Malamutes & Sibes Owners "breaking the law"??Working Them!!

Ok sorry but wanted to take this away from the weight pull thread ...

Mahooli said
I then said
Mahooli then said
I then asked what law are we breaking by working our dogs to do what they are bred for??

No expert on this Louise, but know at least one person who works her huskies. She even offered for Takara to join them in their sled dog team.

One of the members on here has a dally who loves pulling weights - she found out by mistake when he took off attached to her brothers' sled with her brothers in it. lol

Well I am desperate to know how its breaking the law..

Its where they came from, its what they do, its what they are bred to do and it's what they love..

and no one has been arrested for it yet

How can the Forestry Commission offer permits knowing what you're going to use them for, if it's illegal? Surely they wouldn't issue permits if it was something that you're not allowed to do...

I wonder why Mahooli hasn't backed up the claim with a link to a site that shows this 'law'?
Most people like to back up their claims.

Surely if the Forestry Commission are happy for you to use their land to rig-pull/work on, without an additional permit to the one you mention above, I can't see the problem?

People compete in rig-pulling all the time (in this country?) and from what I've seen they're fairly large events. I can't see the police, RSPCA etc letting these happen if they are illegal!

As far as I'm aware it is illegal to use dogs as a mode of transport on the public highway but not on private land e.g. forestry land, that's where the permit comes in.

I personally know a few policemen who work their Sibes.

Yes this is correct - we work our dogs and although it is illegal to use dogs as a mode of transport on public highways, it isn't illegal on private land. Most people don't own enough land on which to work their dogs so they purchase permits which enable them to use land such as is owned by the Forestry commision etc.

There is nothing wrong with Sled-dogs doing what they were bred to do

This is the relevant law, taken from the Protection of Animals Act 1911.

9 Use of dogs for purposes of draught

If any person shall use, or cause or procure, or being the owner permit, to be used, any dog for the purpose of drawing or helping to draw any cart, carriage, truck, or barrow, on any public highway, he shall be liable upon summary conviction in respect of the first offence to a fine not exceeding [level 1 on the standard scale].

However apparenly this law does not extend to Scotland

As long as you are not using the dogs in harness on public highways then you are breaking no law Most Sled Dog owners are extremely concientious and all should have public liability insurance if working their dogs (in fact most places who issue permits insist upon it).

This is what I believe too I know I'm allowed to do carting with my Dogs on private land but not on piblic Highway.