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Thursday, February 3, 2011

The Struggle of Sled Dogs

Hello everyone!

I hope the new year and semester finds you well! I wanted to post about this particularly heated issue surrounding the Iditarod race. If you don't know what the Iditarod is, its a 1161 mile sled race across Alaska. It has been held for the past 38 years Each sled is pulled by 16 dogs. There are frequent blizzards, causing white out conditions, and temperatures are known to drop as low as -100 degrees F. It is the most popular sporting event in Alaska, and the racers are generally considered some of the biggest sport celebrities in the State.





As this is the New York Law School Student Animal Legal Defense Fund blog, I hardly need to tell you that I am particularly opposed to this race. Any sport, in my very personal opinion, that involves forcing an animal to over exert itself in this way is condemnable to me, but this again, is my opinion. What has really raised eyebrows about the Iditarod's treatment of the dogs before the race. I have posted the ALDF link to the story, which also has links to the USA Today story on it as well as the full report of the event at issue. I'll warn you that the report is particularly upsetting. I have also posted the wikipedia link to the Iditarod and the Iditarod's website so you can maybe better understand the history, advertising, marketing, and intensity of this event. If nothing else, it will give you the other bias.

If you find yourself opposed to this event and these acts, I implore you to send the letter from the ALDF link. This letter will then be send to all the sponsors of the Iditarod. The race relies on its sponsors to find the event and so far, since the cruelty to the dogs has come to light, sponsors are already pulling out from funding the event. These dogs hold a special place in my heart, and I am particularly outraged by this whole situation and have been in long opposition to the Iditarod. These recent events only solidifies for me what I already knew to be wrong. Please see for yourself, and if you agree that this cannot be tolerated, do your part to let the people who need to know know.

http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5154/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=5388

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iditarod_Trail_Sled_Dog_Race

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iditarod_Trail_Sled_Dog_Race

Thanks