Inuit have long alleged that police killed a total of about 20,000 sled dogs from 1950 to 1980 in Nunavut, the Nunavik region of northern Quebec, and the Nunatsiavut region of Labrador. The Inuit hold the husky, or qimmiit in the local language, in high regard, which has helped maintain a pure breeding line. The Inuit husky is the hardiest of dog breeds, needing no shelter even in the most extreme Arctic weather and eating only raw caribou, seal or walrus meat.
As a result of losing their dogs, Inuit say their livelihoods were dramatically affected. Many have accused governments of forcing families to move from their traditional settlements into western-style communities. “People were sincere in how they told about their stories and the impacts on them today, after so many years of having gone through this transition period, moving from beloved homes and families to the larger settlements,” Igloliorte said. “It was a tough experience.”
In its own report in 2006, the RCMP concluded no organized dog slaughter took place. Some dogs were lawfully destroyed because they were disease-ridden or dangerous, according to the police force.
i still find it astounding how few people know about this.
