JULY 4TH UPDATE ON GREENLAND SLED DOGS
On July 1st I received the two photo seen below from a friend in Denmark. Greenland Home Rule has stated that the dog was stolen and abused by the thief. I find this hard to believe. It makes one wonder if the owner of the dog did this in order to make some money. Reports state that a man in Greenland has photos of serious abuse to the Sled Dogs and is offering it for sale. I for one hope that his name will be revealed and that he is punished to the full extent of the so-called animal welfare laws. Laws, that have been ignored for decades.
The above photo was taken in a garbage dump where the dog was finally thrown. Reports say the dog was disembowelled.
Close up of the poor creature's sweet face; finally at rest.
THE FOLLOWING IS THE LATEST LETTER FROM GREENLAND HOME RULE:
Dear Earle Bingley
Thank you for your letter. I have chosen to repeat the first section in my recent letter:
I wrote:
The issue of well being of the Greenlandic dogs is taken seriously by the Greenlandic government
and right now the government is implementing an action plan to secure good conditions for the
Greenlandic dogs in close cooperation with the municipalities.
You wrote:
After reading your recent letter, I have come to the conclusion that the Greenland Home Rule has
no intention of putting the existing laws with regard to animal welfare into action.
Once again, I have to refer to the first section where I wrote that the government is implementing an
action plan. I don’t know how you came to your conclusion, but you have to understand that
implementing an action plan is a continuous process, especially when it involves different
authorities. It doesn’t happen over night.
You wrote:
One Greenlander has offered to sell a video of one of the sled dogs being abused and finally killed.
I suppose that you refer to the latest case with the mistreated dogs in Sisimiut. I can tell you that the
police is investigating the terrible case, and if you have a knowledge of who the person is, I will
suggest you to contact the police in Greenland:
grpoliti@greennet.gl , telephone: +299 32 14 48.You wrote:
How can you, after looking at the inserted photos, possibly think that the rest of the civilized world
is going to believe anything you may say or print?
The Greenland Home Rule doesn’t disagree with your concerns about the dogs. The veterinarians,
the municipalities, The Hunters Union and Greenland Home Rule are working together in
cooperation with the media to secure the conditions for the Greenlandic dogs whether you believe it
or not.
You cannot speak on behalf of the whole world - no one can. You are an animal welfare
campaigner. I will call it an expression of condescending attitude for a different culture to start a
boycott of an entire country because of some cases of animal abuse.
I look forward to hear from you again
On behalf of Greenland Home Rule:
Louise M. Kleemann
Press Officer
Section of Information
Secretariat to the Cabinet
Tel. (direct): +299 34 68 47 - Mobil: +299 49 94 02
THIS IS MY RESPONSE
July 4, 2007
Dear Ms. Louise M. Kleemann:
Thank you for your recent letter, the quickness of your response is appreciated.
You Wrote:
The issue of well being of the Greenlandic dogs is taken seriously by the Greenlandic government and right now the government is implementing an action plan to secure good conditions for the Greenlandic dogs in close cooperation with the municipalities
For more than six months I have received the same redundant communications from the Greenland Home Rule about their so-called action plan. Regrettably, all communication I receive from my informants in Greenland indicates that nothing has changed.
The dogs are still being mistreated which has been a standard practice for many decades.
I would like to believe that the Home Rule has implemented an action plan with regard to the mistreatment of the dogs by miscreant owners, but as yet I have received absolutely no documentation to convince me that you are actually doing something to stop this decades old horror.
Send me documentation of what you have achieved to this date:
(1) Documentation on how you will achieve said goals;
(2) Documentation on a date of completion;
(3) Documentation of how you are monitoring proposed goals.
(4) In short: What exactly are you goals?
(5) Tell me exactly have you done to make the lives of the dogs more acceptable?
You Wrote:
The Greenland Home Rule doesn’t disagree with your concerns about the dogs. The veterinarians, the municipalities, The Hunters Union and Greenland Home Rule are working together in cooperation with the media to secure the conditions for the Greenlandic dogs whether you believe it or not.
I am well aware that your government is not disagreeing with my concerns about the Sled Dog’s welfare. I would suggest that you ask the media, the Hunters Union to contact me with documented proof that steps are being taken to right this terrible wrong. I sincerely want to believe you, however, your government officials have been making these promises to me for months, and still I have no documented facts that anything is actually being done. Send me this information and I will be more than happy to work with you to help solve and improve the conditions of the Sled Dogs.
You Wrote:
One Greenlander has offered to sell a video of one of the sled dogs being abused and finally killed.
I suppose that you refer to the latest case with the mistreated dogs in Sisimiut. I can tell you that the police is investigating the terrible case, and if you have a knowledge of who the person is, I will suggest you to contact the police in Greenland: grpoliti@greennet.gl , telephone: +299 32 14 48.
From all reports I’ve received about the dog abuse in Sisimiut, I would not be surprised if the owner of that dog is the miscreant responsible. If and when I receive the name of said miscreant, I will contact the police and demand that he be punished to the full extent of the law. Laws that have been ignored for decades.
You Wrote:
You cannot speak on behalf of the whole world - no one can. You are an animal welfare
campaigner. I will call it an expression of condescending attitude for a different culture to start a boycott of an entire country because of some cases of animal abuse.
Be advised Ms .Kleemann that I started this campaign at the bequest of several animal organizations, and countless individuals across Europe, Canada, United States, and countries as far away as India, Japan, China, South America, Argentina, and South Africa to mention just a few. It represents a respectable sampling of world-wide opinion on the horror inflicted on the Sled Dogs and the shock these individuals felt after viewing the many despicable photos sent to me by concerned citizens of Greenland and Denmark. I have, and will continue to campaign on their behalf. If continuing the tourism boycott against Greenland is the only way to spur you into action, then it will be continued.
You Wrote:
I look forward to hear from you again
I look forward to hearing from you again as well, and sincerely hope we are able to work together to resolve this issue. However, you must provide me with documented proof of your actions
Psychologists and law enforcement officers the world over have found that animal cruelty is an indication for more common forms of violence including child abuse, spouse abuse, and elder abuse. In fact, the American Psychiatric Association considers animal cruelty one of the diagnostic criteria of conduct disorders.
Engendering compassion in the hearts of the people and producing empathy and concern for all living things will not only help the animals of your country, but it will create a better society and a better Greenland for all.
Yours truly,
Earle Bingley,
President,
CVFA – Canada – Argentina – Norway
