| The Alaska Iditarod race held each year
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| | hip and spine injuries.The mushers are
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| in March sparks controversy over the
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| | also criticized for culling the dogs.
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| treatment of the dogs. It is a popular
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| | They are accused of killing any puppies
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| event that is intended to commemorate
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| | or dogs that do not meet the standard of
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| Alaska's culture and heritage of Alaskan
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| | a good race dog.Along the race trail,
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| Huskies pulling sleds through mountainous
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| | there are around twenty checkpoints with
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| and rough terrain. Mushing was a means
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| | a veterinarian on duty to provide medical
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| of travel in Alaska in the early years
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| | care for the dogs. These checkpoints
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| with a team of sled dogs pulling a sled
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| | serve as rest areas for both the dogs and
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| with a driver on board.The route taken
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| | the musher. The dogs are fed and allowed
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| for the race is based on the year it is
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| | to rest at these checkpoints and any dog
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| run. Even numbered years, the routes
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| | that is sick or injured is left off at
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| goes from Anchorage to Ruby. This is the
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| | the checkpoint.The veterinarians who care
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| northern route. In uneven numbered
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| | for the dogs at the checkpoints defend
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| years, the route is run from Anchorage to
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| | the treatment of the animals, saying many
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| Unalakleet, the southern route. The
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| | untruths are told about the dogs running
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| distance of the race is around 1,200
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| | themselves to death. They claim the
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| miles and is the longest dog sled race in
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| | number of dog deaths is normal when you
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| the world.The first Iditarod was held in
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| | consider you are talking about 1,000
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| 1973 and reportedly 15 to 19 dogs died
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| | dogs, so three to five deaths out of
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| during this race. It is estimated that
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| | 1,000 dogs is not an alarming figure.
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| approximately 130 dogs have died since
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| | Kennels that house 1,000 dogs can expect
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| the early days of the race, when there
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| | around 3 deaths in a two week
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| was no official count taken of the number
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| | period.Almost all mushers are members of
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| of deaths. Thus, the exact amount of dog
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| | several animal care groups that promote
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| deaths during the early years is not
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| | responsible care and humane treatment of
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| exactly known.The last ten years have
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| | the dogs. They say the stories of dogs
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| shown deaths resulting from strangulation
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| | and whips could not be further from the
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| in towlines, internal hemorrhaging, liver
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| | truth. They are out and out
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| injury, heart failure and pneumonia.
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| | exaggerations and cause protest from
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| Also, included as a reason for some
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| | animal rights activists.Mushers love
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| deaths is a deterioration of the dog's
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| | their dogs and contend that the Alaskan
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| muscles and organs during extreme
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| | Huskies' instinct is to run and pull
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| exercise. There have been incidences of
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| | sleds. This is what they were bred for,
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| racers kicking their dogs to death,
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| | the same as bird dogs who instinctively
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| striking them with sharp objects and
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| | hunt birds. The Huskies have been used
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| mushing the dogs through dangerous deep
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| | for generations in Alaska to pull sleds,
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| water and ice.During the race, dogs
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| | so it is easy for them, whereas it would
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| sustain injuries to the spine, bone
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| | be very difficult for some other breed of
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| fractures, sore paws, torn muscles, sore
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| | dog. Pulling a one ton sled from a dead
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| joints, dehydration and diarrhea. About
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| | stop is what one Husky is capable of
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| half the dogs who start the race are not
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| | doing. Endurance is the Husky's strong
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| able to make it to the finish line.In
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| | point.So, the battle between the mushers
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| training the dogs for the race, it is
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| | and the animal rights groups continue, as
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| reported some dogs are injured or die
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| | does also the race itself. In the first
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| from the grueling paces they are put
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| | race in 1973, the prize money was
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| through. The training is done in remote
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| | $50,000. That figure has risen to around
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| areas of Alaska and many dogs are forced
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| | $500,000 in recent year's races and the
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| to pull extremely heavy loads. The
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| | race is scheduled to be run again next
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| strain of pulling these loads can cause
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| | year in March, as always.
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