BOISE — With all the snow that’s been falling this winter, it only seems appropriate that Idaho legislators would consider promoting winter sports. Rep. Heather Scott has answered the call by introducing a piece of legislation to protect Idaho sled dog racers, who currently may fall under a 1996 law designed to prohibit greyhound racing.

“I was made aware of the part of Idaho code that bans dog racing in Idaho a few weeks ago. I checked with legislative services to see if sled dog racing fell under the ban. Under the vague language of the current law, sled dog racing in Idaho could result in a felony. Knowing this would directly affect citizens and activities in our district, I drafted language that would define sled dog racing and exempt this activity from the current ban on dog races in Idaho,” said Scott.

The bill maintains current state protections on the care of animals. The bill states, “The proper care, humane treatment and protection of a dog participating in a sled dog race shall be the responsibility of its owner, and all sled dog races and associated training shall be conducted in a manner consistent with the provisions of Chapter 35, Title 25, Idaho Code.”

Bob Wilson of the Inland Empire Sled Dog Association, which hosts the Priest Lake Sled Dog Races the first weekend of February each year said, “It is my understanding that the original legislation concerning dog racing did not consider sled dogs and was focused on greyhound racing and the associated gambling. We support any effort to clarify this and exempt any application of this law to sled dogs. I applaud Heather Scott’s efforts in this.”

He added, “In addition to organizing a race, our organization promotes humane care and treatment of sled dogs through public outreach and school visits. Mistreatment of any dog during a race is grounds for immediate disqualification.”

Scott said that legislators pass many laws that have unforeseen consequences. “I want to insure sled dog racing events do not become an unforeseen victim of the current ban on dog racing.”

The House State Affairs Committee voted unanimously Feb. 10 to introduce Scott’s bill for consideration by the full committee. The committee also voted unanimously Jan. 23 to introduce Rep. Clark Kauffman’s bill that would exempt non-gambling, exhibition-style dog races at county fairs. Both pieces of legislation await a full committee hearing.

Scott added, “I want to insure Idaho continues to be a state that promotes sled dog races and welcomes those hardy breeds of outdoorsmen and women to our state.”

To learn more about humane treatment of dogs in sled dog racing, go to: www.mushwithpride.org. For information on the Inland Empire Sled Dog Association, go to: www.iesda.org.