Sad Details Emerge in Sled Dog Killings

A sled dog company employee who slaughtered around 100 huskies after tourism dried up has been receiving death threats, Canadian police say. Police and animal welfare authorities are investigating the killings, which came to light after the worker described the killings in grisly detail to obtain workman's compensation. The animals were killed in sight of other dogs before being dumped in a mass grave, the Province reports. The killing went on for two days, according to the compensation board's report.

One dog emerged from a mass grave 20 minutes after being shot and left for dead, and was then shot again. Another wasn't downed by the first shot, and ran around with its "cheek blown off and her eye hanging out" until it was shot a second time. The New York Times reports that the employee tasked with the killings wrapped his arms in foam padding after the scared dogs attacked him. Authorities plan to excavate the dogs' grave after the spring thaw. Investigators have checked on the health of the company's remaining 200 dogs and authorities are likely to introduce more regulations aimed at preventing similar incidents.
(More Canada stories.)