Feb28
Letter to the Iditarod Trail Committee
Posted at 05:19 PM | Permalink
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Comments (8)
Dear Members of the Iditarod Trail Committee,
Every year, around this time, I start hearing about the vicious event you're responsible for in which dogs are beaten and abused into running up to 125 miles a day without any rest. In the last two years, seven dogs have been killed by the Iditarod, through freezing, ulcers, or just plain exhaustion—and I'm certain that similar fates are in store for the animals whose suffering you’re arranging this year. Of course, these casualties are just the ones that are publicized—the dogs who are bludgeoned or drowned by mushers because they don't measure up to Iditarod standards (or the ones who die alone in the tiny kennels they're confined to for most of their lives) tend not to make it into the newspapers that report on your bloody proceedings.
I'm not surprised that, like so many people who profit from archaic and abusive customs, you defend yourselves by invoking "tradition," but I can assure you that as more and more people learn that your tradition is one of cruelty, lies, and abject misery, it's not one that’s going to be around for much longer.
If you'd like any more information about what PETA's doing to ensure that these dogs' misery doesn't go undocumented, you can click here. We're encouraging compassionate people everywhere to contact the sponsors of this event—Wells Fargo, Daimler-Chrysler, and Chevron—and let them know exactly what they're supporting. I look forward to a time when your sadistic little race is a thing of the past.
Sincerely,
Jack Shepherd
To be honest, I don't think the Iditarod Trail Committee is going to be swayed by my letter, since it seems pretty clear that they're not exactly dog-lovers, but the companies that continue to sponsor this event need to know why they shouldn't. You can contact Wells Fargo here, Daimler-Chrysler here, and Chevron here.
TAGGED:
Iditarod
Comments
The Iditarod is a sideshow act. It requires no human skill or intelligence
About as athletic (for the humans) as sitting on a couch popping open a cold one
And the "Iditarod puppy mills" are among the worst
Posted by: kelly | March 1, 2007 02:32 AM
Many people have their mortgages with Wells Fargo
Good idea to write to CEO Richard Kovacevich with your account number and tell him how you feel about Wells Fargo spending YOUR money on dog abuse.
Posted by: kelly | March 1, 2007 02:39 AM
THere should be a law against Iditarod's cruel puppy mills and races. How would the sponsors or racers feel if they or their loved ones were forced to run till they dropped dead. Why are the race-sponsors so cruel? Can't they use their money to do good deeds? Being cruel to animals means being cruel to humans.
Posted by: wendy lee | March 3, 2007 10:43 AM
Well done Jack! You have a great way with words, as always. I'll be learning more about this and definitely be firing off a few letters.
Posted by: K | March 3, 2007 04:16 PM
Thanks for bringing this to my attention...I sent letters to all three companies and will continue in my emails and letter writing until for all animals!
Posted by: kim sumrall | March 6, 2007 07:22 PM
Barbaric is all I can think of. I never even knew this atrocity existed. And they say we live in a civilized society. What is wrong with these people allowing this to happen - are they human at all? I just hope that what goes around comes around and they will get theirs one day. How people make animals suffer makes my blood boil. Keep up the good work PETA and thanks as always for your informative website
Posted by: Emma Bowden | March 19, 2007 05:44 PM
Sorry, but what is mariburjeka?
Jane.
Posted by: sweet-kn | March 21, 2008 05:38 AM
I was raised in California and have always had dogs and cats that I adopted via dog rescue organizaitons/SPCA. I take in the older dogs that are near the end of their lives or are simply not adoptable for one reason or another. When PETA first came about I was young (I am now 49) and I was very happy to hear what the mission was. I contributed and was planning on becoming a member. To this day the mission to stop the laboratory testing going on using innocent animals is a very valid one that I support. The reason I would not sign up as a member was the over the top comments made in the media on various occassions by leaders of PETA and/or members; when researched I found to be very inaccurate. I moved to Alaska four years ago when I married a man from the area (who has never hunted or participated in sled dog races.) I have found that the sled dog owners are some of the most dedicated dog owners I have ever met ( I spent time researching this for myself.) The dogs truely love to run and are given rest, very good medical exams, play and love. There was a new driver two years ago caught kicking his dogs on the trail. He was removed and outsted from all future events and other races mostly due to the fact that the other drivers and dog lovers will not allow him near. That kind of thing is not tolerated by the drivers or supporters in the area. I must admit I held a belief for a long time that sled dog races were cruel. Hoever, if you really look into it, which PETA tends not to, you will find that sled drivers are good and responsible dog owners. I hope someone at PETA cares enough about animals to be fair and not speak off the cuff again, as it shows the lack of actually knowing something as fact vs. judgeing from the outside. The wasted time spent on the Iditarod race sled dogs could be put to use in better ways.
Thank you for listening.
Posted by: Ann Webster | May 29, 2008 07:02 PM