End The Dog Sledding Industry

A feature with Nicole Sapalovski, Campaign Organizer for End The Dog Sledding Industry. They are a grassroots organization that many different people from across Canada and the United States have contributed to over the years and for whom they are immensely grateful! The campaign organizers are Nicole Sapalovski, Rhea Akler and Irene Denver. They are a small, but mighty team and are currently mobilizing alongside advocates across the country to advocate in the most effective way possible for these dogs!

Having trouble reading the digital interview?

This digital interview is best viewed using the fullscreen button on a desktop computer. However, if you are on a mobile device, try viewing it horizontally.

If you are stilling having issues, you can read (or translate) the interview using the text excerpt below. 

We are a grassroots organization that many different people from across Canada and the United States have contributed to over the years and for whom we are immensely grateful! The campaign organizers are myself (Nicole Sapalovski), Rhea Akler and Irene Denver. We are a small, but mighty team and we are currently mobilizing alongside advocates across the country to advocate in the most effective way possible for these dogs!

This campaign begun in 2018 and under the name ‘End Sled Dog Cruelty‘. It was started by Ariella Getrajhendler as she screened the documentary ‘Sled Dogs‘ by Fern Levitt at that time in Toronto and a group of people started to work together to educate schools who were taking students dog sledding, contacting tourist agencies to encourage them to stop promoting dog sledding, and having small demonstrations in downtown Toronto to educate the public about the industry.

Over the years things have definitely evolved from what it once was. We decided that the campaign name had to change. We recognize the importance of language and the word cruelty can be very subjective and not address the injustice entirely which is the use and exploitation of these dogs, not only what they endure as a result of living in it, otherwise known as the treatment of them. We felt that was an important component to change and so it has been known as End The Dog Sledding Industry since around 2020. We also started to incorporate pressure campaigns, email and phone blasts, establish more of a social media presence and direct action a few different times.

What is your organizations mission/goals? What small steps are taken to achieve these goals?
We are campaigning to dismantle the dog sledding industry. Inherently violent and exploitative, this industry views dogs as property, whose function is to serve humans, not beings who deserve respect and moral consideration. Our ultimate goal is to see this industry abolished, for it to become a thing of the past. We recognize that current laws and regulations do not work in the dogs’ favour or in a way that makes it “easy” to get rid of it overnight so we are learning about the regulations, governing bodies and other relevant information to determine how best to reach this goal. There of course will be steps along the way from a legal and political perspective in order to accomplish this and this is why we have re-evaluated our strategies and are dedicating time to research as much as we can.

What is your favourite task/job to do for your organization? If you don’t have a favourite what is your least favourite? 
Personally, I have enjoyed sharing survivor stories! That has been a significant component of our campaign over the last few years! Survivor stories shed light on the individuals who have been liberated from this industry and their guardians have shared photos and videos of their rescued pups and tell us what life is like with them, their quirks and idiosyncrasies! We find this is a crucial part of the campaign because it highlights something positive and works to debunk the myth that these dogs are not capable of being adopted and living a meaningful and enriching life with a family! Is it easy – not always and their trauma and experience from being exploited absolutely has the potential to show up in addition to many of them having medical issues, but with time, patience and understanding – they have the potential, as with any other dog, to thrive!

What challenges does your organization face?
We are a very small team and the amount of people who have been involved and helping has fluctuated over the years. It is hard to commit time to animal advocacy, life happens and it can be emotionally taxing. We advocate for taking breaks, self care and doing what you have to do as an individual to create joy and happiness in our own lives amid all of the horror and violence we are exposed to. We have found that we can only be effective and sustainable if we take care of ourselves and one another. It is a work in progress to establish a healthy balance between life and advocacy and for many of us, life is advocacy. It is so important that we are taking an active part in creating change for these dogs. We are all vegan and we care about the issues plaguing all nonhuman animals, but we have found that in order to be the best we can be, we have all decided to dedicate our time to this issue. It is challenging to take on too much and we realize we cannot pour from an empty cup so this has been an important realization so that we can give what we can to these dogs.

Another issue, because we are not an organization raising funds, is resources. We have limited resources at our disposal and do what we can with what we have. Thankfully where we are at now, we do not have significant costs, but in saying that – if we considered a billboard, doing Freedom of Information requests and things like this, we need resources for those things so that is definitely a challenge for a small grassroots organization.

What keeps you and your organization motivated?
The dogs! This is why we do what we do and why we won’t give up. We have seen these operations, we have watched the expose, the documentary, we have heard from behavioural experts. This is no life for a dog. Period. It is shocking that more people are not outraged about this, the exploitation of “man’s best friend” – so-called best friend. As advocates we have a hard time recognizing that dogs are victims of speciesism too – they are not exempt from the harm and violence we inflict onto nonhuman animals. When we say, why love one but….we diminish the fact that dogs are victims in a myriad of ways – dog sledding, racing, research and testing, breeding, their fur and flesh are commodified too. We are very passionate and very driven and as with most social justice issues, things take far too long to change. We have to hold onto hope because really, that is all there is. We will continue forward despite moments of being discouraged, defeated or let down. The dogs trapped in this industry have a voice, all nonhuman animals do – the problem is, we do not listen or hear their cries for help and their attempts at resisting. We silence and ignore them to serve human greed and entitlement. Activists are here to advocate on their behalf and amplify their voices.

If you could have given yourself advice before you started or got involved with this organization what would it be?
The sense of urgency is there, it always will be, but if you want to be able to advocate for nonhuman animals for the long haul, you need to pace yourself, reflect, constructively criticize your methods and strategy, evolve, consult with experts who have been doing this a long time and who have experienced the hurdles, setbacks and have learned what may and may not work. Constantly re-evaluate and support one another and don’t take on everything yourself, it takes a team to get work done! We are a small team, but we are mighty and if we are able to grow alongside good people, we will be even stronger and more effective!

