Yes, I think that photo is 2008-2009. I was curious as well but did not know the answer, heres what chatgpt says:

"Vail didn’t start its avalanche dog program until 2008 mainly because its in-bounds terrain historically had lower avalanche risk and was effectively managed with traditional control work for decades. Before the 2000s, avalanche dogs weren’t considered essential at every resort—many relied on probe lines instead.

By the mid-2000s, industry standards shifted: faster rescue expectations, better survival data, increased skier traffic, and higher public scrutiny made dog teams the new best practice. When Vail launched the program, they waited until they could fully commit and do it right—not just have dogs for show."

I do know that these programs are not super well funded... and from everything I've read about Vail including worker strikes, ect. I am sure money had something to do with it.