– We know that people shoot their dogs – E24

– No company can be without income for a year. The brutal reality is that you have to kill a lot of dogs, says Tommy Theodorsen, dog sitter and owner of the Kvaløya Husky tour company.

Some furry Alaskan Husky puppies stick their snouts against the net fence in red painted dog houses to greet the photographer. At the family farm in Straumsbukta, a few kilometers south of Tromsø, Theodorsen and his wife Laila Arvola have created a family business that offers dog sledding to foreign tourists.

– We have not had a single client since March of this year. At this time, it is usually in full swing. But then there was an end point in March. I had never thought in my wildest imagination that this could happen, he says and opens the screen door to the fenced in dog yard.

“Shall we stay with Nala or Arja?”

There are two dog sleds ready in the yard where fresh snow has been trampled by 40 huskies. The dogs howl and bark, but fall silent when the owner gives them a discreet message. Even if the tourists and the income are gone, the dogs must be fed, groomed and trained every day. It costs money.

– We are a seasonal company with income in winter. But if you work with animals, you have expenses all year long. We are training with the dogs every day. A round takes five to six hours, in addition to the one that can take six, seven extra hours with the sled. People in industry work 12 hours a day, says Theodorsen.

Businesses can apply for help for lost income as a result of the crown. However, the response to the request will not arrive until January and the money will not be paid until February. Several companies were rejected this summer.

– We see that friends and colleagues in the industry give up. These are desperate people and many run family businesses. The adults sit at night and discuss whether to stay with Nala or Arja, says Arvola.

– We know that people shoot their dogs

Both NHO, tourism and several opposition parties have asked the government to create a support scheme that lasts for the duration of the pandemic, and where companies will receive support now and not next year. But so far the government has rejected the claim.

Theodorsen is the leader of Tromsø and its surroundings, a club for shooting dogs, and the whole family are dog sitters. They know many dog ​​handlers in the north and say they know that several dog handlers offering dog safaris to tourists this year have been forced to kill dogs.

– We know that people shoot their dogs and we fear that they will do more. We have also heard that people in the industry have reduced and eliminated dogs. says Theodorsen and adds:

– We want the government and the Storting to know what happens when they deal with the issue of the crown’s support for the business community.

He believes that many in the industry will not risk paying for expensive dog maintenance and may be told in January that they will not receive support. It is too much to wait for financial support. Without money and without support, many in the industry are forced to kill the dogs they love, according to Theodorsen.

– We won’t kill our dogs. We only have 40 dogs and we manage. It is much worse for those who have much more and have invested more than us. It’s very sad, says Arvola.

– People are desperate. Authorities must clearly state that support is paid immediately and lasts as long as infection control measures are in place. Then people will dare to continue. If not, many will give up, says Theodorsen.

– I would eat out the window

Several companies that offered dog safaris this year have gifted and relocated dogs to individuals. But getting a trained husky who has been raised to live in a pack of dogs and run many miles every day can present problems. Relocation is not always possible, according to the owners of Kvaløya Husky.

– Alaskan Huskies are bred with a pack mentality and high intensity. There are animals in the open air. They live outside. They are not for anyone. They are very friendly, but you should know what you do if you take care of such a dog, says Theodorsen.

“We had a dog inside, and he tried to eat out the window to go out to the pack of dogs,” he adds.

He fears that several relocated huskies will become a constant problem for new owners and will be included in the calculations of companies that are now considering ditching the dogs for survival. Arvola says it is a great personal burden for owners to get rid of dogs that have spent many years training.

– It takes many years to form a team of dogs. From when a puppy is born until you can carry it, it takes two to three years. We are dealing with living individuals, and for those who work with dogs, these are members of the family, Arvola says.

Billions of losses

According to a recent report by consulting firm Menon, the tourism industry in Tromsø has lost NOK 2.7 billion this year. And the losses are increasing: the entire winter season is lost with the Northern Lights, dog and whale safaris. Tromsø’s experience companies invoice several hundred million crowns during the winter season. Now the industry fears bankruptcy.

– We are facing bankruptcy. Many have buttons. Many are small, family businesses that can’t wait until February for support. They don’t survive that long, says Arvola’s son Benjamin Notkekevich, who has been dog sledding since he was six years old.

The family invites you to have a coffee in the kitchen. On the table are homemade rolls and red mullet jam. A stone plaque with the image of a dog team hangs on the wall, as proof that the family has participated in the Finnmark race several times. They know the dog trainers in the north who have dog safaris for their livelihoods, and they say that few speak out loud about taking the life of their animals.

– We know of at least three companies that are currently considering killing dogs. But nobody wants to talk about it. So we have to say no now, says Theodorsen.

A beer with the dogs

He goes out into the hall and puts on a pair of rough boots to go out with his dogs. A blackish gray husky sniffs the emissary from iTromsø, who also has a dog.

– There are dogs everywhere. It’s the life of a dog, he says and smiles a little.

In the kennel there is a bench with reindeer skin around a campfire. They live outside, both the dogs and the people on the farm in Kvaløya. From the bank there is a view to the south of the fjord and the mountains.

– Tourists say that what they like the most is that we know each animal, says Arvola.

He Theodorsen pulls his blue hat down over his long hair, has a hint of gray in his full beard.

– Come from the forest after training and light a fire in the combustion chamber. When I have a beer with the dogs, do you know what happens then? Dogs come and sit with you. They are herd animals. We look at them as members of the family.