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Six dogs fall victim to 2009 Iditarod race
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Since 1967, the Iditarod has been a respected competition and tourism drive to communities across Alaska. But controversy has also surrounded this race since its inception due to the conditions and training of the animals involved in the event. As the "Last Great Race on Earth" geared up for the 2009 competition, animal rights groups were tuned in to see if this year's event would result in the same tragedies of the past. .jpg)
In almost every Iditarod race, at least one dog death has occurred. The first race alone is reported to have resulted in the deaths of 15 to 19 dogs. In 1997, according to the Anchorage Daily News, the total number of canine deaths totaled 107 dogs. In the years since that report, 35 more dogs have died in the Iditarod, bringing the grand total of canine deaths to at least 142. (Note: There is no official count of dog deaths available for the race's early years and this count relies only on a reported number of deaths).
Various medical issues have been the catalyst for these animal's deaths, including strangulation in towlines, internal hemorrhaging after being gouged by a sled, liver injury, heart failure, and pneumonia. The most common cause of death in recent years is external myopathy, a condition in which a dog's muscles and organs deteriorate during extreme or prolonged exercise. Animal welfare activists have consistently urged the Iditarod Trail Committee (ITC) to enforce more regulations on breaks and checkpoints so that this painful death does not inflict the racing dogs.
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As such, the ITC has significantly increased regulations along the race course. According to the Iditarod media guide, " In addition to the high standard of care provided by the mushers themselves, thirty-five (35) licensed, professional veterinarians, volunteer their time on the trail to perform routine evaluations and administer any necessary treatments. During the Race itself, well over 10,000 planned checkpoint examinations take place. Race policies and rules are written with the greatest emphasis on the proper care and treatment of the canine athletes. Any musher found guilty of inhumane treatment will be disqualified and banned from competition in future Iditarods. The result of these efforts is a level of health care and screening that even an overwhelming majority of the human population will never experience.” Unfortunately, even with these extra health precautions, the 2009 race has resulted in six dog deaths since the March 7th race start. According to media advisories released by the Iditarod the following canines fell victim to conditions:
- Victor, a 6-year-old dog on musher Jeff Holt's team, died suddenly on March 10.
- On March 16, a search pilot discovered that two dogs on rookie musher Lou Packer's team had apparently frozen to death. Packer said he could feel ice begin to form under the skin of one of the dogs before he died.
- On March 19, Maynard, a 5-year-old male on Warren Palrey's team, died on the trail late at night. His necropsy (a canine autopsy) showed "pulmonary edema [fluid in the lungs] was present, which likely developed as the result of a cardiac abnormality.”
- On March 20th, 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.
According to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), the Alaskan police department has refused to investigate any of the mushers for animal cruelty. A spokeswoman for the Alaskan state troopers 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."
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