VKM Report 2017: 8 Risk of negative effects on the welfare of dogs associated with being housed outdoors or used for sled dog racing Opinion of the Panel on Animal Health and Welfare of the Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety Report from the Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety (VKM) 2017: 8 Risk of negative effects on the welfare of dogs associated with being housed outdoors or Report from the Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety (VKM) 2017: 8 Risk of negative effects on the welfare of dogs associated with being housed outdoors or used for sled dog racing Opinion of the Panel on Animal Health and Welfare of the Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety 23.03.2017 ISBN: 978-82-8259-265-9 Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety (VKM) Po 4404 Nydalen N – 0403 Oslo Norway Phone: +47 21 62 28 00 Email: [email protected] www.vkm.no www.english.vkm.no Photo: iStock Photo Suggested citation: VKM. (2017) Risk of negative effects on the welfare of dogs associated with being housed outdoors or used for sled dog racing. Opinion of the Panel on Animal Health and Welfare, ISBN: 978-82-8259-265-9, Oslo, Norway. VKM Report 2017: 8 Risk of negative effects on the welfare of dogs associated with being housed outdoors or used for sled dog racing Authors preparing the draft opinion Knut Egil Bøe (chair), Cecilie Marie Mejdell, Ellen Skancke, Judit Banfine Vas, Angelika Agdestein (VKM staff), Dean Basic (VKM staff) (Authors in alphabetical order after chair of the working group) Assessed and approved The opinion has been assessed and approved by the Panel on Animal Health and Welfare. Members of the panel are: Brit Hjeltnes (chair), Øivind Bergh, Edgar Brun, Knut Egil Bøe, Carlos Goncalo Afonso Rolhas Fernandes das Neves, Jacques Godfroid, Roar Gudding, Kristian Hoel, Cecilie Marie Mejdell, Stein Mortensen, and Espen Rimstad (Panel members in alphabetical order after chair of the panel) Acknowledgments The Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety (Vitenskapskomiteen for mattrygghet, VKM) has appointed a working group consisting of both VKM members and external experts to answer the request from the Norwegian Food Safety Authority. Project leaders from the VKM secretariat have been Angelika Agdestein and Dean Basic. The deputy project leader from the VKM secretariat has been Tron Gifstad. The members of the working group, Knut Egil Bøe (Panel on Animal Health and Welfare), Cecilie Marie Mejdell (Panel on Animal Health and Welfare), Ellen Skancke (Norwegian University of Life Sciences, NMBU) and Judit Banfine Vas (Norwegian University of Life Sciences, NMBU), are acknowledged for their valuable work on this opinion. The Panel on Animal Health and Welfare is acknowledged for comments and views on this opinion. VKM would like to thank the hearing experts Thomas Wærner (active musher), Ingrid Wiik Haugbjørg (veterinarian), Arild Jøssund (veterinarian), Hanna Fredriksen (veterinarian), Petter Jahnsen (active musher), Arnt Ola Skjerve (active musher), Charlotte Leschbrandt (veterinarian) and Annette Kriller (veterinarian) for sharing their views on problems related to long-distance sled dog racing. VKM is also grateful to Hanne Marthe Andreassen (veterinarian) for her contribution to chapter 1.3.2. VKM would also like to thank Lucy Robertson for proofreading the manuscript and providing valuable comments. VKM Report 2017: 8 Competence of VKM experts Persons working for VKM, either as appointed members of the Committee or as external experts, do this by virtue of their scientific expertise, not as representatives for their employers or third party interests. The Civil Services Act instructions on legal competence apply for all work prepared by VKM. VKM Report 2017: 8 Table of Contents Summary .................................................................................................................. 7 Sammendrag på norsk ........................................................................................... 10 Abbreviations and/or glossary ............................................................................... 13 Background as provided by the Norwegian Food Safety Authority ....................... 15 Outdoor housing of dogs ................................................................................................. 15 Long-distance sled dog races .......................................................................................... 16 Terms of reference as provided by the Norwegian Food Safety Authority ............ 18 Assessment ............................................................................................................. 21 1 Introduction ................................................................................................... 21 1.1 Literature search .................................................................................................... 21 Other sources of information ....................................................................... 21 1.2 Outdoor housing and tethering of dogs in Norway ................................................... 22 Welfare challenges related to outdoor housing of dogs .................................. 23 Management ............................................................................................... 27 1.3 Long-distance sled dog racing in Norway ................................................................. 29 Physical activity in sled dogs throughout the year ......................................... 29 Animal health challenges in sled dog racing .................................................. 32 1.3.2.1 Water balance .......................................................................................... 33 1.3.2.2 Temperature regulation in dogs during races ............................................. 34 1.3.2.3 Musculoskeletal disorders ......................................................................... 35 1.3.2.4 Gastrointestinal disorders .......................................................................... 36 1.3.2.5 Other diseases ......................................................................................... 38 2 Hazard identification and characterisation .................................................... 40 2.1 Hazards related to outdoor housing ........................................................................ 40 Weather conditions ..................................................................................... 40 Large group housing ................................................................................... 41 Pen housing and tethering. .......................................................................... 42 Other hazards related to outdoor housing of dogs ......................................... 43 2.2 Hazards related to long-distance sled dog races ....................................................... 43 Weather conditions ..................................................................................... 43 VKM Report 2017: 8 Health hazards ............................................................................................ 44 2.2.2.1 Emaciation ............................................................................................... 44 2.2.2.2 Musculoskeletal disorders ......................................................................... 45 2.2.2.3 Gastrointestinal disorders .......................................................................... 46 2.2.2.4 Dehydration ............................................................................................. 48 2.2.2.5 Insufficient rest ........................................................................................ 49 Other health hazards related to sled dog racing ............................................ 51 2.3 Summary of hazard identification ............................................................................ 53 3 Risk characterisation ..................................................................................... 54 4 Uncertainties .................................................................................................. 56 5 Risk-reduction measures ............................................................................... 57 6 Conclusions (with answers to the terms of reference) ................................. 60 Outdoor housing of dogs ................................................................................................. 60 Long-distance sled dog races .......................................................................................... 64 7 Data gaps ....................................................................................................... 68 8 References ..................................................................................................... 69 Appendix I .............................................................................................................. 82 Appendix II ............................................................................................................. 84 VKM Report 2017: 8 Summary The Norwegian Food Safety Authority (NFSA) asked the Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety (VKM) for an opinion regarding the risk of reduced animal welfare, associated with dogs kept permanently outdoors and dogs that are used for long-distance sled dog racing in Norway. The risk assessment will be used by NFSA as a scientific framework for updating “Guidelines for outdoor housing of dogs” from 2003, and compliance with the present Animal