Six Dogs Dead in 2009 Iditarod
OK - this is obviously an opinion piece. I wonder if it is just some racers who will try to win at all costs, even if it means sacrificing their dogs - or if the whole race should be banned. What do you think?
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http://www.care2.com/causes/animal-w...2009-iditarod/
Six Dogs Dead in 2009 Iditarod
posted by: Heather Moore 2 hours ago
In early March, just before the start of 37th annual Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, I wrote about the Iditarod's trail of death and suffering. Many caring people were outraged that dogs are forced to run well past exhaustion in such extremely inhospitable conditions, often succumbing to pneumonia, gastric ulcers, hypothermia, and other illnesses. Others, however; mostly those with a vested interest in the race, attempted to justify the senseless deaths and the needless suffering. Does anyone think there's a way to justify the six tragic deaths that occurred in this year's race?
First there was Victor, a 6-year-old dog on musher Jeff Holt's team, who died suddenly on March 10. A gross necropsy (the canine version of an autopsy) was completed, however, "no cause of death could be determined by the board certified veterinary pathologist." The poor dog likely just ran to death.
Then, on March 16, a search pilot discovered that two dogs (whose names, Dizzy and Grasshopper, were not even included in the Iditarod advisory) on rookie musher Lou Packer's team had apparently frozen to death. Packer and his 15 dogs were "trapped" out in 45-below temperatures and howling wind and Packer said he could feel ice begin to form under the skin of one of the dogs before he died.
Next, on March 19, Maynard, a 5-year-old male on Warren Palrey's team, died on the trail late at night. His necropsy showed "pulmonary edema [fluid in the lungs] was present, which likely developed as the result of a cardiac abnormality." Maynard had been "working hard" on the trail for 11 days leading up to his death. An Anchorage Daily News article also noted that "the stress of that has been known to cause some dogs to develop deadly stomach ulcers."
One day later, Omen, an 8-year-old male on Rick Larson's team, died on the trail between the checkpoints at Elim and White Mountain. As with Maynard, Omen's necropsy indicated that he died from a pulmonary edema.
The sixth dog, a 2-year-old female named Cirque, died during a post-race flight. Cirque, who was on musher Alan Peck's team, was discovered dead when after the plane was forced to land due to significant turbulence. A necropsy has been scheduled to determine the cause of her death.
To call attention to the tragic deaths and demand justice for the dogs, PETA wrote to Alaska state trooper Col. Audie Halloway and ask him to determine if any of the mushers whose dogs died could be charged under the state's cruelty to animals law. Not surprisingly, a troopers' spokeswoman said that the state law does not generally apply to dog mushing contests. The agency further told the media, "Unless the Iditarod Trail Committee indicates some concern over the treatment or cause of death of these animals, no we do not generally investigate those particular events. If someone within the Iditarod Trail Committee or from the public has evidence of behavior that is beyond normal practices of mushing activities, we will gladly look into these acts."
Obviously, "normal practices of mushing" include suffering and death, and there is no excuse for that. Please visit the Sled Dog Action Coalition's site to find out what you can do to end this deadly race once and for all.