What past experiences prepared you to start or get involved with this organization?
I was involved in advocacy in Toronto since late 2015 and participated in a wide range of activism from protests to disruptions, to campaign research and outreach. My own views on advocacy have evolved over the years and where I find myself now is really leaning into the politics of it all because at the end of the day, laws and regulations have to change in order for nonhuman animals to be protected not only from harm but by exploitation and use in the first place. It is not the most glamorous to be sitting reading through 50 pages of regulations or laws, but it is crucial for everything we hope to achieve for nonhuman animals.

Who are your mentors or those who you learn the most from?
I am not one for having one specific person I have been motivated from or inspired by and I don’t feel comfortable about putting people on pedestals because activists come to this in many ways and have so many things to offer that I don’t feel it is fair to name names because no one should feel left or lesser than because they aren’t doing this or that in their advocacy. I am inspired by so many and each in their own different way! We all have so much to offer and to contribute so I am grateful for everybody whose paths I have and continue to cross who offer me their time and experiences to share – it is so important to hear from many voices and that will essentially help shape who you become and what you want to and can bring to animal rights!

What milestones or traction have you achieved so far?
In 2020 we were alerted to an exceptionally heinous and violent situation at XP Mi Loup just outside of Quebec City. Dogs had been gassed, shot, hung and frozen to death for several years there and a whistleblower shared this with a colleague of ours. We waited two very long and excruciating years to expose this operation because we wanted to be strategic in when and how we shared this. In February 2022, CTV W5 aired Dogs in Distress which exposed the dog sledding industry across Canada and that included what was happening at XP Mi Loup. We found out the date it was airing and launched our campaign in conjunction with that. The operation ended up doing a weekend-long adoption event under their new manager, not the ones responsible for what was done to the dogs and it subsequently shut down. Two of the owners have since been charged and many dogs made it out and into forever homes. That has been the most impact and success we have been a part of over the years.

Does your organization run on volunteers? What should someone do who is interested in volunteering for you?
We are all volunteers because it is a small little group of us advocating for this issue and if anyone is interested in helping with the campaign in any capacity, they are more than welcome to email us (etdsi.advocacy@gmail.com) and tell us about themselves and why they may want to help!

What are 5 “imperfect” or “imperfectly perfect” things about your organization? (What makes it unique)
I think what makes our little team imperfectly perfect is that we are doing the best we can with what we have and we may not always get it “right”. We communicate so well together, it is a safe space where we hear and listen to one another respectfully and compassionately! It’s important to welcome differing ideas, thoughts, etc and we may not always agree, but we work through things together and do the best we can! I am deeply grateful for this little team!

What’s something the organization plans for its future that people can be excited for?
We are hoping we can do more presentations as an education piece, as well as equip activists in impactful ways to speak to their local politicians about this issue so that we can collectively address it and make significant changes for these dogs so that the future is one where they are not exploited to pull tourists around on a sled. That is no life.

What advice would you give others in your role (or other organizations)?
When we find ourselves in dark places as a result of what we have witnessed and been exposed to, that is the time we need to step back and take a break. Reflecting on the ‘why’ we do this and for ‘who’ is really crucial! We don’t want to lose activists because they are burnt out and cannot cope. We want people to do what is necessary to get out of that darkness, create joy and happiness and move forward in ways that are healthy and productive so that we can remain committed and fierce for these dogs and pace ourselves along the way! My greatest point of evolving as an activist was to focus on the survivors, minimize my exposure to the horror. There is no point in traumatizing ourselves repeatedly, it does no good. Yes, we need that reminder as to why we do what we do and for who, but exposing ourselves to continued violence is not healthy and it is not conducive with sustainable advocacy. I would also suggest that “finding your people” when you want to work together on an issue is vital! Working with people you connect with, feel safe and respected among and who align with you in terms of the end goal is a game changer and will make for a much more enriching and fulfilling experience in your activism endeavour!

Share a fun/interesting fact about your organization! 
We are a small team of women and to me – that rocks!!

What do you like about The Honest Whisper? What do you dislike?
I met Laura a few years back doing activism and I am so impressed with the fact that she has this site, line of vegan clothing and that she wants to share the experiences from a wide range of organizations – from large nationwide ones to small grassroots ones! She is a very sweet and kind young woman and I am grateful that she is doing what she is doing for the animals!

What article from The Honest Whisper do you appreciate the most/least? 
I really appreciated Beyond the Banner: My Journey Through Activism and Advocacy! I liked that you were vulnerable in terms of stepping outside of your comfort zone as a quiet and introverted person! I think this vulnerability is such a powerful way to connect with others and to also help others open up to you! I also loved that a support line was shared that activists could utilize if they felt they needed that support. Doing activism in any way, shape or form is never easy – it can be emotionally overwhelming and discouraging as well as uplifting and inspiring and I think it’s important to have the tools you need, as with anything in life, to be supported and help you cope. It is also important for us to recognize the risks involved as well and knowing our rights is something that many of us may have taken for granted in the past, until we were the ones in a situation where knowing them would have been immensely helpful.

Lastly, I have always loved this quote and really appreciated that Laura included it in this article. I find it really resonates with our little team!

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” -Margaret Mead

Do you have any requests for an article to be written about on The Honest Whisper? (content request) 
I would love to see an article talking about the dog sledding industry as an education piece if that would at all be possible! Many members of the public still may not be aware it exists as was the case for myself back in 2018 and many activists too could benefit from learning about it!

Love this interview? Check out more here or submit your own here!