The man responsible for the "execution-style" cull of 100 sled dogs that were no longer of use to the Whistler-based Outdoor Adventures "due to a slow winter" season had known a lot of the dogs and was so traumatized by the slaughter he now suffers from nightmares, panic attacks and depression, according to a confidential workers' compensation review decision obtained by the Vancouver Sun.
The unidentified man said he had raised many of the 300 dogs owned by his employer, in fact, naming many of them. But over a two-day period in late April 2010, he agree to carry out the orders from his employer to euthanize some of them because part of his job duties "included herd control."
The BC SPCA is launching an investigation of the cull.
In the document, the man thought he had put down 30 per cent of the company's herd — approximately 70 animals — but the employer’s report of injury to the animals, filed with the review board in May, stated it had actually been 100 dogs.
The information came to light after the employee filed for workers’ compensation after developing post-traumatic stress disorder for allegedly being forced to kill the dogs — potentially after bookings slumped following the 2010 Olympic Games.
A veterinarian had been contacted but refused to participate in the cull of healthy animals.