– We are a bit disappointed, actually. It seems to us that Norway’s Hundekjørerforbund has had a lawyer look for loopholes to avoid dealing with the case, says dog handler Petter Jahnsen. Thomas Wærner won NM gold in the distance of 1,200 kilometers during the Finnmark race last year. The competitors accused the high-profile dog handler, and his handling team, of several breaches of animal welfare rules and inappropriate behaviour. Last summer, they submitted a formal complaint to Norway’s Hundekjørerforbund. In August, Thomas Wærner was acquitted on all counts by the union’s sanctions committee. In December, the competitors, including Jahnsen and four other dog handlers, sent a new complaint about Wærner to the Norwegian Dog Handler’s Association. The association now believes that complaint number two is to be considered an appeal. And there they have clear rules: – In our regulations, we do not have an opening for appealing decisions made by the sanctions committee. This is due to the wear and tear a long case processing can cause for the many volunteers in the organisation, says president of the Norwegian Dog Drivers Association, Frode Flathagen. Frode Flathagen and the Norwegian Dog Handlers’ Association have acquitted Thomas Wærner twice. Now federation president Flathagen hopes to put a final stop. Photo: Tepas Kompetranse / Tepas – This is a new complaint! “Femspannet”, which has sent both complaints, is clear that complaint number two is just that – a complaint. Not an appeal, based on the decision of the first appeal. – If you are going to appeal a case, a decision must first be made. And it’s not here. Only a statement has been made. The letter we sent in December, at the request of the president, is to be considered a complaint. – What do you think about the answer you have received? – I am not surprised. This is just a recurring dodge that we’ve seen all along. What is perceived as that they have an extreme reluctance to follow their own regulations. – What do you think would be the correct handling of the complaint? – That they had followed the regulations with the consequences that would have had. And a breach of Finnmarksløpet’s section 12.1, on animal welfare and health, would have led to disqualification, says Jahnsen. Wærner was accused, among other things, of having started from checkpoint Karasjok with lame dogs. The driver, on the other hand, claimed to have received permission from a veterinarian. The Norwegian Food Safety Authority concluded that Wærner did nothing wrong. – We are disappointed that neither the Norwegian Dog Racing Association nor Finnmarksløpet want to give the case the attention it deserves, says Petter Jahnsen (pictured). After last year’s Finnmark race, he and four dog handlers sent two complaints against Thomas Wærner and the handling team for violations of animal welfare. Photo: Alf Harald Martinsen / news – Finished with the case Flathagen says that they interpreted it to mean that the information in complaint number two did not differ significantly from the first. In any case, not enough to get a new treatment in the sanctions committee. Moreover, the president believes that the complexity of the December letter meant that they wanted to have a lawyer look at it. – There is quite a lot in the letter that deals with the Norwegian Food Safety Authority. And this is not something our sanctions committee should deal with. The lawyer therefore concluded that the statements from the sanctions committee cannot be appealed, says Flathagen. – What is happening now from your side in this case? – Nothing. We consider ourselves finished. The wish now is for all parties involved to put the fuss behind them, says president of the Norwegian Dog Handlers’ Association, Frode Flathagen. – Boring matter Finnmarksløpet, as organizer, is responsible for ensuring that laws and regulations are followed. The management was acquitted by the sanctions committee of all accusations of errors in judgment during last year. The Norwegian Food Safety Authority had only two orders: That the management must define the authority of the event veterinarian when dog racers break the regulations related to animal welfare, as well as define how dogs are removed from the race. Finnmarksløpet will have this in place well before the deadline, which is 10 days before the start of the race. – We have great respect for the commitment shown by the complainants to animal welfare. As far as the complaint is concerned, it is the Hundekørerforbund that handles this type of case afterwards. So the result of the complaint is not up to us to do anything about, says general manager of Finnmarksløpet, Birgit Haugland. – What specific changes will come as a result of this case? – This year there will be changes with regard to the rest time provisions and the performance of the veterinary check. The channel management team has also been strengthened. And we have established a hosting arrangement with Femundløpet with NHF as a contributor to this expertise project, says Haugland. – Animal welfare is always the main focus for those of us involved in the sport, and there has been a very positive development over time, says general manager of Finnmarksløpet, Birgit K. Haugland. . Photo: Hanne Bernhardsen Nordvåg / news Uncertain According to the president of the Norwegian Dog Handlers’ Association, Frode Flathagen, the complainants now have two options. They can report the case, or ally with the Norwegian Food Safety Authority. However, Flathagen hopes that the complaint will now be closed. So that no dark shadows are cast over this year’s WC season. Jahnsen & co. Not sure what they are going to do. – I don’t actually know that. We have not talked about the possibilities of following the case through civil law. Or if we actually want this. We’ll see, says dog handler Petter Jahnsen. news has been in contact with dog walker Thomas Wærner. He says that he does not want to comment on the case, other than that he considers himself finished with it. About animal husbandry and health for Finnmarksløpet 1200 #12 Animal welfare and health FL must be carried out with a particular focus on the welfare and health of the dogs. FL as organizer and FL participants both have a mutual responsibility for the race’s dogs. 1) The participant in the Finnmarksløpet is at all times responsible for grooming, feeding and looking after their dogs’ welfare and health according to the dogs’ needs. Own and other participants’ dogs must be treated with respect and kindness. Participants must run and manage their race based on their team’s fitness, physical and health conditions and status, and take into account how weather and road conditions affect the dogs during the race. 2) Dogs that are injured or due to other health and/or fitness conditions are not suitable to continue in the race and must be transported in the sled and taken to the next checkpoint for assessment by FL veterinarians. Dogs that have been assessed by FL veterinarians as not being able to participate further must be removed from the race. Dogs that are limping must be transported in the sled to the nearest checkpoint/finish. Dogs must not limp into, nor out of a checkpoint/into the finish line. 3) Dogs that fall over/throw must never continue in the pack, but must be brought in the sled to the next checkpoint and removed from the race. Dogs that are/have been overheated must never continue in the pack, but must be brought in the sled to the next checkpoint and taken out of the race. Violation of rule #12 may result in the participant being disqualified. FL race vets will be available at all checkpoints, and provide the same service to all dogs participating in the race. The race veterinarians must at all times, to the best of their ability based on available medical and diagnostic equipment, available premises and field conditions, examine and carry out adequate treatment of all dogs participating in the race. (Source: Special rules for Finnmarksløpet 1200)
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the complaint against Thomas Wærner in the Finnmark race has not been processed by the Norwegian Dog Breeders’ Association – news Troms and Finnmark
