he should just stop racing all together... its just not right.. what about the animals???????

Posted by: ang | March 17, 2007 04:08 PM

I think it can be quite contradictory how sompe people can say they 'love' dogs and support such an event.

As far as we know almost every race has resulted in the death of dogs. I think if there is potential for even ONE death, that is too much. We are talking about LIFE here, NOT property to be used for our entertainment and abuse.

Also, are all these dogs allowed to roam free with being either chained down or in a cage?

They may be happy at the start of the race, but once the injuries from overworking come into play do the mushers then stop the dogs? Money can be quite persuasive.

I choose compassion.

Please, if you own race dogs, either take care of those dogs, get someone to adopt one, or take it to a shelter. Don't let a dog live a life you wouldn't want to live.

Cruelty is cruelty - their is NO excuse.

Andre

Posted by: Andre Inglis | March 18, 2007 12:19 AM

stop this insane cruelty at once!!!

Posted by: henry | March 18, 2007 09:04 AM

When humans like to play dangerous games of the strongest or the fittest in contests, don't use animals but do it yourselves. Animals cannot refuse....people can.

Posted by: Suzanna van der Voort | March 18, 2007 10:49 AM

Please, I beg all of you associated with this race to stop the abuse!! You are responsible for these dogs. They are your pets not your ego builders! Competition is something you do between humans not domesticated animals anymore regardless of how they are trained. Please stop! Think like you were one of the dogs someone is beating into submission and death!

Posted by: Mae | March 18, 2007 10:15 PM

i always thought these breeds wanted to run. i saw footage of them yelping until they were allowed to run. although i never thought it was right to have an animal be the muscle in any kind of competition. is there a reasonable medium?

Posted by: betty | March 18, 2007 10:48 PM

Does anyone have a full list of corporate sponsors?

Posted by: kelly | March 18, 2007 10:51 PM

Notice how much the dogs love doing it? How excited they are and straining at the sled before each days start? Ever hear of highly trained and fit humans dying during events and practices..Yes. Let's ban all sports!

Lay off of them. The dogs love it. Just like my Brittany loves bird hunting. If she thinks we might be going she starts bouncing all over the house and runs to the truck every time I go outside.

Dogs have instincts and satisfying those instincts makes them very happy. Just because you don't happen to find great joy in running through the snow, doesn't mean the dogs don't. If they could talk they would say, "shut up, and let me do what I enjoy."

Posted by: adam | March 18, 2007 10:57 PM

I just want to say that not all mushers are like the ones being called out in this years Iditarod. Most have a strong bond with their dogs and take good care of them. The dogs are absolutely thrilled when they get harnessed up for a run. This is not a 'cruel sport' that needs to be ended. I support Iditarod making sure the dogs are treated well, but I do not support the extremist view that the sport needs to be ended because one musher hit his dogs.

Posted by: sk | March 19, 2007 06:59 AM

Just a little note for the people who are claiming that these dogs run themselves to death in the freezing cold because they somehow "enjoy" the process. From the Calgary Herald this morning:

"Two-time runner-up Ramy Brooks was disqualified from the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race for abusing his dogs.
The 38-year-old Brooks hit each of his 10 dogs with a trail marking lathe, similar to a surveyor's stake, after two refused to get up and continue running on an ice field, race marshal Mark Nordman said Sunday from Nome, Alaska.
"He felt it was a discipline he needed to get his team off the ice," Nordman said.
Witnesses reported the incident to race officials. It happened Tuesday near Golovin, about 144 kilometres from the end of the 1,770-kilometre sled dog race in Nome.
"He lost his temper," Nordman said. "He spanked each dog on the team, just a real frustrating moment for him."
One of Brooks' dogs died the next day on the trail, between White Mountain and Safety, the last checkpoint before Nome."

C'mon, guys. It is so shortsighted to see in this event anything other than vicious cruelty to animals.
-Jack

Posted by: Jack | March 19, 2007 11:13 AM

In Response to Betty:

Hi Betty:

Listen, I have 3 dogs and they love to run. Believe me.. I take them out and they run - all over the park - for as long as they want.

However, if they did not want to run, it's their decision to lie down and watch the other dogs in the park.

If we are talking about a happy medium, let these "sledding" dogs out and just run - like any other animal would like to.

The point is, is that they are being "commanded" and abused in the worst weather conditions possible to run for over 150 miles a day - for nine days.

They may be accustomed to that weather, for sure, but to force them and harness them and make them sleep "outside" no less - after running all day, no, I don't believe we can have a happy medium at all.

I personally don't believe forcing any animal to run in a harness for a competition is humane.

Also, remember, that Ramy Brooks just "whipped" all his dogs because they decided they didn't want to run on the last leg of the race. They just lied down because it was too cold...and he whipped them out of frustration. He said he lost his temper on them. He got caught doing it. What about the other mushers who don't get caught? Don't forget too, that one of his dogs - Kate died, just collapsed, as well in that race.

I'm sorry. I think the whole thing should be abolished.

Thanks for listening.

Posted by: Lauran | March 19, 2007 11:56 AM

Jack:

I'm in total agreement with you!

These mushers do not get it.

I like to compare them to the Romans. No respect for animals.

These dogs are dying....does that ring a bell with anyone?

Hello?

Posted by: Lauran | March 19, 2007 12:01 PM

In response to Kelly's question about a full list of sponsors/supporters, I don't know if this one is complete, but it's awfully extensive:

http://avar.org/whatsnews_iditarod.asp

Posted by: Nancy | March 19, 2007 01:26 PM

Thank You Nancy

One thing the "pro-musher" here neglected to mention

They have to breed a LOT of dogs because so few make the cut to the race

The rest are slaughtered. Shot in the head, starved, abandoned, and worse.

