AAA asks people to join cruel Iditarod dog sled race!

January 11, 2003

From the Sled Dog Action Coalition, http://www.helpsleddogs.org:

An article in the January/February 2003 issue of AAA Automobile Association's

VIA Magazine referred to the Iditarod dog sled race as an exciting event and

encouraged people to join the race. Nothing was said about the Iditarod's

long, documented history of dog deaths, illnesses and injuries. Nothing was

said about dogs being beaten and whipped by greedy mushers who hope to pocket

prize money. In short, AAA completely ignored animal protection activists and

their views.

Please write to Bruce Anderson, the editor of VIA Magazine, and to James

Pouliot, the CEO of the California State Automobile Assn:

Email: James_Pouliot,Bruce_Anderson

A letter which you may personalize:

Dear Mr. Pouliot and Mr. Anderson:

The January/February 2003 issue of AAA's VIA Magazine promoted and glorified

the barbaric Iditarod dog sled race. The article referred to the Iditarod as

an exciting event and encouraged people to join the race. In truth, the

Iditarod is a perfect example of animal abuse and of animals being exploited

by greedy people. The Iditarod dog sled race is condemned by animal lovers

and animal protection groups across the United States. Please do not promote

the Iditarod and the evils associated with it. When you publish your next

issue, please give readers the animal protection side of the Iditarod story.

Mushers treat their dogs abominably. In the Iditarod, dogs are forced to run

1,150 miles over a grueling terrain in 8 to 14 days, which is the approximate

distance between Orlando and New York City. Dog deaths and injuries are

common in the race. USA Today sports columnist Jon Saraceno called the

Iditarod " a travesty of grueling proportions " and " Ihurtadog. " Fox

sportscaster Jim Rome called it " I-killed-a-dog. " Orlando Sentinel sports

columnist George Diaz said the race is " a barbaric ritual " and " an illegal

sweatshop for dogs. "

Please visit the Sled Dog Action Coalition website

http://www.helpsleddogs.org and be sure to read the quotes on

http://www.helpsleddogs.org/remarks.htm.

At least 119 dogs have died in the Iditarod. There is no official count of

dog deaths available for the race's early years. Causes of death have

included strangulation in towlines, internal hemorrhaging after being gouged

by a sled, liver injury, heart failure, and pneumonia. " Sudden death " and

" external myopathy, " a fatal condition in which a dog's muscles and organs

deteriorate during extreme or prolonged exercise, have also occurred..

Tom Classen, retired Air Force colonel and Alaskan resident for over 40

years, tells us that the dogs are beaten into submission:

" They've had the hell beaten out of them. " " You don't just whisper into their

ears, â€˜OK, stand there until I tell you to run like the devil.' They

understand one thing: a beating. These dogs are beaten into submission the

same way elephants are trained for a circus. The mushers will deny it. And

you know what? They are all lying. " -USA Today, March 3, 2000 in Jon

Saraceno's column

Beatings and whippings are common. Jim Welch says in his book Speed Mushing

Manual, " I heard one highly respected [sled dog] driver once state that

" â€˜Alaskans like the kind of dog they can beat on.' " " Nagging a dog team is

cruel and ineffective...A training device such as a whip is not cruel at all

but is effective. " " It is a common training device in use among dog

mushers...A whip is a very humane training tool. "

Mushers believe in " culling " or killing unwanted dogs, including puppies.

Many dogs who are permanently disabled in the Iditarod, or who are unwanted

for any reason, are killed with a shot to the head, dragged or clubbed to

death. " On-going cruelty is the law of many dog lots. Dogs are clubbed with

baseball bats and if they don't pull are dragged to death in harnesses..... "

wrote Alaskan Mike Cranford in an article for Alaska's Bush Blade Newspaper

(March, 2000).

Jon Saraceno wrote in his March 3, 2000 column in USA Today, " He [Colonel Tom

Classen] confirmed dog beatings and far worse. Like starving dogs to maintain

their most advantageous racing weight. Skinning them to make mittens. Or

dragging them to their death. "

Please do not promote or glorify this cruel race. Give your readers the

animal protection side of the Iditarod story.

Sincerely,

January 12, 2003

There are rescue organizations for greyhounds who were forced into

racing--are there rescue organizations for these sled dogs who are unwanted

or past their prime? I am unable to adopt a dog--my apartment building

doesn't allow them, and my cat would not be amused--but I'm sure there are

people who would want to adopt an abused dog.

Danielle

----Original Message Follows----

SleddogAC

SledDogAC

AAA asks people to join cruel Iditarod dog sled race!

Sat, 11 Jan 2003 15:09:33 EST

From the Sled Dog Action Coalition, http://www.helpsleddogs.org:

An article in the January/February 2003 issue of AAA Automobile

Association's

VIA Magazine referred to the Iditarod dog sled race as an exciting event and

encouraged people to join the race. Nothing was said about the Iditarod's

long, documented history of dog deaths, illnesses and injuries. Nothing was

said about dogs being beaten and whipped by greedy mushers who hope to

pocket

prize money. In short, AAA completely ignored animal protection activists

and