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