Kamloops Liberal Terry Lake says he's put down hundreds of animals as a practising veterinarian, but he remains horrified about the reports of how 100 sled dogs died in Whistler.
Premier Gordon Campbell recently appointed Lake as the chairman of a joint task force that will review the mass dog killing and the sled dog industry.
Lake said the task force held its first meeting Tuesday, agreeing to terms of reference that will see the task force conduct its review in phases before delivering a final report to Agriculture Minister Ben Stewart on March 25.
"We want to be very focused," said Lake. "We want to be sure we don't compromise the ongoing investigation by the SPCA, in conjunction with the RCMP," said Lake. "We're going to take a look at the sled-dog industry first and take a look at how provincial law and regulations are involved in that industry."
The task force also includes as members, Craig Daniell, B.C. SPCA chief executive officer; and Barbara Steele, B.C. Union of Municipalities president.
Lake speculated the task force could end up recommending tighter rules and regulations to govern B.C.'s sled dog industry.
He said the task force will also review the gruesome ways in which the dogs died and likely recommend guidelines for more humane methods of destroying working animals.
"In over 20 years of practise, I probably have euthanized hundreds of animals, and, of course, in an acceptable and humane way," Lake said. "These are not pet dogs we are dealing with, and so the method of euthanasia in a veterinary office is not the only humane method of euthanasia. I think that's an important thing to say."
Lake said he expects the task force to review euthanasia guidelines enforced by the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association when it comes to future decisions to kill sled dogs.
The mass killings of the sled dogs did not become public until the person who killed the dogs complained of suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and received a payment from WorkSafe BC.
