Sled dogs are working animals deeply embedded in Arctic culture and sport. Their welfare depends on husbandry practices that vary widely between operators, from excellent to deeply inadequate.
Sled dogs bred for racing have high capacity for and apparent enjoyment of running. When housed well and worked appropriately, many appear to thrive. However, the welfare failures in the sport and industry are significant: dogs dying in races from exhaustion or accidents, inadequate off-season housing, culling of underperforming dogs, and tourism operations prioritizing profit over animal welfare. The variation in welfare across operations makes individual operator accountability essential.