Thanks to misleading claims and deceptive, but convincing, marketing, tourists are often duped into supporting animal cruelty while on vacation. Zoos, circuses, marine parks, animal selfie attractions, or elephant trekking businesses readily come to mind, but one type of attraction regularly goes under the radar — dog sledding.

People often defend the practice of dog sledding by saying it is part of culture and tradition, but there is nothing cultured about the way sled dogs are treated, and it should be a tradition that ends now.

While on a vacation with Toronto Adventures Inc., Facebook user Dylan Blake opted to participate in a dog sledding attraction and was appalled at what he saw at the property where the dogs were kept, Windrift Kennels. In an effort to reveal the cruelty he witnessed, Blake shared several videos from the kennel on his Facebook page.

In the video below, we see the site where 120 dogs are being kept on short metal chains in below-freezing temperatures. Their only shelters are makeshift dog houses that are still exposed to the elements, their food bowls are empty, their water has iced over, they are living in their own excrement, and they are so distressed all they can do is compulsively pace in circles, forming visible tracks around their posts.

In this video posted by Blake, we see how starved for attention and love these dogs are. All the dogs who interact with Blake are gentle and grateful for a simple pat on the head, and the pleading looks of despair in their eyes are undeniable proof these dogs are suffering.

A petition has been set up on Care2 to get this unbelievably cruel business shut down. If you are disturbed and disheartened by the way these beautiful dogs are being treated at Windrift Kennels, please take a moment to sign the petition.

As a general rule of thumb, attractions and businesses that use animals for a profit should be avoided at all costs. For more tips on how to avoid supporting animal cruelty while traveling, check this out.

And please remember to share this with your network as a lesson why we should never visit or support attractions that exploit animals for a profit!

Lead Image Source: Dylan Blake/Facebook