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Sled Dogs Vs. Nature: The Iditarod
The Iditarod races started this past weekend in Alaska.
Historically protested by animal rights groups, the race pits sledding dogs against the worst forces of nature in our country in a 1,150 mile race in the Alaskan wilderness. The official Iditarod site even says,
Mother Nature…throws jagged mountain ranges, frozen river, dense forest, desolate tundra, and miles of windswept coast…Add to that temperatures far below zero, winds that can cause a complete loss of visibility, the hazards of overflow, long hours of darkness, and treacherous climbs and side hills…”
There are two different arguments about the Iditarod.
Supporters claim that the dogs that lead the sleds were born to do so, that they are bred to survive harsh conditions and temperatures, that their coats and canine nature make them able to survive the temperatures, terrain and grueling work. One race supporter is Chasing Squirrels with Rusty’s author. Rusty’s mom is excited to teach her elementary school class about the Iditarod. (I have to admit the dog booties she ordered are cute and I am tempted to order some for my Golden Retrievers for the winter walks here in Cleveland.)
On the other hand, protesters claim that the race is deliberately abusive and has killed dogs before (which is true). The Iditarod has been likened to animal cruelty for years. A few years back the USA Today reported a story of a visitor to the race who turned into an animal rights activist after she witnessed the conditions there. Margery Glickman recalls:
Alaskan sled dogs living in their own filth, tethered in kennels…in inhumane conditions, forced to repeatedly run laps while attached to exercise wheels… It’s really shameful marketing carried out on the backs of defenseless animals.”
In 2007 a musher was disqualified for animal abuse, as reported by FOX news. Another musher was found guilty of animal abuse in 2005.
Everyone has their own opinion on the animals’ welfare during the Iditarod. Personally I am totally against these races. Regardless of the dog’s canine nature and abilities, the cruelty that comes with constant whipping, neglect, poor conditions and dehydration is enough for me to take a stance against these races.
Tell me what you think. You comments are encouraged.
Hello, I couldn’t find your email so I’ll just leave Rusty’s here.
rustysmail@embarqmail.com
Hello again! I forgot to leave Rusty’s birthday. It is April the 2nd.
You bring up good facts… I´m pro Iditarod myself, seeing mor pros than cons with the race… The cons are that there have been cases of animal abuse, which is sad and shameful… The pros are that it is a great adventure that if faced with the right attitudes is all good… A celebration of the age-old realationship between musher and husky… That huskies are bred (and have been bred for a long time) for these kind of conditions is true… The sleddog tradition could be dying, nearly gone, replaced with snowmachines and such, if the Iditarod and other such races didn´t excist… I am a musher myself (not in alaska though, sadly, alaska is my dream)and can testify that these dogs do love to run… and they positively thirve in arctic conditions… The abuse that exists is unfortunate and should be dealt with… but these races in them selves are NOT abuse…
Being a musher myself I must say that I am totally pro Iditarod. I was at the Ceremonial Start, Re-Start and the Finish this year and I am very proud to say that I also finished the Junior Iditarod the year. To say that the Iditarod is cruel just because there are some mushers that are cruel is like saying it is wrong to have kids because some parents abuse their kids. These dogs are bred to race not just run. I have 19 dogs and of those 19 7 of them have finished the Iditarod at least twice. After volunteering for the past 11 years I find it hard to belive that the Iditarod is cruel. If you listen to the Sled Dog Action Coalition youare listening to a person that lives in FLORIDA and who only bashes the Iditarod not the other major races like the Yukon Quest or Alpirod.
I am against this, and it is abuse. There is NO reason for this to continue and laws have to be incorporated and enforced. In this modern day that we live in you would think enough education exists throughout the world, but apparently not.
Enough animal abuse of any kind. We have to be their voice and the violaters will be punished. What kind of people still do this? What kind?
“The ways of society and how it treats its animals speaks to the core values and morals of its citizens.”
Thank you
To learn more about how the Iditarod promotes sled dog abuse, please check out the following websites:
Sled Dog Action Coalition: http://helpsleddogs.org/
Break The Chains – Save The Sled Dogs: http://www.lakotasong.com/sleddogs/
I notice how the pro iditarod people do not refute
the facts of – Alaskan sled dogs living in their own filth, tethered in kennels…in inhumane conditions, forced to repeatedly run laps while attached to exercise wheels… It’s really shameful marketing carried out on the backs of defenseless animals.”
Saying they are bred to do this – is hardly a rational argument for in humane treatment.
To use the argument that these dogs are bred to run and therefore this race is not abusive and the dogs thrive is to compare with man’s desire to walk and the forced Death March to Bataan. Is there a valid reason other than monetary for the race to be as grueling and harsh as it is?
The use of sled dogs in this sporting event if not in and of itself abuse. I would submit that the abuse of toy breeds with diets excessively rich in cholesterol or even sugar is far more detrimental to the health of the animal than anything which enables the animal to be well fed and exercised. This is the type of argument which resolves to should an animal be used at all. After all, the natural state of any animal absent human intervention is feral. Simply because the dog is by evolutionary pressure able to run at a higher average speed than most other animals on Earth does not mean that using that fact in competitive sport is abuse.
The abuse of animals is probably more evidenced through those that breed excessively small dogs which are impossible in the wild – since animals of that size are most commonly lunch for other dogs.
Just because the dogs like it doesn’t make it alright. My pitbull would gladly pull me in a sled until she dropped dead from exhaustion.
I happen to agree about “toy” breeds… Why not just get a cat?