and one brown eye was quiet and gentle. She didn't like my treats, but was ok with others which isn't a surprise with any dog!
Loretta (~7ish) (Junebug's sister from the country singers litter) with the red fur, spots and blue eyes, is a very unique looking sleddie. And as it turns out, she matches her foster human! Seemingly overwhelmed by what was going on, Loretta  went into 'hug' mode, but she's going to an experienced sleddie foster home so she's in good hands. She didn't want treats but I suspect it's because she was a bit too stressed.
June/Junebug (~7ish) (Loretta's sister from the country singers litter) looks more like their other sister Patsy who came into care in October 2023. She totally mugged for my camera and was so sweet. June loved treats!! 
Oak (~3ish) reminded some of us of Bamboo, a pup who came into care in October 2021. Oak has legs for days, but more of a slight build and short coat. He was very sweet, but very distracted by Hailey so he didn't take any treats.

The end of winter marks new arrival for sleddies into care, with more dogs ready to retire as soon as foster homes are available. If you're interested in fostering, please contact the Victoria Humane Society www.victoriahumanesociety.com directly.

As always, big thanks to everyone who made this new intake possible! From Victoria Humane Society to Jill, Amanda, Deb, Shannon and the amazing people opening up their homes and hearts to foster this crew!

Also, don't miss the two videos at the bottom... one featuring Hailey and the other illustrating just how much Penny wanted loves. Oh my heart.

WELCOME HAILEY, GADGET, PENNY, SHANTI, JUNE, LORETTA & OAK!

~w
xo

p.s. also in attendance was Smokie & Apex, though only Smokie made an appearance... prancing as usual!