These mushers are animal abusers in MANY ways, not just running dogs to death

This is backwoods ignorance for the sake of blood money

Posted by: kelly | March 19, 2007 01:43 PM

My boxer is dead thanks to Iams. starting mydogoniams.com please post and help stop this.

David

Posted by: David | March 19, 2007 10:07 PM

Do people even know the history of the Iditarod? A group brought a influenza vaccine to a town in Alaska by dogsled because there was no other way to get there in time over the snowpack. People were dying from this flu. The dog teams took the vaccine expecting to possibly die and they EXPECTED to loose dogs along the way. It was only done because of EXTREME emergency and the dogs lost are considered heroes as well as the men who risked their lives. The Idierod needs to be stopped. The emergency is OVER. Unfortunatly, there are towns along the way who like the tourism and the sponsor money spent and don't care how they get it. Notice how the apparrel for the musher has improved? Gore-Tec, future fibers, Carbon Fiber sleds, etc? What have they improved for these dogs comfort?? NOTHING. The driver gets the comfort while the engine is expendable. Either make the race a "token memorial" shorter and safe for the animals, or just stop doing it completely. This is just as barbaric as dog fighting.

Posted by: Laura Carnes | March 20, 2007 11:36 AM

betty....there is also a list of sponsors here...

http://www.helpsleddogs.org/sponsors.htm

Posted by: jen | March 20, 2007 02:19 PM

The bottom line is, these dogs do not choose to run until they die. Yes, if let loose they will probably run and jump and play, but then when they are tired, they will want to rest just like a child or adult would want. The difference with the Iditarod and other sled dogs is that no one lets them choose.

ADAM, if the dogs could speak, they would probably say "leave us alone you cruel bast****", just as you would probably say if someone was forcing YOU to compete in such a despicable race and you felt like you were going to collapse.

It is just beyond me that there are still such horrid people on this planet.

ADAM, and all others here who support this race, I dare you to read "The Pig Who Sang to the Moon" and then maybe you will have some more insight into the feelings that animals have.

Posted by: Michele | March 20, 2007 11:31 PM

all dogs need to run and feel free but not beaten and run until death!! some might say they are a breed for this kind of treatment, i will strongly disagree!! i agree this is just like dog fighting, and it is sad!! they are beautiful dogs!!

Posted by: kris shulfer | March 21, 2007 02:36 PM

Just been reading the posts with interest. I’m an animal lover and I’ve always had dogs. I’ve also read a few books about the Iditarod and from what I can tell the mushers absolutely adore their animals. . I even read about one man that slept outside with them when they were training so that they would have a stronger bond.. Huskies are working dogs that need to stay active It’s true that some mushers have hit their dogs, but it’s also true that a lot more pets suffer from abuse. We could say that because of this nobody should have pets, but why should everyone suffer because of a few individuals. From what I’ve learnt about the Iditarod dogs, they love to race and they are adapted to sleep outside, these dogs have such thick coats and hate being hot. They have many vets at the check points which keep a check on the dogs and sick dogs get pulled from the race. the dogs do rest every couple of hours and they have mandatory stops on the race. I’m not sure if any of you have actually seen sled dogs race. I’ve been to a few races and it’s true these dogs are desperate to run, that’s what they live for and they owners talk about their dogs like others talk about their children. Only taking these dogs for a short walk each day would be cruel, they need lots of exercise.. I’m actually going on a weeks husky tour, this guy loves his animals, they are his life, the dogs get to eat the best dog food around and do what they love – run.

Posted by: Ella | April 8, 2007 01:53 PM

JOHN P. SUTER
P. O. Box 670144
Chugiak, AK 99567-0144
(907) 688-3103
suter@gci.net

June 3, 2007

Dear Editor

The Iditarod Board of Directors has given one of it’s mushers a 2 year ban for spanking his dogs multiple times. The Iditarod Board of Directors should have given their self a 2 year ban as well because they are just as guilty of the violation. The board did not take the direct action of spanking the dog team, but they set up the conditions for the event to occur. They did this by refusing to throttle the race’s speed by not putting in the badly needed equal run, equal rest recommendations. There is enormous pressure for these mushers to perform the best that they can. The results of this is in order to be competitive, mushers now run their dogs teams day and night around the clock. The mushers who give their dogs teams equal run, equal rest are behind the front of the pack. Most of them can not afford to keep racing for more than a few years. This musher did not do anything differently than all of the other top mushers, it is that this musher got caught. With equal run, equal rest, rested dogs will be able to keep running and rested mushers brains will not be stuck on stupid.

Sincerely,

John Suter Former 4 time Iditarod finisher.

Posted by: john Suter | June 3, 2007 11:11 PM

For people who profess to be be lovers of animals you display a startling level of ignorance about sled dogs and mushing in general. Maybe you should come to Alaska and educate yourselves.

Posted by: Ted | March 8, 2008 10:22 PM

I totally agree with Ted! You guys keep saying that the dogs hate it! well what are you talking about! you feed on fear and tell kids who don't know any better how bad it is! well i am 12 years old and I LOVE THE IDITAROD! The dogs love it! and the mushers love their dogs! i think u all need to shut up until you get your facts straight!

Posted by: Nancy | April 14, 2008 04:10 PM

for all people who say only cruel people support the iditarod well guess what? i am PROUD to call myself one of those people! The dogs love it and recently i have discovered the boston marathon is MORE dangerous than the iditarod!

Posted by: Clara | April 20, 2008 07:14 PM