Dogs in pain: 'Abuse' videos spark police action

A shocking scandal was unearthed in Finland's sled dog industry after the country's animal rights group found signs of abuse in dozens of husky farms.

Disturbing videos of dogs, according to YLE – the Finnish national public broadcasting company – in brutal conditions, showing them limping for help and aching in pain.

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Ex-workers at the farms and even customers have flooded SEY, Finland's largest and oldest animal rights group, with alleged footage, prompting them to act.

"The worst cases show the abuse the dogs face," SEY spokesperson Pi Mäkilä told Yle.

In the videos and photos, the alleged mistreatment of the dogs shows them trembling in freezing temperatures while being locked in cages for most of the time.

The footage paints a grim picture of the conditions behind some of the husky farms set up to serve the sled dog industry.

This has led SEY to call for tighter restrictions on who can open the farm, as the group claims there is currently less oversight, meaning anyone can open it.

"Right now, anyone can buy hundreds of dogs and set up a husky kennel," Mäkilä said.

Meanwhile, the police have opened an investigation into various sled-dog companies accused of mistreating the dogs.

"Numbers-wise, there are not many cases, but individual cases can be extensive," said detective superintendent Pälvi Suokas.

YLE, however, has added a note that they cannot independently verify the origin of the abuse photos.